<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>I know Wesleyan is definitely very special in its own way but...in order for me to know as much about Wesleyan's uniqueness as possible..i have a question for you all:</p>
<p>what separates Wesleyan from other top LACs?
I know there's a lot to this question so feel free to comment!</p>
<p>thanks.</p>
<p>Hey, if people are answering this question, could you possibly help a sister (namely myself) out and answer it with a focus on "Wesleyan vs. Carleton"? I know there's the obvious weather, location, and semester vs. trimester (which you can feel free to elaborate on) but if anyone has any further knowledge of things such as student bodies, stress levels, quality/relationsihps of/with professors, etc. I'd really appreciate any and all input. Thanks!</p>
<p>Oh, and nafeiniar, I visited yesterday (and interviewed) so I can tell you a little about what I thought: Wesleyan students are definitely AWARE. I'm not sure if that is completely unique, but it was very obvious to me, even though most students were away on Fall Break. (My tourguides, interviewer, etc. conveyed it pretty clearly.) Also, Wesleyan is a University... not that it's a huge difference, but there is about 1,000 bigger than some other LAC's in its realm, so I'm sure that has an impact. That's just one prospie's thoughts, though. :)</p>
<p>plethora, i agree with youu! anyone elsE?</p>
<p>In general, Wesleyan's student body is a bit more off-beat than those of the other top LACs, (in a creative/artistic sort of way.) Slightly weirder. This has been my experience.
As to the semester/trimester difference, in my experience at different schools: semesters allow for more in depth research, and closer relationships with profs. They create less stress, as they are less hurried. That said, trimesters allow you to take MORE courses, (albeit somewhat less in-depth,) and thus increase the breadth of your education. Tri. courses courses are somewhat rushed--good attendence is paramount. However, if you get stuck in a bad class, happily, it's over quickly. :)</p>
<p>Also, most colleges do semesters, so if you're at a place that has trimesters, you're never going to have similar breaks to your friends who are going to other schools. Do you want to be able to see your high school friends when you go home? I did.</p>
<p>I liked my visit to wesleyan a LOT more than I enjoyed any of my other college visits.
And now I'm here. Go figure :-)</p>
<p>I think that Wesleyan has a bit more of a sophisticated, worldly vibe than a lot of schools - I think that while all liberal arts colleges are inherently "bubbleish", Wesleyan students are very aware of this bubble and make an outward attempt to break out of it. Students, overall, don't just want to spend their four years having fun, enjoying sports and parties - there is a feeling among students that they should be doing something important, and then they do.</p>
<p>I think Wesleyan is a bit more laidback than many schools, both in terms of a very low-pressure academic environment and a general attitude toward individual freedom, and students are also more passionate. Students tend to be quirky - science students and arts students and econ students alike.</p>
<p>Compared to other LACs, film and the sciences at Wesleyan are standouts.</p>
<p>Wesleyan has its faults and its good points, but one thing that I absolutely love about it is that there is absolutely NO pressure to conform to ANYTHING. This campus is the epitome of radical individualism. If you are a biological male, but you think of yourself as a blonde cheerleader named Sally and dress accordingly, then people will respect that. If you, like me, are a button-down, white collar, atheistic conservative Jew (yes, we do exist), then people will respect you as well (though they might occasionally call you a racist or a sexist for daring to use non-inclusive speech - no, madjoy, sensitivity is not a compelling reason for fascism). I guess the point I'm trying to make is that while other schools have some homogeneity in their student body, race, class, sexual orientation and gender-wise, Wesleyan goes out of its way to break away from that. The result is a very individualistic campus full of students who are pathologically unwilling to admit that they are wrong about anything. If this sounds appealing, come to Wes.</p>
<p>Wesleyan has a cemetary on campus.</p>
<p>jk (although it is true.) Wes seemed to me more politically active and involved in the local community than Vassar, and more laid back than Amherst.</p>
<p>Amherst is very laid back.</p>
<p>Well, I did visit Amherst on a gray Sunday morning, I doubt the more relaxed students are up and awake at that hour...</p>
<p>What about the students implied to you that they weren't laid back?</p>
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<p>Wesleyan has a cemetary on campus.<</p>
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<p>Legend has it that a young man, standing at his dorm window, watched as a pretty co-ed walked through the college cemetery one foggy night. That young man's name was Joss Whedon, creator of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". :)</p>
<p>Just that the students I did see were all walking quickly with this look on their face like they had something more important to do, and at Wes there was more "hanging out" kinda deal. Again, probably the difference between a gray Sunday morning and a sunny Saturday afternoon.</p>