<p>I am trying to decide between visiting either Wesleyan vs. Vassar
I can either visit both or just Vassar, but if I visit both, the other college visits (to Carleton, Barnard, Haverford, Macalester, Bard, Northwestern, UChicago) would be shortened.
I am also looking to apply somewhere ED and don't want to apply somewhere I haven't visited.
I don't know what I am interested in (which is why I am looking into small LACs mostly), but I know I want to be involved in school publications.
Also, there are other threads on this comparison, but most of them haven't been updated since 2007; I'm sure things have changed. I'm also more into the arts scene in that I would rather attend a school with arts things to do on campus rather than sports or frats.</p>
<p>Wesleyan’s Center for the Arts is considered one of the top arts venues in New England, with over 300 performing arts events and exhibits a year. The field of ethnomusicology (the study of world music) was created at Wesleyan. For more information, visit the website at <a href=“http://www.wesleyan.edu/arts/[/url]”>http://www.wesleyan.edu/arts/</a>.</p>
<p>As for publications, below is a list of student publications at Wesleyan. More information about writing at Wes can be found at [Home</a>, Writing at Wesleyan - Wesleyan University](<a href=“http://www.wesleyan.edu/writing/index.html]Home”>Welcome, Writing at Wesleyan - Wesleyan University). </p>
<p>The Wesleyan Argus
Bi-weekly campus newspaper</p>
<p>Mind Matters
The Wesleyan Journal of Psychology</p>
<p>Wesleyan Critical Review
Literary Criticism</p>
<p>Ostranenie
Creative writing and art publication</p>
<p>Samizdat Press
Student-run press</p>
<p>The Hangman’s Lime
Poetry publication</p>
<p>The Pedestrian
Fiction and creative nonfiction publication</p>
<p>The University Comics Anthology
Literary comics and graphic stories</p>
<p>Three by Three
Short stories publication</p>
<p>Hermes
Politics and cultural analysis magazine</p>
<p>Incite Magazine
Political publication</p>
<p>Unlocked Magazine
Sexual health and sexuality publication</p>
<p>WeSLAM
Slam poetry group</p>
<p>Method Magazine
Magazine and blog about campus and cultural events</p>
<p>Wesleyan Poetic Census
Group devoted to promoting and publishing student work</p>
<p>Paperback Posse
Student book club</p>
<p>Writers’ Bloc
Workshop for creative and performance-oriented writing</p>
<p>You do know you have around a week left to apply ED, right?</p>
<p>That said, I prefer Vassar, but I’m a HS senior who hasn’t visited any of the colleges I’m applying to (I live outside the US), so I can’t really provide much substantial information.</p>
<p>To drinkyoupretty: I’m still a junior and am planning my visits for the comming year.</p>
<p>Oh, that makes sense.</p>
<p>Are you interested in an artsy environment in general or in performance arts? I believe the latter could be more prominent at Wesleyan. However, I think you’ll find more athletes there, too (if only because it’s bigger).</p>
<p>^^not really. Percentage-wise, the ratio of athletes actually goes down as the size of the student body increases. Amherst, Williams, Middlebury and Bowdoin all have larger percentages of athletes than Wesleyan (more per student) because they are smaller and compete in the same athletic league (NESCAC) and field the same number of teams.</p>
<p>If Vassar has fewer athletes nominally, it may only be because it doesn’t have a football team.</p>
<p>^ ^ Or men’s hockey.</p>
<p>However, Vassar is one of only thirteen colleges that has
NCAA D111 fencing. And only one NESCAC college (Tufts) has NCAA fencing, albeit only for women. Go figger.</p>
<p>My S chose Wesleyan partly based on the amazing arts scene, and when he was looking for schools, he was looking for schools that did not have large fraternity scenes. In his first few weeks at Wes, S auditioned for seven plays/singing groups. At parents weekend just this week, we saw a concert with 14 (14!) talented student A Cappella groups. We saw a studet-run production of Julius Ceasar. My S is currently rehearsing for another Shakesperean play that performs next weekend. We went to a fantastic lecture at the Film Studies school. There are movies virtually nightly. The arts offering at this school given its size are very impressive, and my S couldn’t be happier. </p>
<p>ps: if you were into sports, of course, there is plenty at Wes–there was the homecoming football game against Williams right in the center of campus on Saturday…but my S was at a rehearsal, I was at a Gamelan music workshop and a journalism seminar, and my H was napping, so you can see how much my family is into sports.</p>
<p>I’m not talented enough to pursue the arts scene myself. However, I’m still looking for a college with several well-attended arts options on the weekends regularly as opposed to the more common football game that the entire campus attends.
I feel like Vassar may be better in these regards.
Is this true?</p>
<p>Wesleyan is far from a jock school, but, part of its charm is that all kinds of students, from jocks to slam poets are welcome. If fear and loathing of sports is the motivating force here, then yes, you might be better off at Vassar. If, however, a love of the arts is more important then, I would refer you back to Tubby1’s reply at post #2 You’ll find both at Wesleyan, but if anything can be said with certainty, it is that no single event and certainly no sporting event will attract “the entire campus” on a weekend; there are just too many things going on.</p>
<p>It’s too bad that your travel criteria precludes a visit to both schools; they are not that far from each other. If it were me, I’d visit the college I had the most questions about. But, that’s just me and my Wesleyan approach to things. :p</p>
<p>Vassar does have well attended arts options - I think there were just 10 seats left open at the first orchestra concert in Skinner Hall (no soloist - just a basic concert) - and yet it was filled with students, faculty, parents and people from the community. A very supportive crowd for sure and a great performance.<br>
Vassar, as does Wesleyan, has multiple arts offerings in dance, theater, music and art on the weekends. You would enjoy both schools and they are really only 2 hours from each other. Please try to visit both and attend a performance by an arts group you are interested in - that will help you know if you are comfortable there.</p>