<p>Hi! I have to choose between Wesleyan University and Vassar College to apply to. . .can't apply to both because I have to ration my fee waivers. . .I know they're both different in many aspects, yet I feel they are alike in many aspects, too. I can't visit, sadly, because I live in SC. So I suppose I should choose based on which I'm more likely to be accepted into? I love both, but don't mind choosing one. . .
GPA 3.9 UW
rank 2/200
SAT I 1430/2230
SAT II 760, 760
huge focus on creative writing--national & regional awards and publications, etc.
have taken AP English as well as two years of IB English. . .will graduate w/ 3 APs and 3 IBs
and I'm interested in writing for an Asian-American audience (journalist, writer, w/e) for a career!
Any suggestions?</p>
<p>I really had no idea until you said "creative writing." That leads me to say Vassar hands down.</p>
<p>Vassar is now need blind, and new president is into attracting students like you. </p>
<p>I think the schools that were women's colleges still tilt more toward that arts and humanities than the schools that were men's colleges which often tilt more toward the sciences.</p>
<p>I think Vassar is slightly easier to be accepted at too, however its FA has not been as good in the past. I have a feeling that that situation is about to change.</p>
<p>Hmmm...it's hard to suggest to someone else which of these two to apply to. They aren’t quite interchangeable, but they are a lot more like each other than they are like most other schools, and which of the two any individual will like better is pretty hard to gauge (I wouldn't have been able to tell you I liked Wes more than Vassar until I visited). The upside is you probably won't go wrong with either, since most people who would be happy at one would be happy at the other, too. You have a good shot at both.</p>
<p>You might want to consider that Wes has strong East Asian Studies and Asian Lit departments, which might be really good for someone who is interested in writing for an Asian-American audience. I think you should definitely pursue the course catalogues and look at the Creative Writing and, if it interests you, Asian Studies type courses at each school and see if that makes your decision any easier. </p>
<p>You might also want to check out this thread, in which some of the differences between the schools are discussed: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=4590176&highlight=wesleyan+Vassar#post4590176%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=4590176&highlight=wesleyan+Vassar#post4590176</a></p>
<p>Also, I’m a Wes sophomore, and you can feel free to PM me with any questions you may have about the school :D</p>
<p>PS. What other schools are you looking at?</p>
<p>Off-topic, but wonder if you know about this, I've a friend who's active in it:
<a href="http://www.aaww.org/aaww_events.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.aaww.org/aaww_events.html</a></p>
<p>Well, since I saw monydad he, and he had such restraint (his D goes to Barnard too) I will throw caution to the winds and say Barnard would be an excellent choice for OP. Barnard nurtures writers and keeps turning them out, and Asian Studies has resources of Columbia plus all the resources of NYC.</p>
<p>I echo Barnard.</p>
<p>But, in answer to the original questiion, I think the biggest difference is in campus ambience. At Wesleyan, half the campus blends into the city streets; you're constantly rubbing elbows -- sharp elbows, at times -- with townies; you and your friends are more likely than not to have a single-family bungalow of your own by junior year. With independent study projects and honors theses galore, by the time you're a senior, you're practically living like a grad student. </p>
<p>With that many senior houses dotting the campus it means, a ton of places to leave your calling cards on the weekend.</p>
<p>Vassar has more of a traditional, walled-in campus. There's a bar nearby that serves as an unofficial campus hang-out, but, most entertaining is done in the dorms. It's a fun place, too. But, different Maybe, it comes down to the hipster component. Someone mentioned it in that other thread; it's sort of Vermont hipster versus Williamsburg (Brooklyn) hipster. If you're not sure what that difference is, you may have to sit down and watch a few episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" on CBS (created and produced by Wes grads.)</p>
<p>FWIW, I think both places would be happy to have you!</p>
<p>I thought OP wanted fewer choices, not more.</p>
<p>But, since you mention it, D1 attends Oberlin and she has a friend studying at Bard. Both these schools share some elements with the two referenced (and of course have differences) , student bodies in the same spirit moreso than many other schools, and have particularly highly regarded creative writing programs, I believe.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses!
Weskid--I'll probably PM you sometime! The other schools on my list include Emory (parents like it--close to home), U Chicago (EA), and possibly Davidson. Either Davidson or Vanderbilt, though I'm particularly partial to neither, but I need to apply to another close to home.
monydad--Thank you so much for the link! I never knew there was an Asian writer's workshop. . .that's exciting. As for the schools you suggested, I've heard they were awesome schools (I have a friend at Bard, actually), but I think Oberlin is in too rural an area for me, and Bard seems a little TOO unstructered. . .
mythmom & johnwesley--Thank you for suggesting Barnard! Here were my reactions:
1st: "Aack--all girls' school--NO. My Asian parentals are already strict enough about boys; why subject myself to more??"
2nd: "But you know, that WAS where Katherine Boo, my all-time favorite journalist (The New Yorker; Washington Post), went to school. . .and she IS my idol. . ."
3rd (after some research): ". . .and I like how it's affliated with Columbia, which, along with the fact that it's in NYC, means I'll probably have sufficient oppurtunities to meet boys. . ."
So yes, I am definitely considering Barnard! But do you think I'm competitive enough for the school? (Add NMSF, first-gen. college, a billion hours of work for family restaurant, and a pretty original EC to that vitae. . .I'm not sure how competitive Barnard is, though. You hear all these horror stories about 2400s that fail to make it to HYPS!)</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins has an excellent creative writing program and urban. Barnard's admission rate is far higher than Columbia's, which was around 8% last year, but if you are a Barnard student, you share a campus and classes with Columbia students.</p>
<p>I think you're good for Barnard. DD and her friends who are there are very pro-guy, too! DD's roommate last year is a creative writing person at Barnard. The program is amazing. Two of DD's friends studied with the novelist, Mary Gordon, last year. One got accepted to a fabulous one semester creative writing program at St. Andrews, Edinburgh, Scotland.</p>
<p>Back to your original question-
Agreed,Vassar is the way to go for emphasis on creative writing. their Endlish Dept is top notch!</p>
<p>Grinnell, in Iowa, may be just what you are looking for. Very generous financial aid from this wealthy school. Davidson and Vanderbilt are on the opposite end of the spectrum from Vassar, Wesleyan and Bard. Forget Grinnell if you thought Oberlin was too rural! After reading your second post, you may want to research your school selections a bit more.( I prefer that someone else fill you in).</p>
<p>Hello,
I currently attend Vassar, and just wanted to offer some onfo on my view of the creative writing classes.</p>
<p>My main problem with the writing classes is that two of them are in the film department and I think they should
count them as interdisciplinary so that a student can take them through the English dept.
That said, the English major does have a variety of writing courses.
These are:
Composition- writing prose and poetry, assignments include poetry, drama, essays, journals, and prose fiction.
Composition II- second semester continuation of Composition
Literary Nonfiction-travel writing, nature writing, personal essays, memoirs
Literary Nonfcition II- continuation of the first semester course
Narrative Writing- focuses on writing short stories (this class is a year long)
Advanced Composition- also a year long</p>
<p>In addition, the film department has:
Dramatic Writing (plays or screenplays, it's really up to the student)
Screenwriting</p>
<p>I would recommend perhaps planning an independent major and then you could take
writing classes, journalism classes, etc.</p>