<p>I am having a tough time deciding between these three schools for ED. I am interested in neuroscience and theatre. I am also very social and like to party on the weekends. I want a school where people aren't interested in grades, but, rather learning and having intellectual conversations. I play the jazz piano and really enjoy music. I would classify myself as pretty hipster (sorry for sounding pretentious). </p>
<p>I really like Wesleyan because of the abundant performing opportunities and intellectual student body. However, the campus is the least nice and it is about an hour and a half from my house (a little close). </p>
<p>I really love the Middlebury campus and love the idea of being in rural Vermont near abundant skiing, but I am wary about the preppiness of the school and the lack of theatre opportunities. </p>
<p>I also really liked WashU when I visited especially the PNP program, but I am unsure of what the theatre opportunities. I am curious what the student body is like; do they have intellectual conversations; is it competitive; it's known to be jappy, is this true? </p>
<p>How far is Vassar from you?</p>
<p>I just googled jappy. Wow. Really?</p>
<p>^I’m assuming the OP is Jewish? :-?? </p>
<p>You should separately post these questions in each school forum to get better answers. We are not knowing the schools well enough to answer you. </p>
<p>Going on very little info here but my gut response is that Wesleyan sounds like a better fit for you than the others. The PNP major at WashU is a very cool option - but neuroscience is so big right now that a lot of schools have multiple majors that provide a range of majors with different balance between the social and physical sciences. So I am not sure I would choose WashU simply because of the PNP major. We found WashU to be more collaborative than competitive when we visited and spoke to students, and I would say the overriding feel was definitely Midwestern more than anything else. Middlebury seems more athlete-centric than the other two - but that is based on reports from friends who have visited with their kids. Great small town, beautiful setting, great liberal arts, etc. </p>
<p>some of us find the word “jappy” pejorative, OP, and are offended by it.</p>
<p>I think you’ve chosen schools well, given what you’re looking for, but I’m pretty sure I’m not the one to ask about what it appears you’re not looking for.</p>
<p>Sorry for offending anyone, I probably should have used a better word, maybe spoiled. But that is a reputation WashU has in Westchester, NY (maybe it’s the tempurpedic mattresses in the dorms). </p>
<p>I am familiar with all three of these schools and know students at all of them. I agree that Wesleyan sounds like the best fit for you - great neuroscience and theater as well. Wash U is known for accepting students only that have “expressed strong interest” in their school. The fact that you don’t know much about it makes me think you should scratch that one off of your list. Honestly, ED is for someone who is positive that this school is the one for you. If you are not sure, then you shouldn’t apply ED and instead, wait for RD, see which ones you get into, and then visit them again, sitting in on a class, maybe going to a theater production, etc. On a separate note – I can tell you that even if you are 90 minutes from home, you probably won’t go home except for Thanksgiving … no different than if you were four hours away or 12 hours away… I wouldn’t say Middlebury is all preppy kids – being a school heavy in foreign languages, our family has always loved the incredible diversity of students and interests that we have experienced there. They may not be “known” for their theater/fine arts like Wesleyan but I am sure you would fine ways to be involved.</p>