<p>Both schools are great and are in the top ten liberal arts, but which is better?</p>
<p>Haverford was originally Quaker and Wesleyan Methodist. Both are extremely selective and small. What is your opinion?</p>
<p>Everything you say is true, but, at 2600 students, Wesleyan is more than twice Haverford's size, with all that may imply. Academically, Wesleyan has a nationally recognized Jazz program, a nationally recognized Film Studies program; opportunities in astrophysics, ethnomusicology; twice as many computer science courses; twice as many economics faculty. It is said that Wesleyan has the best science faculty among its LAC peers, as measured by articles published, articles cited and by amount of NSF funded research.</p>
<p>Socially, there is something happening nearly all the time; students pretty much govern themselves and again I would emphasize the sheer variety and quantity of parties, social arrangements, concerts (by students) and sporting events available at Wesleyan.</p>
<p>Also, Wesleyan is located in an actual downtown setting with real neighbors and real restaurants and stores all within walking distance. At night time you do have to be aware of your surroundings, but, only because the active frat house and senior house party scene is a magnet for local high school students who sometimes act out.</p>
<p>Other than that, they're exactly the same. :)</p>
<p>My d really liked Wesleyan and will be applying. She hated Haverford.</p>
<p>Sometimes it's all about the fit.</p>
<p>A friend who visited Haverford was put off by the constant referral to their honor code and how it was brought up by nearly every student she talked to. At Wesleyan, we have an honor code which is taken very seriously, but we don't feel the need to DISCUSS it all the time. I don't know if other people feel the same way.</p>
<p>I also agree that, from what I could tell from visits, Haverford's Quakerness plays a large role in defining its community, especially with talk about the honor code. Wesleyan and Haverford are probably both kind of self-righteous, but in kind of different domains - Wesleyan in more of a social justice kind of way, Haverford in more of a personal kind of way.</p>
<p>I heard that Wesleyan is extremely liberal. Is this true? To what degree?</p>
<p>I think that people tend to conflate "liberalism" with interest in politics and in world affairs of any kind. In reality the issue is not liberal versus conservative so much as, <em>awareness</em>. Wesleyan students are aware. And frankly, it probably does place them in the minority among their peers. I'm amazed that every year 7,000 interested, involved kids manage to find Wesleyan somewhere on their radar, long enough to fill out an application and hope that they continue to do so.</p>
<p>As one of the few Wesleyan College Republicans, I can tell you that Wesleyan does have a very liberal student body. That said, except for a few, very unpleasant people, Wesleyan's student body is not oppressive in its liberalism. All of my best friends are liberal, and I tend to find that people are genuinely interested in what you have to say, so long as you're not belligerent about your views. There is a bit of an over-fixation on political correctness, but there's also a large contingent of students who go out of their way to **** off the PC crowd. Oh, and the group "Keep Wes Weird" is always awesome.</p>
<p>Heh.... I would argue that there is not an "over-fixation on political correctness", but a fantastic sense of awareness around campus that revolves around respect for others. If you're Mytheos (and I think maybe, you are?) hehehe, I won't get started on it again... :P</p>
<p>My kid had the same reaction to Haverford. On the tour, they kept emphasizing how many advisors the freshman had (something like 3 or 4 per freshman) and the honor code. She was kind of turned off by it, just feeling it was mentioned ad nauseum, and she did not feel in need of tons of advising.</p>
<p>Also it was pretty small, and the kids there all seemed like suburban kids, just not very diverse or exciting at all.</p>
<p>She loves Wes...</p>
<p>I should have said however, (although it is obvious) that this was a 'gut' feeling and not any reflection on the fine academics at Haverford. It is a very very good school, just with a very different 'feel' than Wes.</p>
<p>^I agree with that assessment. My D attended Wes, and my S toured both. He liked Wes a lot, but got the same gut feeling of suburbanish, overly-earnest fussiness from Haverford which he didn't feel at all at Wes. Again, a personal reaction--someone else might feel the exact opposite gut reaction. I can't, though, imagine liking both--the feel was so different. Academics at both are superb by all reports. (Ultimately, S decided he was not an LAC person, and went to a midsized U instead.)</p>
<p>My gut feeling was similar to Garland's especially the "overly-earnest' part (great choice of words). The Haverford campus felt very small. We were there at 4:00 PM during the week and we did not see any students outside.</p>
<p>My son also thought that the honor code felt somewhat oppressive.</p>
<p>hmmm...</p>
<p>Considering the amount of intolerance in the world, isn't "hate" an emotion a bit harsh for a young high school girl to have after a 1/2 hour visit to a tiny Quaker college?</p>
<p>As Wesleyan tries to be "unconventional", "diverse" and "opened minded", it should be pointed out that judging people based merely on appearance and brief visits isn't any of the above. Many times, some of the most creative people don't necessarily look the part because their creative talents are not spent thinking about image, what shade of blue to dye their hair or how to be "eclectic" and attention seeking.</p>
<p>And finally, considering Haverford has produced 4 Nobel winners and ranks in the top of LACs that produce PhDs and also graduates to top professional schools... and also Wesleyan's recent former President... more students and more classes aren't necessarily better. </p>
<p>I guess sometimes it is about the fit! :)</p>
<p>Haverford College Nobel Prizes:</p>
<p>Theodore W. Richards (class of 1888) - 1914 prize for Chemistry</p>
<p>Henry Joel Cadbury (class of 1903) - accepted 1947 prize for Peace on behalf of American Friends Service Committee</p>
<p>Philip J. Noel-Baker (class of 1910) - 1949 prize for Peace; instrumental in founding the United Nations</p>
<p>Joseph H. Taylor, Jr. (class of 1963) - shared 1993 prize for Physics</p>
<p>Haverford alum, William Chace's presidency of Wesleyan isn't all that "recent" though his book is. One thing he implies, but doesn't come right out and admit, is that he left once it became obvious that a major capital campaign would be necessary.</p>
<p>American Friends Service Committee- started by Rufus Jones, a HC alum.</p>
<p>For schools with histories going back 150 years, recent to me is in the last decade or 2. Anyhow, I hear the tolerant people at Wesleyan "firebombed" his office... the reason of which I do not know.</p>
<p>P.S. All of these schools are really great and I think we should stick with criticisms that aren't so harsh. It's a bit elitists to be bashing each others schools as, in reality, it's a luxury in America to afford any college at all. I'm sure we'll all be friends at the "country club" or will hold the door for each other at the Neiman Marcus. By the way, the most talented kid who graduated from my highly respected medical school during my time there graduated as a theater major from Wesleyan. He's now an oncologist at Brigham. :)</p>
<p>I agree with you that it was sort of hard for Bill not to take that firebombing personally. He goes on at length in his book about "his" office being bombed; and, how no one offered any condolences to <em>him</em> in the weeks that followed (as though the community as a whole did not suffer as a result of the attack.) The fact of the matter was that the perpetrator had obvious mental and emotional problems and later wound up the victim of a drug related murder in nearby Hartford. It was a tragedy, no more no less.</p>