Wesleyan University Top Questions

To a degree, yes.

This stereotype has some root in reality, but is actually far from accurate. Yes, most Wesleyan students are liberal. Yes, many Wesleyan students are politically aware. But this alone does not seperate Wesleyan from its peer institutions. Most liberal arts colleges are predominantly liberal, and many college students happen to be interested in politics. What sets Wesleyan apart is how vocal and outgoing students can be when they want their voices heard. I have yet to meet someone at this school who does not have some particular passion that they wouldn't pursue to the end of the world.

Obviously that wild image is not exactly accurate. But that's not to say that the hippy culture is gone from Wesleyan, it's just less obvious. Students may not be clad in tie-dye, but the spirit is still there.

yes and no. a lot of girls are really pretty!!! however, you definitely don't see too many of the stereotypically pretty sorority-girl types. The football team, at least, sucks. The hipster-jock divide is true in the sense the both ends of the spectrum stay in their respective corners. however, if you don't want that stereotype to be true, many people cross those boundaries easily. Yes, students are incredibly liberal. I know of 3 self-professed republicans, and i only know one of them personally. I don't know any hillary supporters.

With the exception of Teach for America, no. Seriously...a lot of kids here do Teach for America. The truth is that the kids here are just a bunch of smart kids that don't fit neatly into any one box. The same football DKE brother in your econ class is in an a cappella group or something equally surprising. Drugs are around (its a college campus after all), but kids here know their shit and get it done well. We like to play but know playing is only fun if your still managing to get a degree at the end of the day.

no

Wesleyan is such a special place because, while it is predominantly liberal and does host individuals or small groups of people that fit these stereotypes, it is the kind of school where practically everybody can feel comfortable. Most students are pretty down to earth, and stereotypes are typically not the basis of friendships. While Wesleyan stereotypes are often accurate, I don't think that reflects badly on the student body. We have a diverse collection of stereotypes, which makes for a rich academic and social environment.

There are stoners and hipsters at Wesleyan, but there are also serious athletes, Orthodox Jews, accomplished opera singers, and future doctors (and not a few students who span more than one of these categories). And while it often feels like the student body as a whole produces more noise than action, there are groups and individual students who do amazing work to improve the working conditions of the campus dining staff, the educational conditions of kids in Middletown, the living conditions of farmers in the Dominican Republic, and the environmental conditions of the world at large.

to some extent, but not really

Both Hippies and Hipsters are present, and yes, a lot of people have some experience with illicit substances, but Wesleyan is so much more than that. I've found to campus to be remarkably socially diverse. Any and every group you can imagine is present here, and people interact freely and openly with everyone else. It's hard to feel like no one else is like you here.