Wesleyan University Top Questions

I went to a very competitive high school where too much emphasis was placed on going to a "good school." If I've learned anything during my time in college, it's that there is no such thing as a "good school," only a school that is good for you personally. While Wesleyan University is a highly ranked liberal arts college, it is not as prestigious as Harvard or Yale, or some of the other schools my high school classmates attended. However, Wesleyan was the perfect choice for me. As long as you are going to commit four years of your life, and high tuition prices, you might as well choose a place that has everything that you need -- not what people make you think you need. In our society today, college has become less and less about earning a degree and more and more about finding yourself and creating an identity. Choose a school that lets you achieve this and, once there, try appreciate each moment to its fullest.

Don't stress. You will end up where you are meant to end up, and you will be happy.

The college process is an endeavor of spontaneous judgement and social reaction. Expectations are constantly broken, altered, and exceeded. Having a rigid model of what your college experience ought to be will ulimately hinder your academic and social potential. The American undergraduate experience is one without parallel elsewhere in the entire world. I feel that most students enter their undergraduate experience as a formality, and are subsequently deprived of the boundless opportunities available starting from hour one of entering campus. Parents should do their best to make their children excited about entering college, as to promote an independent and thorough search. Students should keep an open dialogue with as many people as possible. Family friends, siblings, friends of siblings, parents, friends of parents, teachers, people of all ages who can provide an anectdote or paint a picture of their experience, not to impose their own advice, but to allow the applicant to form a better picture of what life is like beyond high school and outside of the comforts or discomforts of their upbringing. Ultimately there is no correct choice, but there is a beautiful clean slate with an unknown and truly unique outcome.

I would say that if you are looking for a strong academic, liberal arts program matched with a strong culture of liberal minded students and faculty, and don't mind catching an occassional unexpected glance of a nude person, Wesleyan might be the place for you!

First, I would say that there is no right answer. Throughout high school, we're made to think that there is one place out there that is perfect for us, and every other school will not do, but that simply is not the case. Every school has its ups and downs, and just about anyone can find a niche somewhere. And if you don't, there's always the option of transferring, which leads me to my second bit of advice: Nothing is set in stone. You can always change your mind and apply to different schools or take time off or whatever you need to do. When choosing a school, it is important that you put a lot of thought into your decision in spite of my first two pieces of advice. Don't just choose to go to the school that gives you the most money, as I made the mistake of doing, but choose somewhere where you felt at home. Take the time to visit classes when you tour a school and get a feel for the student body. Ask yourself, "Do I see myself amongst these kids?" Also consider the values of the institution.

A junior discusses whether Wes was his first choice and what he wishes he'd known before coming.

A first year discusses whether Wes was her first choice and what she wishes she had known prior to coming here

A junior discusses if Wesleyan was his first choice for college and what he wishes he had known before he got there.

Two juniors discuss what they thought about Wes before coming and what they wish they had known before coming.

There is more than one college that is "right" for you. Much of the college experience depends on your choices once you are there. Choosing a college that has a diversity of student groups, extra-curricular activities, and has strong ties to the surrounding community allows you, as a student, to drastically change your interests and needs while at school and find outlets for your interests all at one place. What you may be interested in now may not be what interests you in two years. Finding colleges with flexible academic programs that allow you more control over your own major is another way of allowing yourself the space to change and to grow within one college environment. As for how to know which schools are right? I strongly recommend spending a night at the school staying with current students, if that is an option. It is the best way of knowing what life is like there, and it is much better to spend one night at a school and discover that you do not like it, that four years wishing you chose some where else.