ED II? help with level of discussion in classes and cliqueness of students

Colleges & Universities Wesleyan University
1

I applied ED 1 to Pitzer and got deferred. I did an overnight at Wesleyan in October so I am considering applying ED 2 but have some doubts.

My #1 problem was the level of discussion at the classes I attended. When I did an overnight at Pitzer I shadowed a government class at CMC that was incredible, everything I was looking for. To elaborate, they essentially spent the entire period discussing readings and their opinions on foreign policy decisions. The professor facilitated, but did not lecture for a single minute. This was an intro class, so I was extremely impressed by the level of discussion.

At Wesleyan, I attended two government classes with professors who were rated well on rate my professors.com. In the freshman intro class which was listed as discussion, the professor spent the entire time lecturing with a few comments from the class and one 3 minutes discussion at the end. In an upper level seminar on international security, the professor spent the majority of the class lecturing. Though the class was very small, it almost didn’t even matter since there was barely any discussion.

I know the classes I attended were a random sampling, but the small level of discussion in the government classes I attended really scared me. Can anyone please comment on this? Not sure if its a west coast vs. east coast thing or what.

Also, I have heard from over 5 people that Wesleyan is polarized between the athletes and artists. I really don’t want to go to a cliquey school, and it seems like the diversity at Wesleyan isn’t a huge advantage if people stay in groups with people similar to them. I am also neither an artist nor athlete, I would describe myself as someone who is very into politics and having intellectual discussions with a passion for social action. I have heard that Vassar is very similar to Wesleyan but less cliquey, but I am too afraid to apply there ED II since i haven’t visited.

If someone could comment on the level of discussion in government classes or in classes in general, or the cliqueness of the students, or what I found to be an overwhelmingly intense atmosphere on Wesleyan’s campus, I WOULD BE VERY THANKFUL.

2

When i visited wes i talked to a lot of cool students who were neither athletes nor artists. I think the assumption that the school is polarized between those two groups is misleading. I’d say you will fit in since you described yourself as “someone who is very into politics and having intellectual discussions with a passion for social action”. When I visited those were the type of people I mainly encountered.

3

I think its just tradition that intro government is taught that way. Both my intro government professors were fascinating characters who spent a lot of time pacing back and forth and ruminating aloud and it was your choice to either interrupt them with a question or just listen and take notes. Sometimes the prof has done a lot of research and writing on a particular subject and they may feel an obligation to give the class its money’s worth.

OTOH, I can also recall lots of discussion in my English classes where sharing each others work was common and also where the readings were much more open to interpretation. In general, I would say if the class is labeled a “seminar” or a “colloquium” or some other endearing term like that, you can expect a lot more discussion.

4

Why don’t you apply RD to both Wes and Vassar, and visit in the meantime? That will also leave Pitzer on the table.