@harvard2021 I would be careful about your sources. I wouldn’t use the lack of “Wesleyan vs X” threads, one or two anecdotes about a grumpy alum, or the US News ranking alone to tell you about the quality of a school. As a few other posters have mentioned above, Wesleyan significantly outperforms USC when it comes to graduation rates and small class sizes (this is reflected in Wesleyan’s very strong Forbes rating, which actually uses outcomes in its methodology). Wesleyan’s acceptance rate this year was 15.4% (applications to Wes climbed 10% this year), virtually identical with USC. Both have 95-96% freshman retention rates, so students are quite happy at both places.
It’s true that Wesleyan’s endowment fell behind Amherst and Williams, but Wes just completed a $480 million capital campaign and is trying to catch up, and has gotten its finances back in order. Aristocratic old money sustaining Wes is absolutely not what is going on. You have alums like Bill Belichick, Bradley Whitford, and Joss Whedon filling Wesleyan’s coffers. Old accomplishments? Heard of the new smash hit Broadway musical Hamilton? Written by a Wes alum, directed by a Wes alum. TV shows How I Met Your Mother, Mad Men, Game of Thrones? All Wes alumni.
As for name recognition, sure Amherst and Williams are likely the most recognizable LACs as they flip flop #1 in various rankings, but I’d challenge you to find someone who has heard of Middlebury or Bowdoin and not Wesleyan. Wesleyan has more famous alumni (largely due to pop culture) than any other LAC.
Though it sounds like you already want to go to USC.