<p>Why do you want to leave Wooster? Because whatever your reasons are can probably guide you in making an informed decision between Oberlin and Bennington. For starters, Bennington is small. It’s about 1/4 the size of Oberlin. And it’s in rural Vermont, so do you want to come east or stay in Ohio? </p>
<p>Bennington has a [blog[/url</a>] as well that may be helpful in getting a sense of the place. The [url=<a href=“Tapped In: The Bennington Blog”>Tapped In: The Bennington Blog — What is the Chinese program like at Bennington?]Chinese</a> program](<a href=“http://benningtonstudents.■■■■■■■■■■/]blog[/url”>http://benningtonstudents.■■■■■■■■■■/) was actually the subject of a post from a few days ago. </p>
<p>I’m only a sophomore at Benn, but I’d say that there are a few things that define the experience here. The community is very small and close-knit: you see a lot of the same people every day, which I love because it makes the campus feel like a family of sorts. The teaching is great, and the relationships you’re able to have with professors at such a small school are amazing. Academics here are self-driven, meaning you come up with your own major, essentially. It does have to be explained and justified to a committee of faculty who will critique and refine your ideas as you revise them. That kind of structure forces students here to be really self-motivated and flexible.</p>
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<p>I also just wanted to correct this. Bennington went through some financial hardship about twenty years ago… but the school today is in the best financial condition its been in for many, many years. In no way is the quality of the teaching here compromised by events of decades ago.</p>