Urgent Question for John Wesley

gusgooz1
Mon, 03 Apr 2006 20:55:31 +0000

To John Wesley:

I’ve been reading your posts and it seems like you know quite a bit about Wesleyan and the college admission process. I hope you’ll bear with me as I describe my situation.

I was recently notified that I was placed on a waiting list for acceptance to Wesleyan. I am certain that I would matriculate if accepted. The school seems tailor-made for me–its strongest departments are exactly those which I am interested in (film, literature, music, anthropology/sociology, philosophy, etc.) I’m especially into music, although I’m nearly good enough to go to a conservatory, and so Wesleyan’s accessible department with many varieties of world music ensembles, esoteric classes on experimental music and the like, and jazz ensembles is extremely attractive. The students seem to be uniquely intellectual, artistic, and altruistic. The size is perfect–not too big, not too small. I actually love the location–a small, rickety old town not far from Boston or New York, with sites of great natural beauty close by as well.

Well, with all this, you’d think I would have just applied Early Decision. The thing is, when I was deciding where to apply to college, I was having all sorts of existential doubts about where I belonged, what kinds of people would be there, etc. I thought it would be difficult to commit myself to attending a University for four years without having a chance to stay with some students and get a good feel for those that call it home. I had visited Wesleyan before, but it was right before Thanksgiving when there weren’t too many people around. And so, overloaded with AP classes, various music gigs, finishing up SATs and writing and re-writing essays, I decided just to play it safe and apply to a bunch of places I liked, visiting them in the Spring when I would have time to do so. I was cocky enough to expect I’d just get in.

Now I come to my dilemma. In Wesleyan’s letter, they said the only thing to do (besides doing well in school) is to write a letter that shows the strength of your interest. They also said that they would begin offering admission to students on the waiting list immediately after May 1st, when responses from admitted students begin arriving. I think it is fair to assume, then, that they spend April sorting through students’ letters and determining who goes where on the list. It makes sense that the earlier one writes a letter, the stronger one’s interest appears. I am wary, however, of writing a letter right now, as my letter may not be as strong as that of someone who spent a night with students and can write about her affinity for the people there, perhaps department heads met with, etc. I will be attending WesFest in a few weeks, and I am sure that my letter will be much more convincing after attending.

So here comes my question. Which of the following should I do?

Write a sort of preliminary letter now explaining why Wesleyan is uniquely suited to my needs, writing a stronger, fuller letter after returing from WesFest later this month, declaring that I will matriculate if accepted.
Write a letter now about how Wesleyan fits me academically. (Is a letter about the academic fit wiser than one that details the overall fit, perhaps employing a bit of wit?)
Wait until I get back from WesFest and write a strong letter then.


Thanks for your help. I can’t seem to decide which makes the most sense, and my guidance counselors at school are little help.