How political is the environment at Wesleyan University? We are party / candidate / position neutral (we have opinions, they just don’t fit in one category). Descriptions on niche are ‘Unique, passionate and intellectual’, ‘weird and diverse’ and ‘politically active’. We are going to visit but I know you really can’t get a deep feel on a 2 hour tour. Also, what is the social scene - Greek life, party scene, athletes rules or is it more of an intellectual feel? I’m sure there’s both, didn’t know if one is dominate. Thanks.
Wes parent here. There is minimal Greek life (there are three “fraternities,” only one of which has Greek letters, and they are all co-ed) but lots of clubs/groups that spawn social life. It’s not a “rager” kind of place; it’s more of a house party/hang out place. Athletes aren’t in any way dominant, and while there is certainly some social separation, there’s also plenty of overlap (my very very non-athlete kid is dating an athlete, for example).
There’s a really wide range of kids there, and it’s very welcoming. I agree with the overall descriptions from Niche, with the caveat that I think “weird” is good. Students are smart and curious, often with double majors that show a wide range of intellectual interests. The student body is largely left/progressive, but there are plenty of students with other perspectives, and there’s lots of heterogeneity even within the left/progressive space. The president (who is not from the left) is very big on freedom of expression, exchange of ideas, etc.; he’s been very outspoken amid the current administration’s university crackdown.
I think a visit will help; it has a distinct vibe that appeals to some and not to others.
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You’re visiting at a good time. School is in session; the main quad will be transformed into Corwin Stadium, the temporary football stands; and from Wednesday through Saturday nights there will be something waiting for you at the College of Film and the Moving Image (CFILM) student-run film series. But even without knowing all of that, one stroll around campus will probably convince you of the variety of people attracted to Wesleyan. I was a guest lecturer recently and the thing that struck me was that if there were a single primary belief shared by everyone, it was in being kind and helpful to those around you. I saw specific instances of it time and time again during my visits.
There was a recent thread in the Wesleyan forum where it became clear after a few posts that Middletown is probably the best example of a college town in the entire state of Connecticut: it’s diverse, it’s clean, relatively safe and relatively lively for a town its size. People drive in from the surrounding towns. Main Street consists almost entirely of small businesses that never seem to get crowded and it’s all within a few blocks of campus. I see people strolling up and down College Street all the time.
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And dozens of great restaurants on Main Street, featuring food from all over the world!
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