<p>I was faced with this exact same decision this year–my final 2 came down to Wesleyan vs. Tufts. I visited and stayed overnight at both schools, and for me it came down to the atmosphere and the people.</p>
<p>Essentially, I chose Wesleyan because of its openness–both of its academics and its social norms. I love Wesleyan because of the fact it’s weird. Now, if you met me, you might call me one of the new “mainstream” freshmen. However, you don’t have to have a mohawk, you don’t have to walk around naked, you don’t have to wear women’s clothing to appreciate the social oppurtunities that this “weirdness” creates–when the social norms are skewed or annihilated, there is no desire to conform and only the need to accept people regardless of their appearance or beliefs. The people I met at Wesleyan were amazing because 1) they were intellectual, as is to be expected at a highly selective university, and 2) they were completely down to earth and accepting. I want to be part of this social openness; similarly, I want to explore academically, and Wesleyan clearly holds the edge here over Tufts with no requirements.</p>
<p>I would conjecture that the atmosphere at Tufts is more similar to that of an Ivy League school–it is, after all, characterized as a place for Ivy rejects. Maybe your daughter would be off-put by Wes’ weirdness, and for a more typical collegiate experience I’d say go for Tufts.</p>