Wesleyan vs. Middlebury vs. Bowdoin ED2

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Im trying to decide between these three schools for ED2. I have good stats and a good essay. I love Wesleyan for its classical music program (best of the LACs by far) and I like it for polo sci and sociology (thinking about those two and chem for potential majors). Not wild about Middlebury but that’s not a dealbreaker. My issue with Wes is the drug scene. I have no intention of doing drugs or alcohol in college and with a family history of addiction, don’t wanna go somewhere where that’s the norm. Leo Wes had an ugly reputation for sexual assault. I’ve been sexually assaulted before so that scares me. Not sure if Wes‘s science dept is as strong as some other LACs - feel free to correct me on that.

Midd would be my second choice but I’m not sure about the music and sciences there. Also it’s not as good as Wes for poli sci. Midd is more preppy than Wes which I like (not really into a „weird“ student body, I more vibe with normal, smart people). Midd financial aud apparently sucks which is another huge problem.

Then there’s Bowdoin. Better academics than the previous two in all my preferred departments. Not as good music. Terrible weather, and tiny school. Please help give me more info and or correct my current info so I can decide!

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Clear to me that Wes should be your school.

Every school has kids who do drugs but that is not everyone at the school I assure you. I don’t know about Wesleyan specifically but I promise you it’s not drug central but yes some will use.

Sorry to hear about your assault and you need to be careful anywhere but you only like one of the three. So I’d choose that one.

Or don’t apply ED to give yourself more time.

Good luck.

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Thanks. Meant not wild about Middletown (not Middlebury) it autocorrected. I do like Mudd and Bowdoin I just feel like Wes has the most pros (and cons) for me. Can someone tell me more about the student body at Wes. Are the stereotypes true?

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Another thing, I’ve seen some people who say Wes is going downhill and that their career center is extremely unsupportive. More info on that would also be great.

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You can compare vs Middlebury.

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I have a kid at Wes who likes it a lot.

I don’t think there’s any more or less drug use there than at most other schools. And I’ve not heard about a reputation for sexual assault, but I understand why that would be a concern.

The fact that you talk about wanting to avoid a “weird” student body makes me think it might not be a fit for you, though. Not that the student body is “weird,” whatever you mean by that, but it is pretty open and accepting, and that’s part of what makes it such a special school. It’s definitely not preppy overall (although there are some preppy kids—again, it’s a place that is welcoming and diverse), so if that’s the dominant vibe you’re looking for, Wes is not going to be the place for you.

The financial aid is reputedly very good, so if that’s a major concern, it’s probably worth keeping on your RD list. But based on what you say you’re looking for, I’m not sure it’s the place you should commit to via ED2.

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Thanks so much! Yeah I honestly don’t know what “weird” means either, that’s just the stereotype of the school I’ve gotten from other sources. im not talking about diversity or acceptance, I see both those as pluses. But in terms of social life, Wes is supposed to be socially awkward. As for sexual assault and drugs, Wes does rank very highly (top 10-20) in the nation for both of those things which is cause for concern. Other than that I really do love the school.

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Where are you from? These stereotypes are about fifty years old (like, before it was even co-ed.)

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I’m from California lol. I’ve gotten this stuff from Unigo, Niche, and College Confidential. I’m hoping to hear from current students about their experiences as I understand these are flawed sources.

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I’m not sure what this means, either! But my kid has a fulfilling social life–lots of friends, activities, etc.

As a parent, I would just say that ED2 is a big commitment. Don’t apply ED2 anywhere you aren’t sure about.

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I don’t like the entire I hear etc.

Talk to some students.

Ask admissions or a department of interest to connect you. They can likely match a geography, interest, religion, or sexuality.

Have you been ? Personally I would not ED anywhere I haven’t visited.

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Yes I’ve visited and loved it. I got the sexual assault report from a washington post article (CC not letting me include link) among others (one in the Wesleyan student newspaper)

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The goal is to talk to students here. I can’t afford to visit again, the last time I was there was 3 years ago.

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Do not apply ED to any school where you have concerns about campus environment or fit.

See? So easy. Apply to the schools on your list and take advantage of Jan/Feb/March to do more research, talk to recent alums about career services, talk to current students about the party scene.

Why rush if you have concerns?

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First of all, no one goes to Wesleyan for its Classical Music program. So, before we waste a lot of bandwidth correcting all the misinformation you’ve managed to accumulate, my advice would be to apply to either Midd or Bowdoin and perhaps add Hamilton College in Clinton, NY for your consideration. All three have pretty good classical music departments and are surrounded by woods and farmland.

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Thanks for all the advice guys but I’m really not looking for advice, I’m looking for student experiences to add to the extremely limited information all colleges (even excellent ones) provide. Just trying to make an informed decision :slight_smile:

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I’m not thinking of majoring in music, far from it. I just know Wesleyan has a good orchestra compared with those others. Hamilton is def on my list.

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No, I’m saying call admissions or a department of interest and they can connect you with a student to call or Skype with.

You’re unlikely to find students from Wes on here - so reach out to the school so you can find them.

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You won’t find a lot of students here. Check out the Wes Reddit. I think they have a discord also.

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I think you’re misinformed. You have three excellent NESCAC colleges (Bowdoin, Middlebury and Hamilton) that seem like excellent fits. Why waste time fact-checking old reddit threads?