Around campus, there is a general environment of smart, open-minded individuals who are, by a large margin, happy to be at Wesleyan. The free exchange of ideas is valued greatly by students and professors alike. The professors are very engaging and, while the coursework may be challenging, the general campus consensus is that the work is well worth the effort.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
At Wesleyan, freedom and individuality are valued. This is reflected in the open curriculum and the wide variety of events on campus. The biggest tip for prospective students is to visit campus and even to visit a class. I’ve never seen a professor deny a high schooler of sitting in on a course, and it will give you a good idea of what that class is like. Be wary, though, of generalizing a single class to the entire university as a whole. The more classes that you visit and the more people who you talk to, the better informed that you will be about Wesleyan.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
Like anywhere, the difficulty of the coursework is highly dependent upon where your interests lie and what classes that you choose to take. There is much freedom in scheduling courses, and, outside of your major, there are no strictly defined requirements. It isn't high school, any more, though. If a course seems to require a lot of reading, then you need to plan accordingly for a higher level of work. On the other hand, if you're excited about reading and absorbing information in that way, then you might find the more scientific classes to be more rigorous, because there is often a weekly problem set on top of other work.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
The university tries to be very accommodating of any housing concerns that the students might have. As freshmen, the majority of my friends have been given single rooms, which I have come to learn is very rare among even upperclassmen at other institutions. At the same time, though, there are many freshmen in forced triples due to this year's class size. As an apology to these individuals, Wesleyan does give them a small sum of money back on their housing costs.
In the dorms themselves, much depends on where you are on campus and within the building. Overall, no one that I have talked to about their housing experience has had any large gripes with their dorm or floor. Wesleyan would receive three stars here because of their underestimation of the size of this year's freshman class, but their saving grace is, as stated, the commitment to allowing the option of singles to freshmen.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
The food on campus is good, but it does get rather repetitive. There are two dining halls, both of which accept meal tickets and points. One, Usdan, is buffet style, but often has very similar options from night to night. The other dining hall is Summerfields. It has a set menu, and the food is very good, but again it tends to get old. The other major place to dine is WesWings, the restaurant on campus that only takes points. Its name is a bit deceptive. WesWings does have a variety of wings, but it's also a real restaurant with a spectrum of options. All dining areas on campus offer vegetarian- and vegan-friendly meal options, as well as any other food allergy or preference that students might have.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
The university sends out a weekly email detailing all of the on-campus events going on in that particular week. The majority are often sporting events of one form or another, but there are also many productions, open mic nights, and other alternative things to do for fun. On the weekends, of course, there is partying to some extent, but it's in no way forced upon students if they don't wish to participate.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
Wesleyan University is, admittedly, outrageously expensive without scholarships or other aid. It's difficult to justify going to a university for upwards of $50,000 a year. However, the financial aid office is excellent at working with students and parents to help the students continue to attend Wes. If you're able to get even some of the price of attendance reduced, or are able to pay in full, I would say that Wesleyan is well-worth the money. In my college search, Wesleyan stood out as very unique in terms of atmosphere and student body. It has strong majors across the board, from the sciences to theater and the arts, and is well-respected by employers.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Somewhere special that not many people know about is the top floor of the Allbritton Center. If you go in the back of the building to the top, you can go outside and get a beautiful view of Middletown and of part of campus. There are a lot of really comfortable spots in Allbritton, the Science Library, the lounges in Exley, and around campus to get work done with very little disturbance. Most people are very respectful of others doing work.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
Wesleyan can be great for anyone who doesn't mind being challenged academically and intellectually. The college is renowned for a strong liberal attitude, but this doesn't mean that there isn't a conservative presence on campus. There are students of all backgrounds and opinions on campus at any given time. Prospective students who enjoy an open atmosphere centered around acceptance of others will thrive at Wesleyan University.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
Every spring and fall, there is a club fair where all of the clubs on campus come out onto the field at the same time and are all happy to tell you about their clubs. The majority of the tables have candy, too, so it's strongly advised that new students attend. At the club fair, you can sign up for as many of the countless clubs that you'd like to participate in, and you get to be on their e-mail list for future events. Clubs on campus are anywhere from very time-consuimg to nearly commitment-less, depending mainly on personal preference and time.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
Greek life is concentrated on High Street in a row of nice houses opposite the main campus administrative buildings. It isn't extremely prevalent, but it does exist for those students who would like to participate in it.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
I, personally, have never felt unsafe on campus. Public Safety is around and, from what I've heard, they're quick to respond if anything does happen. Students often walk around campus late at night without much hesitance.
Around campus, there is a general environment of smart, open-minded individuals who are, by a large margin, happy to be at Wesleyan. The free exchange of ideas is valued greatly by students and professors alike. The professors are very engaging and, while the coursework may be challenging, the general campus consensus is that the work is well worth the effort.
At Wesleyan, freedom and individuality are valued. This is reflected in the open curriculum and the wide variety of events on campus. The biggest tip for prospective students is to visit campus and even to visit a class. I’ve never seen a professor deny a high schooler of sitting in on a course, and it will give you a good idea of what that class is like. Be wary, though, of generalizing a single class to the entire university as a whole. The more classes that you visit and the more people who you talk to, the better informed that you will be about Wesleyan.
Like anywhere, the difficulty of the coursework is highly dependent upon where your interests lie and what classes that you choose to take. There is much freedom in scheduling courses, and, outside of your major, there are no strictly defined requirements. It isn't high school, any more, though. If a course seems to require a lot of reading, then you need to plan accordingly for a higher level of work. On the other hand, if you're excited about reading and absorbing information in that way, then you might find the more scientific classes to be more rigorous, because there is often a weekly problem set on top of other work.
The university tries to be very accommodating of any housing concerns that the students might have. As freshmen, the majority of my friends have been given single rooms, which I have come to learn is very rare among even upperclassmen at other institutions. At the same time, though, there are many freshmen in forced triples due to this year's class size. As an apology to these individuals, Wesleyan does give them a small sum of money back on their housing costs. In the dorms themselves, much depends on where you are on campus and within the building. Overall, no one that I have talked to about their housing experience has had any large gripes with their dorm or floor. Wesleyan would receive three stars here because of their underestimation of the size of this year's freshman class, but their saving grace is, as stated, the commitment to allowing the option of singles to freshmen.
The food on campus is good, but it does get rather repetitive. There are two dining halls, both of which accept meal tickets and points. One, Usdan, is buffet style, but often has very similar options from night to night. The other dining hall is Summerfields. It has a set menu, and the food is very good, but again it tends to get old. The other major place to dine is WesWings, the restaurant on campus that only takes points. Its name is a bit deceptive. WesWings does have a variety of wings, but it's also a real restaurant with a spectrum of options. All dining areas on campus offer vegetarian- and vegan-friendly meal options, as well as any other food allergy or preference that students might have.
The university sends out a weekly email detailing all of the on-campus events going on in that particular week. The majority are often sporting events of one form or another, but there are also many productions, open mic nights, and other alternative things to do for fun. On the weekends, of course, there is partying to some extent, but it's in no way forced upon students if they don't wish to participate.
Wesleyan University is, admittedly, outrageously expensive without scholarships or other aid. It's difficult to justify going to a university for upwards of $50,000 a year. However, the financial aid office is excellent at working with students and parents to help the students continue to attend Wes. If you're able to get even some of the price of attendance reduced, or are able to pay in full, I would say that Wesleyan is well-worth the money. In my college search, Wesleyan stood out as very unique in terms of atmosphere and student body. It has strong majors across the board, from the sciences to theater and the arts, and is well-respected by employers.
Somewhere special that not many people know about is the top floor of the Allbritton Center. If you go in the back of the building to the top, you can go outside and get a beautiful view of Middletown and of part of campus. There are a lot of really comfortable spots in Allbritton, the Science Library, the lounges in Exley, and around campus to get work done with very little disturbance. Most people are very respectful of others doing work.
Wesleyan can be great for anyone who doesn't mind being challenged academically and intellectually. The college is renowned for a strong liberal attitude, but this doesn't mean that there isn't a conservative presence on campus. There are students of all backgrounds and opinions on campus at any given time. Prospective students who enjoy an open atmosphere centered around acceptance of others will thrive at Wesleyan University.
Every spring and fall, there is a club fair where all of the clubs on campus come out onto the field at the same time and are all happy to tell you about their clubs. The majority of the tables have candy, too, so it's strongly advised that new students attend. At the club fair, you can sign up for as many of the countless clubs that you'd like to participate in, and you get to be on their e-mail list for future events. Clubs on campus are anywhere from very time-consuimg to nearly commitment-less, depending mainly on personal preference and time.
Greek life is concentrated on High Street in a row of nice houses opposite the main campus administrative buildings. It isn't extremely prevalent, but it does exist for those students who would like to participate in it.
I, personally, have never felt unsafe on campus. Public Safety is around and, from what I've heard, they're quick to respond if anything does happen. Students often walk around campus late at night without much hesitance.