Wesleyan University Reviews

Totally. College is a time for...

Totally. College is a time for self exploration and trying new things, and if that includes mind-altering drugs then it includes mind-altering drugs. It is completely possible to go through four years of Wesleyan without ever doing any sort of drug, and many students do. However, the likelihood of going through four years without ever seeing anyone doing, about to do, or under the influence of a drug is slim to none, unless you never leave your room or the computer lab. The again, if you are always in the computer lab, you are bound to see at least one person in there on some study drug at two in the morning.

I will say that, as far as life...

I will say that, as far as life experience goes (the kind of diversity you can't see) Wesleyan is hugely diverse. I have never met so many people with so many different stories to tell. We are also diverse in the more traditional sense. We've a good number of international students, a really active queer community, and people of basically every color and creed. I think we are trying to work on our socioeconomic diversity, and our political diversity is, well, not so high. We've got a "small but vocal conservative community."

Our sports teams are really not...

Our sports teams are really not very good. However, this just makes all the jocks, and there are actually a lot of them, much sweeter and more down-to-earth because they're not pompous...except maybe for guy's lacrosse.

It varies from dorm to dorm. Some...

It varies from dorm to dorm. Some RAs are completely lax and may even buy you alcohol and party with you, while others will take it from you and turn you in if they so much as see you with some. You may be able to have a raging party in your room or you may not - it's luck of the draw. Obviously, the bigger the party, the more likely it will be busted by P-safe, but the rules are fairly transparent, and if you are at least halfway intelligent about it you should be able to easily avoid ever getting in trouble.

I'm from the Midwest, and the...

I'm from the Midwest, and the winter here is definitely longer. So bring a coat, snow boots, and an umbrella for fall and spring rains. A sled (or a lunch tray from the cafeteria) is also essential. The fall colors here are fantastic, and sunny spring days spent on Foss Hill are wonderful. Bring swim trunks for early fall or late spring journeys to Miller's Pond.

I have never felt unsafe on...

I have never felt unsafe on campus. A female friend of mine had to walk back from downtown every night after volunteering, and she said she always felt safe. We have blue-light phones around campus. Wesleyan's Public Safety is a great presence to have around. They don't bother you if you're not being a nuisance, but they're really helpful if you're in any sort of trouble. With that being said, Middletown has a fair amount of crime, like any other city, and occasionally students are affected by this.

Anyone here can have a car. There...

Anyone here can have a car. There is a big lot in the back of campus for long-term parking, and there are parking lots peppered around campus, but a car is really best for getting off campus, not driving around on campus. You definitely don't need a car. I've managed perfectly fine all four years without one. Just make friends with someone who does if you want maximum ease in getting off campus.

Campus is small enough that...

Campus is small enough that walking or biking is fine to get around. There is a shuttle that runs at night, which is good if it's raining or if you're too tired to walk home from a party. Wesleyan runs a shuttle to New Haven on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They've improved the service on this every year since I've been here. New Haven is cool, but the real reason for going there is to take the commuter rail from there into NYC for the weekend.

Not every chick is a militant...

Not every chick is a militant lesbian. There are some really cute, sweet girls on campus who don't hate everything with a penis.

Marijuana is huge and permeates...

Marijuana is huge and permeates many different social groups, but there is no pressure to smoke. People are pretty cool about it. As for harder stuff, you can find it if you look for it. If you don't look for it, you won't notice anything (I don't).

Teachers are great! The workload...

Teachers are great! The workload is as much or as little as you want it to be, depending on the classes you take. Wesleyan has one of the best film studies programs in the country and we also have two unique, interdisciplinary colleges, based on the tutorial systems at Cambridge. The College of Letters focuses on language, literature, and philosophy, and the College of Social Studies covers history, economics, and government. For a liberal arts school, we also have great science classes and lots of opportunities to get involved in research, even as a freshman.

You'd have to be really unlucky to...

You'd have to be really unlucky to get caught, but if you do, your first drinking offense will usually result in a referral to a community leader and a stern talking-to (i.e., nothing). If it's a drug offense, you'll get put on trial in front of the Student Judiciary Board. Some people end up getting charged, some end up being let off. First sanction is a warning, then probation, then something more serious. It's really hard to get caught though.

The campus is incredibly diverse -...

The campus is incredibly diverse - economically, ethnically, racially, ideologically and sexually. Politically, not as much. The campus tends to be pretty democratic. However, there is still a 'students for republicans' group, keeping the campus somewhat politically diverse.

As a freshman, I found these...

As a freshman, I found these policies were pretty relaxed. However, over my four years, Public Safety has been cracking down more on drugs and drinking. As long as you're not caught you're fine. But if you're stupid and walking by a P-Safe officer with a beer, you will probably get caught.

The majority of the school year is...

The majority of the school year is cold, cold, cold. There is about a month at the beginning of the fall, and about a month right before graduation, where it is sunny and warm. But for the majority of the year, I wear jeans, coat, scarf, gloves, and a hat! Bring rainboots and winter boots!

They exist on campus, but they...

They exist on campus, but they aren't a dominant aspect of it. If you choose to join one of the fraternities or societies, it will play a larger role in your life, but if you don't, you can go to some of their parties and that's the extent of your involvement. Most parties here happen to be house parties, but if you want large frat parties, you can make it happen as well.

Well, it's Wesleyan. If you come...

Well, it's Wesleyan. If you come here, you will be offered at least a joint. It's there, we all know it's there. However, it's by no means necessary for you to partake in that activity. There are harder drugs, but again, it's up to you whether to sample them or not. I'd be lying if I said that they don't exist on campus, but I personally don't smoke bud or do drugs, and I've never felt like it impacted any aspect of my life.

I love Wesleyan, 90 percent of the...

I love Wesleyan, 90 percent of the time. Sometimes the overly political correct people get on my nerves, but it's rare. I'm really glad I came here, and I'm definitely going to be a little sad to leave because I've met some of the most passionate, idiosyncratic, and incredible individuals ever.

Personally, I feel very safe on...

Personally, I feel very safe on campus. I've never had any bad experiences. That being said, there are always a couple of safety alerts that go out from Public Safety each semester about some student being robbed, but it's very rare. You always have the option of taking the Ride to wherever you need to go, and Public Safety is always around.

Public transportation isn't very...

Public transportation isn't very good in Middletown, but you don't need it. Everything is basically on campus, and there is a campus shuttle that you can call to take you to places around campus that runs from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. It's a little annoying to get to the train or bus station to go home over breaks, but there is a shuttle, and people often split cabs, so it's not too big of a deal.

I truly believe that at Wesleyan...

I truly believe that at Wesleyan you will find every type of person. People think that we're all a bunch of vegan, hemp-wearing hippies, and while we certainly have our fair share of those, we also have jocks, hipsters, frat boys, and artists. And the coolest thing about the people at Wesleyan is that they are often all of those things at once. We have frat boys who act in plays and hipsters who play sports. Because as cheesy as it sounds, that's really the kind of place Wesleyan is. One where people actually feel comfortable being themselves, no matter what that is.

Anything from jock to hipster goes...

Anything from jock to hipster goes at Wes. People are generally quirky in some way, though, and as someone who falls somewhere in between, I really like that no one quite fits their stereotype perfectly. I never got along with jocks in high school and when i found out my freshman roomie was a varsity soccer player, I was a little nervous. And sure, she wears American Eagle like its going out of style, but she is also one of the most random and spacey and intelligent people I've ever met. The people are just generally interesting, if at times pretentious.

Middletown has lots of great...

Middletown has lots of great restaurants, actually. There are tons of places that deliver. There are also some that take Middletown Cash (which is money you can put on your student ID so you don't have to bring cash), and some that even give discounts to students. There's also a range of prices - some cheap for college students, and some more expensive for when the folks come to visit.

for the most part, Wesleyan is a...

for the most part, Wesleyan is a safe place. If anything ever happens on or around campus, it is generally due to outsiders coming on campus, but that is fairly rare and generally not too serious. If you do feel like you'd like some company on your way home, not only are the students really nice but the Ride is a van service that does tours of campus in the dark to take students where they need to go.

P-Safe (what Public Safety is...

P-Safe (what Public Safety is called on our campus) are there sometimes and completely absent the next. Watch out, and know that you will be in front of the Student Judiciary Board if you're caught.