Anonymous
Post 10/25/2025 10:10     Subject: SLAC vibes - Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar....
I think your best bet is to apply to any that might possibly be a good fit, then do admitted student days and make decisions based on firsthand experience. My D26 is applying to Vassar, Wes, Middlebury and while she’s definitely liberal, she’s also in a fantasy football league right now, enjoys watching sports and from the way you described your son, would be good friends with him. All the people who write things like “too woke” etc most likely haven’t had kids at these schools. Personally, I didn’t get a “too artsy” vibe from tours and info sessions as Vassar or Wes (haven’t toured Midd) they just seemed very accepting and diverse. They all sound like good fits for your kid, have him decide for himself which one is his favorite after acceptances roll out.
Anonymous
Post 10/25/2025 09:50     Subject: SLAC vibes - Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar....
Anonymous wrote:If one wants a moderate not woke vibe you look at Colby, Holy Cross, and Colgate. Factor in dating and sports those are go to places. Not Vassar or Wesleyan. It’s about fit and campus vibe where a particular kid will be happy for 4 years.


May I remind you you that Bill Bellichick and Kevin Mangini went to Wes, and me! It’s an amazing intellectual institution. All kinds thrive. It is left leaning and the arts are valued. Not bro-ish like Bucknell. But there are straight guys. I think Colby is more mainstream but in middle of nowhere and lots of drinking.
Anonymous
Post 10/25/2025 05:21     Subject: SLAC vibes - Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar....
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Have you looked into Washington and Lee? Definitely socially tolerant. Definitely girls who want to date men.


I think my son is a bit of a goldilocks - can't stomach going to a school named after Lee.


This is reasonable. I also think people suggesting W&L because it’s “tolerant” in response to a post seeking schools for a progressive straight boy aren’t really listening to your question.

What about Tufts? It’s D3 but twice the size of other NESCACs.


Not Tufts for a heterosexual male hoping to date heterosexual women.
Anonymous
Post 10/25/2025 03:37     Subject: Re:SLAC vibes - Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar....
Nice to see so many informed people pushing back on the Wes stereotypes. It's a great school in both the humanities and sciences and is very diverse socially, with *lots* of bro-y straight dudes doing econ and aiming for finance. What perhaps unites the student body as a group is the "wealthy" vibe it gives off. I have known a number of Wes grads in my profession (academia) and I would have been happy to send my kid there had he chosen it.
Anonymous
Post 10/25/2025 03:13     Subject: SLAC vibes - Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar....
Anonymous wrote:Wesleyan would be a great fit. I know several students there, a couple of whom are like your son. All are happy. Contrary to what sometimes gets assumed, Wesleyan is not all crunchy-artsy-granola, though you can find that element there. Wesleyan is eclectic, with all types, and the nice thing is that it's not cliquey and everyone gets along. Plenty of sporty, straight boys at Wes, and plenty of straight girls, too. He would quickly find his people. It's an excellent school and, I think, the most balanced of the SLACs. (My own dc is not applying because they don't have the specific major he wants, but otherwise, it would probably be his top choice. And he is also a straight guy hoping to have a dating life in college.)


My straight, sporty son is there and loves it. He has an active social life that includes dating (girls).
Anonymous
Post 10/25/2025 00:51     Subject: SLAC vibes - Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar....
Anonymous wrote:If one wants a moderate not woke vibe you look at Colby, Holy Cross, and Colgate. Factor in dating and sports those are go to places. Not Vassar or Wesleyan. It’s about fit and campus vibe where a particular kid will be happy for 4 years.


Is Colby not woke?
Anonymous
Post 10/24/2025 23:52     Subject: SLAC vibes - Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar....
Midd is located in the middle of nowhere.
Anonymous
Post 10/24/2025 23:03     Subject: SLAC vibes - Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar....
Son at Midd - incredibly friendly student body, gorgeous serene environment. very tolerant, open-minded. Lots of school and club sports. Highly recommend!!
Anonymous
Post 10/24/2025 22:13     Subject: SLAC vibes - Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar....
Add Connecticut college to the list.
Anonymous
Post 10/24/2025 21:26     Subject: SLAC vibes - Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar....
Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at Bates and it's not remotely super woke or artsy crunchy. Very outdoorsy, down to earth, not especially political student body. At the height of the Gaza drama at big universities, I asked my DC (who happens to have a pretty diverse group of friends) about protests on campus and the response was "protesting what? My kid may be particularly clueless but the point is that none of the political upheaval elsewhere even registered at Bates. I think they have some dance and performance stuff on campus but there's also a lot of sports and hiking/skiing. One of the big annual events is a mid-winter jump in the campus lake.

I think the vibe is probably similar for a lot of the schools mentioned here. I visited several of them, including Wesleyan, recently with my younger kid and the only SLAC that seemed like it had a lefty/artsy vibe was Haverford.


oh that's interesting, I didn't get that vibe at Haverford at all. I did get that lefty/artsy vibe at several others like Oberlin, Wesleyan, Vassar, Bard, Skidmore, and several of the women's colleges.
Anonymous
Post 10/24/2025 20:46     Subject: SLAC vibes - Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar....
Wesleyan and Vassar would be bad choices for middle of road kids into dating.


Anonymous
Post 10/24/2025 20:09     Subject: SLAC vibes - Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar....
Anonymous wrote:Love Wesleyan’s president. I would be thrilled if my DS wanted to apply ED to Wesleyan.


yes I love how Roth has been openly and early speaking out against Trump's overreach!
Anonymous
Post 10/24/2025 19:56     Subject: SLAC vibes - Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar....
Wesleyan has a good track record of dating. One of most famous alums Bill Belichick 73 dating a 24 year old.
Anonymous
Post 10/24/2025 19:52     Subject: SLAC vibes - Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar....
Love Wesleyan’s president. I would be thrilled if my DS wanted to apply ED to Wesleyan.
Anonymous
Post 10/24/2025 19:41     Subject: SLAC vibes - Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar....
If one wants a moderate not woke vibe you look at Colby, Holy Cross, and Colgate. Factor in dating and sports those are go to places. Not Vassar or Wesleyan. It’s about fit and campus vibe where a particular kid will be happy for 4 years.