Founded in
1831,
Wesleyan University is a small private
university in
Middletown, Connecticut[?]. Originally a co-educational
Methodist college, it later became all-male; the departure of the female students led directly to the foundation of nearby
Connecticut College[?]. Women were readmitted to Wesleyan in the early
1970s, and it is now completely
secular. Perhaps best known for the liberal arts, it does also offer a wide variety of
sciences, which dominate the graduate programs available. It is one of the "Little Three" along with
Amherst College and
Williams College. Wesleyan is an elite college, being one of the handful that rejects far more applicants than apply. The college is well known for its social
activism and also its high percentage of students from minority backgrounds.