Barnard vs. Swarthmore

<p>I got into Barnard and Swarthmore. which one should I go and why?
Thanks</p>

<p>It totally depends on your personal preference. What are you looking for in a school?</p>

<p>star, I am in the exact same situation :(</p>

<p>I have been accepted to couple of colleges which one should i pick? I have been accepted to Barnard, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UC Davis, Swarthmore, Carleton, Uni of Rochester, Smith. I am from Bay Area, California and have been in the US for only four years. So which school do u recommend and why?
I think that I would major on Biology and maybe minor in Political Science.
Fin aid is not a problem , i get a lot of fin aid from the private colleges but for the UCs mostly I get some grant then loans.
I am from Iran, and during my HS years I did not have a great time even though I live in CA, so I was looking forward to a great experience where i could meet open-minded people, get involved in many activities, and get a good education. So any advise?
Thanks</p>

<p>star,</p>

<p>I don't know much about the other schools, but you can do research into them. try the boards for those schools too--i'm sure you'll get a response. I'm partial towards Swarthmore, since I really liked that school. They have a tolerant, close-knit, very intellectual community. The education you'd get there would be awesome, since the profs are more concerned with you individually than the profs at bigger schools. Bio and poli sci are good there. They have a lot of liberals on campus; not sure how you'd view that. I personally am not into politics, so that wouldn't bother me. I suggest going to Ride the Tide (if you still can) and check it out. It's beautiful, with its arboretum. It'll be a quiet and peaceful place, but Philadelphia is only 20 minutes away by train, and the train station is right on the edge of campus, so it's extremely convenient if you want some urban life in there too (which Barnard would offer you). And Swarthmore has only general requirements, that you take some classes in natural science, the social sciences, and the humanities, so you have a lot of leeway of what you want to make of your education. Trust me, if you want an open-minded campus, you'd find it at Swarthmore.</p>

<p>Carleton I know is good. If you can abide Minnesota. I definitely, strongly strongly recommend Swat though.</p>

<p>I like all your LAC's: Swat, Smith, Barnard, Carleton. Can't go wrong...which do you like better, chocolate or strawberry?</p>

<p>Moreover, all the schools have strong enough academics that I think you can afford to choose on "gut feel," assuming you can visit.</p>

<p>thanks for ur help</p>

<p>yeah, gut feel will be good. you're the only one who can decide for yourself, and you know yourself better.</p>

<p>star and chiaroscuro, where did u end up choosing in the end?</p>

<p>UC Berkeley</p>