<p>I know it’s quiet awkward to put these two schools together for comparison. </p>
<p>Big U or LAC? The beach at sunny California or the small elegant town near Philly?:)</p>
<p>More importantly, I am admitted to the engineering school at UCSD ,BUT Psychology at Bryn Mawr! Some say that engineering students are more welcomed at the job market rather than those from liberal arts colleges. As I have no clear idea about what I really love and what I really want to learn in the future, any suggestions about which school will shape me into a better person or make me prepared for further academics?</p>
<p>Open Campus Days made the decision for me. There seemed to be two extremes at BMC, the extremely sheltered socially awkward students and the extraordinarily far left hippies. There were very, very few people in between. In addition, despite the fact that they knew 350 students were coming to visit, there was very little to do on campus. </p>
<p>However, I will say that people were very friendly at Bryn Mawr and the students seemed intelligent. After I left I immediately knew that it was not the school for me but again that’s just me. It could be a great fit for you. I’m not sure exactly what you’re looking for.</p>
<p>Interesting that you felt that way raideraide. My daughter returned from Open Campus very excited about the diverse student body with “so many different kinds of people”. And that was even with the presumed low representation of international students and possibly low-income students at Open Campus. She didn’t notice that many “far-left hippies”, but we ARE from the Bay Area, California so that might not be something she’d even notice.</p>
<p>There was definitely a lot of racial diversity both in the perspective students and in the current students. That was an aspect of Bryn Mawr that is truly wonderful. I would also agree that there is at least a moderate amount of socioeconomic diversity. I met one girl from a KIPP school which was totally interesting to me. Believe me Bryn Mawr is a great school and that’s why after applying to 9 schools, I narrowed it down to Swarthmore and Bryn Mawr and had a devil of a time choosing. I realized though after the Open Campus day that Swarthmore is a better fit for me than Bryn Mawr but I’m really excited that I’ll still be able to take advantage of Bryn Mawr classes through the Tri-Co.</p>
<p>I’m pretty nervous about someone enrolling at BMC without visiting, unless they are dead certain they want a tiny community and have a deep passion for women’s education. BMC is just so different from most colleges – someone to whom UCSD is also appealing might or might not be the right fit.</p>
<p>I’m currently a physics student at Bryn Mawr, and I’m taking an engineering class at Swarthmore. First off, congratulations on your acceptance to those programs! I’m sure you’ll have a great time wherever you end up.</p>
<p>As far as choosing between UCSD and Bryn Mawr, there’s definitely a lot of things to consider. When I was choosing a college, I seriously considered an engineering school, but ultimately I didn’t feel prepared to commit to engineering that early. Through taking this course at Swarthmore I’ve now decided I no longer want to go into engineering, so I’m extremely glad I decided to not go to an engineering school. That’s one advantage of a LAC, that you can try out different subjects before choosing a field, but something that doesn’t necessarily apply to you if you know you want to go into engineering. </p>
<p>As far as jobs go, there is definitely a large call for engineers, but if I were you I wouldn’t worry about that too much. If you have a degree from a reputable college, you should be fine. Remember, it’s not just the degree you have, it’s also the connections you make and the people you meet, and you’d be surprised where life can take you.</p>
<p>Anyway, I hope that helps! Good luck choosing!</p>
<p>Think about how attached you are to engineering. Did you apply to the engineering school at UCSD solely because engineering might be more marketable, when in reality you are undecided and would much rather explore liberal arts majors? Then Bryn Mawr might be the perfect fit for you! </p>
<p>However, if you are somewhat inclined to go into engineering, a school without an engineering department is probably the wrong place for you to be. If you get to UCSD and decide that engineering is not for you, you can still switch to a different major. If you attend Bryn Mawr, you are (at least temporarily) stuck in a college without an engineering department. </p>
<p>Bryn Mawr is a great school and an ideal fit for some students. For others it’s the completely wrong school - that includes everyone who might want to study a professional major.</p>
<p>Big differences in the environment. My son ended up with two top choices like that and decided he really like a big city school rather than a smaller, enclosed campus, smaller school. That’s really what drove his decision. What kind of a life style, environment, atmosphere would you prefer? I happen to prefer LACs, hands down in terms of close community, academic focus, personal attention. Bryn Mawr would be my choice especially since it isn’t out in the country with Philly right there, but it does have a definite identity and can strike someone the wrong way whereas UCSD is more of a one size fits all.</p>
<p>Thank you raiderade, it is very helpful!!
hanna yeah i think i am just not that sure.
BlusteryDayLover, thanks so much! Yes It does help!!!
b@r!um haha I think I have seen your reply in many threads. i’ll take your word into consideration.
cptofthehouse haha thanks actually my father encourages me to go to BMC.</p>
<p>On these boards I seem to be the person who keeps telling prospective students not to come to Bryn Mawr. That’s not my general intention at all! </p>
<p>I think that Bryn Mawr is a great school for some students. If you are interested in math or physics or psychology or art history, I’d be happy to tell you all about how awesome these departments are. What set off a red flag for me was your expressed interest in engineering. I firmly believe that students should be at a college that teaches to their interests. We are plainly the wrong school for students looking to go into engineering, business or education policy. </p>
<p>Not that it can’t be done. You can major in something else, take a few classes off campus, get relevant work experience over the summer, maybe get a Master’s degree in a different field. But why only “make it work” if other schools have so many more resources that will put you on a path to success right from the start? Courses are a biggie of course but there’s more to miss out on: faculty with expertise in your area, connections to employers, a community of peers with similar interests. This all didn’t seem so important to me in high school, but I have watched many students be unhappy and disappointed when they finally figured out what path to take and had to realize that Bryn Mawr couldn’t help them along the way. The odds of that happening are much smaller at a bigger university.</p>
<p>That’s for students attracted to professional-type majors. If you want the broad liberal arts education that Bryn Mawr provides and you like the atmosphere here, go for it! Usually I’d say “I am looking forward to meeting you in the fall!” but I’ll be off to grad school. :)</p>
<p>I just wanted to say that I agree with b@r!um, if you know you want to go into engineering, I would certainly suggest you attend a school with that program. At the same time (if you will allow me a very brief personal philosophy!) I would only allow your career goals to influence your decision to the extent that you are committed to them. I’ve spent a lot of time and energy worrying and thinking about how my choices now will affect my future plans, and half the time I’ve changed my mind about those plans by the time I get to them. If you know where you want to go, by all means, pursue that, but if you don’t, just choose the school that you think you would be happier at. If you choose UCSD and decide to not go into engineering, you can definitely switch majors. If you choose BMC and decide you do like engineering, we have the 3/2 program at CalTech [Bryn</a> Mawr College: 2010-2011 Catalog](<a href=“http://www.brynmawr.edu/catalog/2010-11/program/opportunities/combined.html]Bryn”>http://www.brynmawr.edu/catalog/2010-11/program/opportunities/combined.html). And even if you end up having to “make it work” at whichever school you choose, maybe you spend one more year in school or work for an extra year gathering experience before starting your dream job, but in the end it doesn’t make that much difference. It all comes out in the wash. </p>
<p>Ok, I’m done! Thanks for listening to my little shpeel!</p>
<p>BlusteryDayLover has a few good points. You are not going to close any doors by attending Bryn Mawr; worst case it will take a few more years (and $$$) to get to your goals. </p>
<p>The 3-2 program is usually not a good option because it requires very focused coursework from your first day on campus. (I have personally only met a single student who was on track to complete the academic requirements for the program. Then at the end of her sophomore year, Caltech announced a change of their financial aid policies, leaving her unable to afford the program. She eventually got an AB/MA in math from Bryn Mawr and is now happy in consulting, so it all worked out for her in the end.) Of course there are other ways to go into engineering from Bryn Mawr. Physics majors occasionally go to graduate school in engineering: a Bryn Mawr alumn who graduated two years ago is now studying robotics at the University of Pennsylvania, and a current senior has been applying to Master’s programs in aerospace engineering (though she probably won’t be able to go because $$$ didn’t work out). </p>
<p>I agree with the advice of everyone else on this board: follow your heart!</p>
<p>I am not quite sure where to start with this question. I do know a few things about both schools as I know several students at BMC and UCSD and have visited BMC 8 times over the last three years and UCSD 3 times over the same time frame. Many years ago I almost took a job at Scripps. I also studied in Philadelphia so I also know a bit about both cities.
I will first discuss the engineering issue. I agree that this should influence your decision to the extent you are committed to engineering. If you want to do engineering I would go to UCSD. Could do BMC/Cal Tech or possibly BMC transfer Swarthmore etc if you later decided on engineering but if engineering is your career choice now I would go to UCSD. Engineering has good career prospects and decent salaries.
If you are mostly undecided you must know that there are major differences between the two schools. Lets start with location. BMC is in a upscale suburb of Philadelphia while UCSD is in a upscale suburb by the ocean in San Diego. Weather in San Diego is almost perfect with mostly sun with moderate temperatures all year except for the marine fog that comes in once in a while and rain in the winter. Philadelphia is temperate in the spring and fall but cold in the winter with snow. Hot and humid in the summer but this is mostly outside the school year.
The living situation is also very different.
One school is large and the other small. Both schools are safe. BMC is a residential school with almost 100% of the students living in dorms. UCSD is not a residential campus with perhaps 30% in dorms with the rest either living in apartments nearby or commuting from home. BMC has nice dorms with mostly singles while the UCSD dorms are generally described as crowded. There are strict residential rules at UCSD. Students seem to like the food at BMC while UCSD food is described as ok. Both campuses not noted for lots to do. BMC heads to Haverford or Swarthmore by campus bus or train to Penn or Philadelphia. Students also sometimes head to New York by bus. UCSD heads to the beach or to San Diego. UCSD also tends to empty on weekends. There are transit services in San Diego but having a car is really helpful with leaving the school. Not as necessary to have a car at BMC. The BMC campus is less than 140 acres so walking everywhere is easy. Even the train station is only a short walk. UCSD has buses or the students use bicycles or walk.
The student body is also very different. Female vs Co-ed is probably the major distinction. BMC is otherwise very diverse with about half of the student body coming from the east coast and the rest from everywhere else. Do not agree with the observation of a lot of left wing hippies at BMC. BMC racial breakdown is something like 15% asian/5% black/<5% Hispanic and American Indian and ~15% international. UCSD is ~40% asian/10% Hispanic and few blacks. UCSD is almost strictly Californian with a majority from Socal. Both schools, especially BMC lean left. UCSD is very science oriented with lots of pre-meds. BMC seems better balanced in this regard. Students at UCSD are very very competitive and work hard. This is probably secondary to the pre-meds. BMC students also work hard but are very collegial due to the traditions of the college and honor code.
The academic style is also quite different. BMC is based on small classes and seminars with lots of writing. UCSD is based on large lectures/TAs and multiple choice exams. Students get a lot of attention from professors and deans at BMC.
UCSD is much more about anonymity unless you seek out the professors or TAs.
It depends on the individual student to decide which system works best for them.
UCSD has many more majors and areas of study available as a large Research University. BMC students have to travel to Haverford (almost next door), Swarthmore or Penn (not that easy) to expand their options.
I should also note that there is currently a major problem with getting the classes that you want at all the UCs. All of my daughters friends have had to go to summer school to get the classes they need to graduate. Several have expressed the opinion that without their AP credits and summer school they would not be able to graduate in four years. This decrease in class availability has also in some cases led to relaxed graduation requirements. This is not a problem at BMC.
The last and perhaps biggest issue is the question of fit. If you have not visited and done a sleepover it may be hard to tell if you will fit into BMC. The honor code and traditions among other things make Bryn Mawr a rather unique institution. Some will love it and some will not. Bryn Mawr is really in many ways a large sorority with a very diverse group of women who are very academically driven. This may or may not be you cup of tea. UCSD may be a safer choice in this regard as I do not think fit is as important in a large rather anonymous institution.</p>
<p>b@r!um I agree very much with what you said. I am actually seeking to working for a while before going to graduate school. Bryn Mawr is famous for percentage of students going to graduate school.</p>
<p>oh BlusteryDayLover you are always so sweet and kind! and helpful!</p>
<p>Perhaps going to UCSD would allow more direct access to future job planning if I am truly sure about engineering.</p>
<p>mjscal I think this might be one of the longest reply I’ve ever seen on this board. It’s so comprehensive. You actually consider everything for me! Yes I do think that class registration might be a cruel battle at UCSD haha. This is truly a problem. I think I need to go over the courses offered trying to pick some and register ASAP if I end up being at UCSD.</p>
<p>One thing I would like to say is that as long as you are doing well in your classes, it actually doesn’t matter which school you are in, right?</p>
<p>I really really appreciate all of your help! Wish you all good luck!</p>
<p>I think that your academic choices for graduate school would be similar with similar performances at either school. Cost of attendance may be an issue. You will however be, IMHO a different person coming out of Bryn Mawr than UCSD. The better privates on the east coast tend to put their imprint on their students. You will likely be a much better writer and speak differently as a BMC graduate than a UCSD graduate. I suspect that part of it is due to the close interactions of the students and faculty due to the small class sizes and the residential model. I also suspect that part of this is due to the East coast as I do not see it on the west coast. Do not know the south or the midwest. When I lived in Boston one could usually pick out the students who went to MIT or Wellesley or BU or BC or Harvard. Friends of mine whose children have gone east comment on how different their children have become in comparison to their UC friends. I am not sure how much of this is good, but the exposure to the culture of the east probably helps in expanding one’s horizons.
in any case I strongly suspect that your decision has been made and I think all will come out well as you have 2 good options. Good luck.</p>
<p>@mjscal
It feels awkward to say but yes I had not made my decision until the last minute. My mind always changes.(very indecisive!!! I even tried a coin toss. forgive me.) Eventually, I chose Bryn Mawr. This is REALLY REALLY REALLY a TOUGH choice. However, I look forward to obtaining more attention from faculty. This is the thing.
I used to be pretty sure about going to east. But later I just think it isn’t that important to me anyways. Most of my friends are going east.</p>
Bryn Mawr is famous for percentage of students going to graduate school.</p>
My mind always changes.(very indecisive!!! I even tried a coin toss. forgive me.) Eventually, I chose Bryn Mawr. This is REALLY REALLY REALLY a TOUGH choice. However, I look forward to obtaining more attention from faculty. This is the thing.