<p>I have been accepted to both the Haverford and Bryn Mawr classes of 2014 and am having an exceptionally difficult time choosing between them. I love each for different reasons but really need to consider the Biology program, research opportunities, and premed advising at each of these fabulous schools. Can anyone please help to compare and contrast them?</p>
<p>Academically it won’t make much of a difference because students have access to the academic resources at the other school. Haverford’s biology program focuses on microbiology while Bryn Mawr’s department covers the macro aspects of the subject, but students can (and do!) major at the other school. </p>
<p>I can also tell you about Bryn Mawr that:
- Bryn Mawr has the single most selective post-baccalaureate pre-med program in the country. I assume that many of the resources for post-bac students are available to undergraduate students as well. Look here: [Bryn</a> Mawr Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program](<a href=“http://www.brynmawr.edu/postbac/home.shtml]Bryn”>http://www.brynmawr.edu/postbac/home.shtml)
- Bryn Mawr has a lot of funding for students to participate in unpaid internships or research on and off campus. Many science majors stay on campus and do research with a professor in the summer after their freshman year, when it is hardest to find a good position off campus. Upperclass students typically spend their summers off campus (with or without Bryn Mawr funding), unless they are working on a bigger project with a professor on campus. I know a few Haverford students who did not get funding for their preferred position, which has (to the best of my knowledge) not been an issue at Bryn Mawr in the recent past.</p>
<p>There are two reasons why I would prefer Bryn Mawr over Haverford:
(1) We have less general education requirements than Haverford. Bryn Mawr students need two courses in each division (sciences, social sciences, humanities), and we can use AP credits to satisfy them. Haverford students need to take three courses in each division and may not use AP credits to get out of a requirement. Haverford students also need to take 19 courses outside of their major, which is less than ideal for students who are very committed to a single subject.
(2) The dorms at Bryn Mawr tend to be quieter than the dorms at Haverford. That’s good if you like to sleep, bad if you like to party. </p>
<p>And reasons why I would prefer Haverford over Bryn Mawr:
(1) Haverford has on-campus apartments!
(2) Haverford’s traditions are more fun than Bryn Mawr’s.
(2) Haverford students take the concept of self-government more seriously than Bryn Mawr students, and Haverford’s administration is more open to student input.</p>
<p>Both schools are outstanding choices.
The Bi-Co news can give you a feeling for both schools from student viewpoints.
[The</a> Bi-College News Online](<a href=“http://www.biconews.com/]The”>http://www.biconews.com/)</p>
<p>I do have to contest one point above: the Haverford apts are in very sad shape. that they are primarily for freshman and sophs with low room draw numbers tells you something about their quality. However, this would not be the best factor to choose between the two schools.</p>
<p>from an on looker’s perspective - I would have thought that Bryn Mawr’s traditions were at least sacred if not more fun…can you tell me more about Haverford’s traditions?</p>
<p>Many of the H’ford traditions are now coming under serious review due to some serious alcohol related problems that occurred this year.</p>
<p>Bryn Mawr’s traditions are more formal, often ritual. I am not a big fan of black robes, Greek chants or step-by-step instructions. Haverford’s traditions are more laid back and open-ended. For example, Haverfest (Haverford’s version of May Day) involves outdoor water games, a foam party and lots of alcohol. And there’s Assassin, a campus-wide game of water tag.</p>
<p>Both colleges have had their fair share of alcohol-related incidents in the recent past. </p>
<p>It is true that the HCAs (Haverford College Apartments) are in bad shape because the company in charge of maintaining them did a lousy job. That’s why Haverford has reclaimed control of the HCAs and they are planning to do some serious renovations this upcoming summer. The HCAs house about 400 students (1/3 of the campus!) and are a popular option for students who want to go off the meal plan. Unfortunately such an option does not exist at Bryn Mawr. The only way we can get off the meal plan is to move to Perry (the Black Cultural Center), Batten (an environmental coop - a bit too extreme for most students) or off campus. Our dining hall food is pretty decent but it gets old after a few years, and there are not many options for students with dietary restrictions (e.g. vegetarian and vegan students).</p>
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<p>This is somewhat off-topic, but D2, who goes to Bryn Mawr, went on a diet last year (her sister was getting married in June and she was in the wedding) and lost 20 pounds. I asked how she managed to do it and she said that the Bryn Mawr dining hall gave students the option to make their own stir fry dishes. She had veggies and tofu for almost every dinner. Seems to me that something like this works for a vegetarian and even a vegan.</p>
<p>The frying pans add some variety and I am glad that we have them. However, most days the lines to use them are so long that I can only make stir fry when I am eating by myself. My friends would be done eating before I even got my food warm.</p>
<p>hmm… Make a decision based on how you think you would fit at each school socially. Being happy at college has a lot to do with how much your identify with the college you attend, how well you feel that you “fit” there. And feeling like you “fit” has a lot to do with how similar you think you are to the other students at a school. I have found that Haverford and Bryn Mawr students think of themselves in different ways (which is partially caused by the fact that having two sorta similar schools in such close proximity is going to polarize students…).</p>
<p>Haverford however has more George Forman Grills than Bryn Mawr could ever hope for.
Also, you get kind of addicted to using them to make paninis… or maybe that’s just me.
(balsamic vinegar and oil on cut chicken breast and tomatoes grilled until done fairly well then on a sandwich of one of Haverford’s daily fresh made bread or wheat bread with whatever cheese isn’t American cheese, unless it’s White American. I like munster especially. Don’t put spinach on it. SO GOOD!)</p>
<p>As a Haverford student, I completely second everything b@r!um said. Each school has its own academic and social quirks that have been fairly laid out. Although I would say that Haverford courses demand more of their students than Bryn Mawr courses. I haven’t taken a Bryn Mawr course yet, but the majority of my friends have and tell me that work expectations are lower in Bryn Mawr courses. Mind you, this has been limited to the more quantitatively-bent courses. I have heard from friends that humanities classes tend to be on par with one another.</p>
<p>Sligh_Anarchist you are wrong. You should not be making assumptions about the difficulty and expectations of Bryn Mawr classes based only on hearsay. There are a number of Bryn Mawr quantitative courses that do have light course loads - these classes are intended for students who want to take an easy quantitative course, not major in math or physics or whatever. These courses tend to be popular among Haverford students for the same reason they are popular amung Bryn Mawr students: completing quantitative requirements. During my time in the bi-co (apparently longer than yours) I have seen basically no differences between the difficulty of the humanities courses of both schools, and I have personally experienced quantitative classes at Haverford that were so easy it seemed like a joke.</p>
<p>MadWoman, I don’t mean to insult. The majority of these people are coming from courses like linear algebra, complex analysis, etc. at Bryn Mawr. Perhaps these are the “easy” quantitative classes you are referencing. And I admitted that the general consensus is that humanities courses are on par. Anyway you spin it, classes like elementary calculus and “world of computing” or whatever are going to be moderately easy where ever they are taken. </p>
<p>Anyhow, enjoy Haverfest! :)</p>
<p>From a medical school admission committee viewpoint, I offer the following.</p>
<p>Byrn Mawr students are prepared very well and their coursework is viewed as being highly rigorous and well focused to prepare their students for graduate and/or medical studies post-AB. Haverford’s course work is similarly rigorous. From a med school admission viewpoint, the H’ford coursework does not provide much physiology or systems biology relevant for med school. But that’s what med school courses are for!</p>
<p>I know that from a reputation standpoint, Haverford is often seen as the more respected school when it comes to grad schools. However I don’t think the course quality differs much.</p>