<p>I’m really torn between these two schools. </p>
<p>I recently visited Bryn Mawr and really really really liked it. My tour guide was amazing and the students I met were just as nice. I love love love Philly and I have relative’s working literally less than 5 minutes away (wilkie lexus, anyone? ) I would probably have already submitted my deposit if it weren’t for the fact that Bryn Mawr was an all-girl’s school. When I was applying, I thought that I might enjoy that sort of environment, but now that I’ve been accepted, I’m starting to have doubts. I know that Haverford and Swarthmore are nearby and that guys can be found on BM’s campus, but I’m really accustomed to </p>
<p>I’m not saying that I’m considering Kenyon as an alternative just because it’s co-ed. I spent a few days there and fell in love with the campus, the students, and the professors. It was the “Kenyon bubble” and the fact that the campus was not as racially diverse (I’m Korean American) that kinda “irked” me. </p>
<p>I’m interested in studying polisci, international relations, or English. I know that Kenyon has a phenomenal writing program, which was what convinced me to apply in the first place. On the other hand, Bryn Mawr’s location, the tri-co/bi-co, and - I must admit - much better food are tempting me. There’s the price, too. I’d be paying $43,000 at Kenyon and $50,000 at Bryn Mawr. I’m not eligible for finaid… eek!</p>
<p>Again, I’m concerned Bryn Mawr’s all-girl environment and the social life. I’ve read a lot of reviews and while some are positive, a lot of them state things like “I don’t feel like I’m having the normal college experience… in a bad way.” </p>
<p>I don’t know how much of a help I’ll be but I’m AMAZED at how similar our situations are. I was also choosing between Bryn Mawr and Kenyon, and unsure about Bryn Mawr because it’s all-girls, even though there is the Tri-Co. Plus I’m also interested in Political Science and thought the food at Bryn Mawr was appealing. I sat down and wrote out two Pro/Con lists for each school. My Bryn Mawr list had more pros and less cons than the Kenyon list, so that helped me decide a little bit. What really swayed me was location. Bryn Mawr is 2 hours by train or car from where I live, while Kenyon would be a 6+ hour trip by car or a plane ride and an inconvient car drive from the airport. I also liked being close to a city, and I’ve loved Philly after rowing there more than twice a year. I’m still not really excited about an all-girls school and the comments that come with it, but because the classes are all co-ed I’m just thinking (or hoping?) it’s like living in an all-girls dorm. </p>
<p>Anyway, good luck choosing and maybe I’ll see you at Bryn Mawr next year!</p>
<p>What exactly is it about a predominantly female environment that makes you nervous?</p>
<p>I was afraid I might not find friends or fit in because many of my high school friends were male. Turns out that I don’t actually need my friends to be male, I just need them to have a certain personality. And there are enough female Bryn Mawr students who do! Other students were very concerned about dating and finding a boyfriend. You can have a boyfriend here, but you will probably have to go out of your way to meet potential candidates. Some might also argue that there are more important things in college than dates. Others were concerned about stereotypes that too many girls in one place would lead to constant catfights… Again, not true. Bryn Mawr has the warmest and most comfortable community I have yet experienced!</p>
<p>It might be hard to believe, but 95% of the time I don’t even notice that I am mostly surrounded by girls! Most awkward moments arise when the first male person enters an all-female room - because that’s when people notice that there were previously only girls in the room. Before then nobody paid attention… All I am really trying to say is that the all-women’s environment should not deter you from attending Bryn Mawr. It’s a great school with a very close and caring community.</p>
<p>I know that the admissions office is going to kill me for this comment, but I would like to point out that most of your classes at Bryn Mawr will not “feel” coed. The average Haverford student takes 1.5 classes at Bryn Mawr every year. That means on average you can expect 8% of your classmates to be male. But that’s just an average. In my experience, most classes don’t have any male students in them, and only a very small number of classes will have more than one or two male students. Geology is one example. Haverford does not have a geology department, so geology classes at Bryn Mawr tend to attract a fair number of Haverford students. I am not including Swarthmore in this discussion because there is close to no interaction between Swarthmore and the Bi-Co. You can go take classes there if you like, but don’t expect to meet a Swarthmore student on our campus.</p>
<p>I’m in the EXACT same situation now. Same impressions/problems. And I was just wondering what happened at the end? Which college did you choose and why? I’ve got a few days to decide between these two! THANKS!!!</p>
) I would probably have already submitted my deposit if it weren’t for the fact that Bryn Mawr was an all-girl’s school. When I was applying, I thought that I might enjoy that sort of environment, but now that I’ve been accepted, I’m starting to have doubts. I know that Haverford and Swarthmore are nearby and that guys can be found on BM’s campus, but I’m really accustomed to </p>