Hi all. I just finished up my freshman year at Lafayette College, but I’m looking to transfer and have narrowed my options down to two schools: Haverford College and Carleton College. I intend on being a physics major, and the 3-2/4-1 engineering programs also appeal to me. I also might want to minor in either history or economics (if possible, of course). As for what I want in a school, I like to be involved in a few extracurriculars. I don’t really care about athletics. I’m also not interested in fraternity life (one of the big reasons why I decided to transfer out), though I do like a social scene - just not an extremely intense one. I like diverse student bodies, and I’m a fan of a competitive environment (just not one that’s too competitive).
I know a decent amount about the schools, but as they’re pretty similar I want to know what the big pluses and minuses for each one are, particularly pertaining to extracurricular life but also to academics as well.
Right now, I’m leaning slightly towards Haverford due to its location (I live in the Boston area), multiple 3-2/4-1 engineering options. The student body also seems a little more active, but that could just be me.
I also got into BU. While I probably wouldn’t go there over either of the two options listed, I wouldn’t be opposed to it either. I understand that it’s a different school, but coming from a year at a small school I can see the benefits of a larger institution.
Thank you for your time.
2 great choices and 2 of my favorite colleges. I’d give Haverford an edge based on location - both proximity to your home and easy access to a major city in Philly.
Carleton is known for its sciences among LAC’s and physics is very good, and Haverford is a great place as well. Are you sure you want to do a 3/2 program? You’ve already done freshman year somewhere else, so a 3/2 program means only two years at H or C. There are some very good threads on CC about 3/2 programs being better in the brochure than in reality.
I like Carlton undergrads, their fun loving nature, better than Haverford. Carlton is near Minneapolis but not quite the access that Haverford has to Phili with the train. Carlton is on an intense quarter calendar, has strong study abroad programs in the sciences, and strong in physics. Bryn Mawr College and Haverford are like Sister colleges, close together and Bryn Mawr has the stronger math and physics program, and you can cross register there. Its a women’s college close by to Haverford and part of a consortium. You can take physics classes at U of Penn also from Haverford, so there is another positive about Haverford College. Look up the cross registration process at Haverford, since you are transferring you will have less classes at Haverford to begin with so I don’t know how much time you should spend at Penn. Penn is further from Haverford than Bryn Mawr also.
Carlton is over 2000 undergrads, Haverford about 1200. So Haverford is more the size of the average US high school. Be sure you want to have intense ten week quarters if you go to Carlton. Also Carlton starts later and ends later, so on the west coast “Stanford” calendar, which can impact summer jobs to some degree, but I think Carlton’s alumni network is very strong and its the more fun loving school. See Broom ball at Carlton College.