<p>I’m a current 'Ford but I’ve spent a lot of time at Swat in the past few years (I’ve taken a few classes there, am dating a Swatty, and have a bunch of friends there from high school). If you asked me to generalize, I’d say students at Swat are far more outspoken about their radicalism. Perhaps this is why Swat feels “gayer” to some people. My current boyfriend (a Swatty) is often frustrated by the rigid emphasis on political correctness. That said, there is more political activism at Swat (though it also exists at Haverford). Haverford, by comparison, feels a bit more socially conservative. Nevertheless, as a queer student, I’ve felt nothing but love, support, and acceptance from my peers. At a small school, it can be a bit difficult to find someone to date (especially when you end up befriending a large portion of the queer community), but I don’t think our problem is any worse than any other college of our size. Queer women also have a lot of dating opportunities at Bryn Mawr.</p>
<p>Beyond issues of sexual orientation and radical politics, I think the classroom environment at Swat is far more competitive (and, at worse, combative). I chose Haverford over Swarthmore because, as a naturally competitive person, I didn’t want to be in an environment that encouraged me to compete against my peers. I don’t know what grades my friends get and I’ve learned to refocus my competitive spirit on improving against my own record. Last semester I took a class at Haverford that included three Swatties (three Mawtyrs and two 'Fords). At the end of the class, my professor asked us to reflect on the classroom experience and all three Swatties said they were surprised by the collaborative nature of discussion. Rather than jumping down someone’s throat to correct them, they said, our discussion was built around achieving a higher level of mutual comprehension and understanding. Students at both schools, on average, are equally bright and classroom conversations are dynamic, but I think there is more of a selflessness in conversations that take place in Haverford classrooms. I sort of feel like students are less concerned with proving their intelligence. For students a bit shyer about speaking up in class, I suspect Haverford is a far better fit, but otherwise, I think smart students would do well at either school. At both schools you will be asked to work hard (harder than at the Ivies, based on what my friends at Brown, Yale, Harvard, and Penn have told me) and the students that do best and choose to come to Swat or Haverford tend to genuinely love what they’re studying. A large portion of the student body are budding intellectuals (people who want to continue their academic study in some way) who see their studies as a joy rather than a means to an end. I came here because I wanted to challenge myself but I wanted to be supported in that goal. My peers and professors share in my successes and comfort and help me right myself when I struggle. As another poster has said, students here are human (and 18-22, despite our aspirations), but Haverford best approximates my ideal of an intellectual community. </p>
<p>Naturally, these are sweeping statements and you will find highly competitive students at both schools and collaborative discussions at both schools. That said, I chose Haverford for a reason and it more closely models a community I want to be a part of. Then again, I would have also been happy and flourished at Swat. Students fortunate enough to get into both schools cannot make a wrong decision.</p>
They’re extremely hard to get into, so I wish her luck. </p>