Conflicting Impressions of Brandeis- Help!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brandeis University
1

<p>I am a junior who just did the infamous spring break college tour. When I visited Brandeis, I immediately fell in love with it. It had everything I’ve been looking for in a college: strong academics, strong theater/music/arts, small student body/class sizes, and commitment to social justice. Although I’m not Jewish, my religious and ethical beliefs–I’m a Unitarian Universalist–mesh well with those of Judaism. I even got “that feeling” that people always talk about when they find the perfect school. Sounds great, right?</p>

<p>Well, when I came back at the end of spring break, I talked to one of my senior friends about my visits. She got accepted ED to Tufts and is ecstatic about going there next fall, but she had also visited Brandeis on her college visits and had a very negative opinion of it. She said when she visited the campus, it seemed dirty and run-down, people were smoking everywhere (smoking = huge negative for me), and the general atmosphere seemed really unfriendly. When I visited, most of the student body was not on campus because of Passover break, so I really don’t know what to make of her comments. I’m afraid that I would’ve had a completely different impression of the school had I been there when all the students were there as well.</p>

<p>I know I shouldn’t take my friends comments to heart so much, but I’m really starting to have some serious doubts. I plan to visit Brandeis again in the fall when I’m a senior, so hopefully that will help me. Anyway, I want to hear the opinions of people who currently go to Brandeis or from people who have also visited recently. Also, I’d like to get any opinions I can about the following:</p>

<ul>
<li>strength of the school’s international relations and environmental science programs</li>
<li>food (This is a serious issue for me because I’m a strict vegetarian. I don’t want to be living off of salads for the next 4 years…)</li>
<li>overall atmosphere</li>
<li>dorms/living conditions (We didn’t get to go inside a dorm on my tour.)</li>
</ul>

<p>Thank you so much for any help you can give me! I really appreciate it!</p>

2

<p>Ooookay, I can definitely see how that could be a problem. </p>

<p>I’m a Brandeis freshman, and when I visited the school my junior year term was in full swing. I think I had more of your experience than your friend’s–I absolutely loved the school. I guess I’ll just try and help you out with some of your issues/questions:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Religion –> Brandeis has a rep for being a really “Jewish” school (and…well, yeah, we do get Passover break :P), but there really is a huge mix of religions on campus. If you’re looking for Jews, you’ll definitely find them, but if you aren’t, don’t worry about it. Religion isn’t a big deal here, but it’s always easy to get involved if you want to.</p></li>
<li><p>Smoking –> There are smokers here, obviously, but there are smokers at pretty much any college you visit, liberal arts ones moreso (because we’re “edgy” and all that jazz). But there’s a really strict no-smoking policy within (correct me if I’m wrong, other Brandeis kids) 30 feet of the buildings, and you can request a non-smoking roommate. </p></li>
<li><p>Friendliness –> I’m a midyear, and I’ve heard that on the whole midyears are a tighter-knit group from the freshman, but I think on the whole most Brandeis kids are really friendly. Or at least, no one is UNfriendly. I’m not saying you’re going to be BFF with your entire class, but everyone here (that I know, at least) is really friendly and accepting, and it’s definitely easy to meet people and make friends. The best way to do it? LEAVE YOUR DOOR OPEN, especially the first semester. I still do, and people are always randomly dropping in to say hi. :)</p></li>
<li><p>Programs –> I’m a Creative Writing/Theatre Major, so I don’t know too much about the IR or ES programs, but there are no “weak” programs at Brandeis. There’s a lot of emphasis here on academic excellence, and our profs definitely take the time to improve any programs they feel are suffering. But I’d definitely recommend looking into your program of choice, obviously.</p></li>
<li><p>Food –> Yay, vegetarians! There are TONS of vegetarian options on campus. The different dining halls always have vegetarian options, there’s a make-your-own-stir-fry station in the all you can eat dining hall, and the campus store sells lots of vegetarian-friendly food. This is definitely a pro-veggie campus. I’m a fan of salads, myself, but there’s no reason you’d have to eat them for four years. :P</p></li>
<li><p>Overall Atmosphere –> As I said, the whole school is generally really friendly and accepting. There are groups of friends that form pretty quickly, but it’s not a clique-y school, and everyone is really nice. A little awkward, maybe, but nice. Like I said–LEAVE YOUR DOOR OPEN.</p></li>
<li><p>Dorms/Living Conditions –> They’re not stellar, but they’re nice. :slight_smile: It all depends on what dorm you end up in, as some have been more recently renovated, but none of them are prison-like, and like any school, it’s your room! It can either be bare and barren, or you can walk in and instantly make it your own. Up to you. :slight_smile: Your freshman year, you’re able to choose whether you want to be on a single- or mixed-gendered floor, which is totally up to you. My floor is mixed, and I love it (not as much drama, and the guys are pretty funny :P), but it’s not for everyone. Quiet hours exist, but how much they’re enforced is dependent on the people on the floor. Generally people will respect you if you ask for them to be quiet, especially during quiet hours. </p></li>
</ul>

<p>I think that’s about it! If you have any questions, feel free to email <a href=“mailto:me--mshore@brandeis.edu”>me–mshore@brandeis.edu</a>. </p>

<p>Cheers!</p>

3

<p>Thank you SO much! This info is really really helpful and makes me feel a lot better. (Judging by your enthusiasm, I’m assuming you’re a vegetarian, too? :slight_smile: ) I’m definitely coming back to visit again, and I’ll be sure to shoot you questions if I have any more.</p>

4

<p>i have no idea when your friend saw Brandeis. yes there are a few smokers, but we definitely don’t have an overwhelming number. i would bet we were well well below the average number of smokers at most schools. there’s plenty of vegetarian options. i would suggest eating at Sherman Kosher on dairy days because you’ll have lots of choices without meat. we don’t have IR, but we have IGS, international and global studies. it’s a very strong program. robert art is definitely a big deal in the IR world. [IGS</a> | Brandeis University](<a href=“http://www.brandeis.edu/programs/igs/]IGS”>IGS | International and Global Studies Program | International and Global Studies Program | Brandeis University) you’ll definitely feel like part of an international community because of our well-regarded international business school. [Brandeis</a> University International Business School: Business, Economics and Finance for Global Leadership](<a href=“Global Brandeis | Brandeis University”>Brandeis International Business School) I believe EVS is also strong. [Brandeis</a> University - Environmental Studies Program Website](<a href=“Environmental Studies Program | Brandeis University”>Environmental Studies Program | Brandeis University) It just became a major two years ago. I know of friends that did an environmental field semester where you go on a lot of trips to different farms and other environments [Brandeis</a> University - Environmental Studies Program Website](<a href=“Environmental Studies Program | Brandeis University”>Environmental Studies Program | Brandeis University) Also, because of the initiative of one class, the student government started a Deis Bikes program, where you can rent one of ten bikes to reduce our carbon footprint. </p>

<p>i love the atmosphere of Brandeis and so does nearly everyone else i know, so i would take your friend’s comment with a grain of salt. </p>

<p>good luck!</p>

5

<p>IGS actually sounds better to me than IR (IGS is more of what I was looking for, but other schools only have IR). Again, thanks for the advice and for the helpful links!
Eek, I’m getting so excited now! All of this sounds great. :slight_smile: I’m about to just completely disregard the negative things I heard.</p>

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<p>(P.S. I’d still love to hear anything else other people have to say!)</p>

7

<p>Hi, I’m a senior leaning towards attending Brandeis next year. I was wondering if anyone could comment on the intellectualism of the students at Brandeis. Is it a pretty “nerdy” group or do they usually leave academic topics in the classroom?</p>

<p>Maybe I’ll see you in two years, kjh4! I’m also a vegetarian! I’m Jewish and I think that as a Unitarian Universalist you would find that you have a lot in common with Reform and liberal Conservative Jews.</p>

8

<p>I think Brandeis student are intellectual in a good way. When eating meals, may hear students talking about “intellectual” things like new information from courses or world events. If you think that’s nerdy, then maybe Brandeis isn’t the best choice for you. Brandeis students definitely take a great interest in their studies and are very aware of and engaged with current events. I think that’s a plus. With that said, there’s still time to chill informally with friends in the Res Halls or go to parties and on-campus events.</p>

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<p>Haha, I definitely meant nerdy in a good way. Your response was pretty much exactly what I was looking for. :)</p>

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<p>Just to echo sulsk, Bob Art definitely is a big deal in the IR world. He teaches at Harvard and MIT as well as Brandeis where he spends most of his time. One of the prominent Brandeis alumni in the IR field who was trained by Art is Robert Gallucci, longtime dean of the Georgetown U School of Foreign Service and recently appointed President of the MacArthur Foundation.</p>

11

<p>Help, I am also unsure about going to Brandeis. I am deciding between Brandeis and Stony Brook…because of the price. For Brandeis I would have to pay around 10k whereas at SBU I have to pay 5.5k. What should I do?</p>

12

<p>kayler, especially with that relatively minor price differential, I would find the choice to be a no brainer. In terms of quality of peers, education , prestige, post-graduate placement and overall experience, I would choose Brandeis over SUNY. Brandeis is a top-tier, exciting intellectual and creative environment inside and outside the classroom. </p>

<p>I would compare brandeis’ intellectual community to its UAA sister school, U of Chicago (FYI its President is a Brandeis alum) only Brandeis’ is more relaxed and more undergraduate-oriented. Despite their intellectual bent, Brandeis students are down-to-earth, friendly and non-competitive with one another. </p>

<p>As you may know, in a recent Forbes national college rankings survey, Brandeis was ranked 15th among research universities and 30th overall among all private univerities and LAC’s–a testament to its focus on undergraduate education. Larger schools, including some Ivies, were ranked much lower. </p>

<p>Despite its small size and relative youth, Brandeis alumni are very distinguished–to name just a few: Nobel Prize winner for chemistry Rod Mackinnon, Fields Medal winning physicist Edward Witten (often called “Einstein’s successor”), 3-time Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Friedman of the NY Times, The Earth is Flat etc; Mitch Albom of Tuesday’s with Morrie (about his Brandeis professor), Martin Peretz, the editor of The New Republic, the Creators/Producers of Friends; actress Debra Messing; Robert FX Sillerman (billionaire businessman–currently owner of American Idol and Graceland) and Christy Hefner, former CEO of Playboy). I understand she may teach at Brandeis in the near future, just as Tom Friedman returned to teach not long ago. i’ve also heard a rumor that Marta Kaufman, one of the creators of Friends, also may soon return to teach.</p>

13

<p>B77 thanks for your response. I guess I am just nervous to venture outside of my comfort zone, which would be Brandeis. Because I am pretty set on transfering if I attended either schools.</p>

14

<p>kayler, I’ll pose the same question I posed to you in your parallel post on CC. I don’t understand why you would be thinking in advance of trying to transfer from either of these schools, unless you had your heart set on a college that you didn’t get into. While not everyone’s cup of tea, I chose Brandeis over similarly-sized schools such as Tufts and Colgate when I went there and I had friends at Brandeis that chose it over Cornell, Penn and other larger (and more impersonal) schools as well. You might want to clarify what you’re planning on studying and your extracuricular interests so that folks can be more specific in addressing your concerns.</p>

15

<p>Your friend is obviously deeply invested in Tufts and that may influence her opinion of Brandeis. The kind of people who love Tufts-the type who love high school and who were leaders of 4 clubs and members of 6 more-and the type who love Brandeis-the type who are a little wary of high school culture and are deeply involved with one or two passionate interests-are very different types of people. Make your own decision.</p>