<p>I won’t disagree with that. But I will say that Haverford the emphasis isn’t on “enforcement.” Anything but; the whole idea is individual and collective self-governance. As Haverford says on its website, prominently placed on the “About Haverford” page, “Our students are entrusted with freedom and responsibility from their first days on campus—an act of trust that aims to develop the whole person and create a lasting bond between the individual and the institution.” In that spirit, students are subject to less monitoring, less policing, and less administrative enforcement of rules than at most institutions. Examples: the Honor Code is entirely student-run (i.e., no enforcement or involvement by the administration), all exams are self-scheduled and self-proctored, and there are no RAs in the dorms. Haverford doesn’t even require a deposit to secure a place in the entering class because that would be inconsistent with the level of trust the institution places in its students to act honorably and with integrity at all times. (And if you’re the kind of person who would renege on a commitment to join the entering class after you’ve accepted their offer of admission, they don’t want you as part of their community anyway). It sends an unmistakable message before the student ever sets foot on campus as to what is expected: we trust you to act with integrity, because that’s how things work here.</p>
<p>Agreed about the different feel to the honor code at Haverford, it was what he loved about the place and is very similar to his high school. My son is so not about elbowing and posturing, which is why it is hard for a kid of his academic caliber to find a place where people care about being, and being there for each other, and effecting change in a way socially. Many schools turned him off with the “prestige” thing as well, humble soul that he is…</p>
<p>I know there is partying everywhere…but a difference between schools where kids go to party, and where kids go to go to a great college and drink reasonably. </p>
<p>Thanks again, as I help him weed through as a single parent, it is soooo helpful to have many perspectives.</p>
Davidson’s is quite similar, as Wikipedia correctly notes:</p>
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<p>Davidson requires applicants to write an essay about the honor code, and it is the only college I know of other than Dartmouth that requires a peer recommendation letter.</p>
<p>Some of the other colleges mentioned in the article - UVA, Princeton, the military academies, and a few others - also seem to hold their honor codes in very high esteem.</p>
<p>Yes, we went and toured Davidson for that very reason. In fact we went twice hoping it would feel like more of a fit for my son, but on second visit he was sure. It also requires a peer recommendation as he did several for friends this year. He is such a laid back kid, and there was something there he didn’t like. But thank you for your input.</p>
<p>Neighbors kid graduated from Guilford (transferred in after two years at another NC college)
last year and is now in a grad. program (Tisch) at NYU. My grandmother and her twin sister (Quakers) attended Guilford. I inherited her 1918 Guilford diploma.</p>