<p>Which is better? (Assuming I can get into both) Also, if this helps I am definitely majoring in Political Science :)</p>
<p>Haverford is known as the stronger school but Bates is no slouch. Why not Bowdoin?</p>
<p>Haverford. I have a friend there that loves it and its location is not completely isolated.</p>
<p>The academics are probably comparable. Haverford is more competitive so it would have a slightly stronger student body. Bates has a population about 50% larger. Haverford has fairly easy access to Philadelphia. The student bodies probably have very different feels. Bates would be more outdoorsy, while Haverford would resonate more with its Quaker roots. Haverford is part of a consortium and seems (my impression) to be very strongly linked to Bryn Mawr (depending on what you want to do, it may be necessary to take courses at Bryn Mawr), although Swarthmore is more detached as it’s further away. Haverford has the Honor Code.</p>
<p>This probably isn’t a decision of which school is “better,” but which fits you better.</p>
<p>Personally, I thought that Haverford’s association with Bryn Mawr was overwhelming, and the Honor Code seemed pretentious, so I crossed it off my list. I haven’t seen Bates yet.</p>