Due to Chinese internet/Chinese mail delivery services and my school’s email system bugs I only received my acceptance email from Haverford on the 15th of April. I was initially ready to go to Vassar (after making an agonizing decision between Kenyon and Vassar). However, now I don’t know whether I should go to Haverford or Vassar. I am interested in psychology, English, biology (especially microbiology haha). I’m quite introverted and enjoy reading, writing and taking photographs. I know both campuses are really beautiful with nice arboretums. I intend to take part in community service activities and extracurricular activities (for example if I went to Vassar I would try to join the Aircapella). I am prepared to work hard - especially for subjects/classes/teachers I love. Money is not an issue at all. Thank you if you read this long, rambling post. Please help me ><
Haverford is too much work for its reputation. Vassar would be my pick.
@susan1997 What do you mean?
@cyranosnose I think the students are slightly stronger at Haverford and Haverford definitely has a better biology program.
Go to Haverford. Nicer area with easy access to Philly, a major city with wonderful museums and other cultural outlets as well as great dining and Chinatown if you are homesick for a little Chinese cooking (great hand-pulled noodle place). From Philly, very easy train or bus access to NYC and Washington, DC. Also, with the Bi-Co with Bryn Mawr and the Quaker Consortium with UPenn and Swarthmore, you can take classes at other campuses. Plenty of acapella groups and a welcoming, cooperative environment.
I have no idea what post #1 means.
Vassar and Haverford are both kind of “vibe schools” - when you visit them you either you feel it or you don’t, but unfortunately, I have the sense that you won’t have the chance to visit before you make your decision. I have always been a big fan of Haverford, especially because of its intimacy, honor code, and loyalty of its alums, and I really built it up before S’s visit. But, he just didn’t feel the vibe. Part of that may have been because he visited Vassar two days earlier and did feel “it” there, but he also disliked the size of Haverford’s student body (which is less than 1/2 of Vassar’s and the smallest of any college he visited) and campus (less than 1/4 of Vassar’s). The Bi-Co, Tri-Co and the Quaker Consortium were brought up a lot during the orientation, but our tour guide told us that almost all of the academic and social interaction takes place with Bryn Mawr, which is about a mile away and she said that the longer distance to Swat and administrative issues with UPenn made it more of a challenge to attend classes or get involved socially with students at either of them. S is now a very happy bio major at Vassar and is involved in extracurricular music, art,and community outreach programs there, but I personally still have a real soft spot for Haverford and I don’t think you would go wrong choosing either of them.