<p>I have been accepted to both the Haverford and Bryn Mawr classes of 2014 and am having an exceptionally difficult time choosing between them. I love each for different reasons but really need to consider the Biology program, research opportunities, and premed advising at each of these fabulous schools. Can anyone please help to compare and contrast them?</p>
<p>I have been accepted to Haverford’s class of 2014 as well! 
congradulations!
I know that haverford has a very strong biological science department; I’ve also read somewhere that they have a 85% acceptance on med school…I don’t know much about its research opportunities but my sister–a freshman at Ford–tells me science classes are very hard and demanding–good thing! Plus you get guys in HC! jk jk</p>
<p>Yeah, I’ve definitely read some great things about the sciences at Haverford…there are pages and pages of info on their website but not so much to read at Bryn Mawr’s! Sidenote: Do will you definitely be attending Haverford in the fall?</p>
<p>ummm I have alots of pressure to do so–my parents would love me to do so, and so my sister, since she goes there–but I’m waiting on other schools to reply. So far the best two offers I’ve got are from Haverford and Carleton. Both are very similar but I’m more likely to go to Haverford due to its location. I’m still waiting on Williams though…I’m attending the “spectrum” during 17th to 19th. Did u get invited?</p>
<p>I was accepted to Bryn Mawr and denied from Haverford and it was almost a relief to not have to choose between them. </p>
<p>The way I understand it, or at least what my Bryn Mawr tour guide said when answering a question, is that haverord’s bio programs is slightly more molecular based and could be better for fields like biotech. Bryn Mawr has the ecology concentration classes so if you are more about macrobiology, environmental studies or anatomy Bryn Mawr’s classes may be more relevant. </p>
<p>But really its so easy to take classes at both schools, I don’t think there is mcuh to worry about in the academic sector. For me my decision was going to have to be more about the vibes. Both schools seemed very laid back, but I enjoyed my visit to Bryn Mawr more. I liked the food and the people more at Bryn Mawr. One drawback I found (and its kindof silly) is the lack of stoves on Bryn Mawr campus. I love to cook, so I was somewhat jealous of Haverford’s apartment style housing options. </p>
<p>If I were you I would try to visit campus again (or d it for the first time if you never have!!) and try and compare the atmospheres. I was actually on campus for a visit day at Bryn Mawr so it was more structured but my host and her friends were extremely nice and though they tended twords the odd side (they lived in Brecon, the more secluded, quirkier dorm) I had a great time. They were very friendly. The other prospective students and I basically had a slumber party. we watched little miss sunshine in the beautiful common room in the evening after going on a wacky midnight unofficial campus tour.</p>
<p>My host at haverford was very different from the Bryn Mawr girls. She wasn’t mean, or uptight or anything bad but you could tell she wouldn’t have ever considered Bryn Mawr. Somehow the presence of the opposite sex did put more pressure on the social situation. Not that anyone was consciously trying to score a date, but everything was a little more complicated than it was at Bryn Mawr. In the course of my stay I visited a very stinky boys room (Bryn Mawrs general residence halls, non apartment that is, are less appealing than Bryn Mawrs), played Taboo in Lundt cafe in the midst of at least one couple, had to deal with noisy next door neighbors and listened to a long conversation about a guy friend who was devastated because his long distance girlfriend broke off their relationship. I’m sure there’s drama and whatnot at Bryn Mawr, I just experienced more of it at Haverford. </p>
<p>The campus personalities I think are more different than their academics. </p>
<p>Um, thats the basic advice I can think of PM me if you want to ask something. Granted I’ve only spent about 24 hours on each campus so I can just give my impressions.</p>
<p>The biology programs have very different focuses.<br>
It is an understatement to say that the H’ford focus is more molecular. At Haverford, bio majors do not take any bio until their sophomore year. At BMC, the bio has a physiology focus and follows a more classic bio major structure. BMC’s program also has well-recognized strengths in neuroscience.</p>
<p>Both programs are of high quality and both are equally likely to qualify you for pre-med. The different focus of each program allows a small academic community to offer a range of coursework usually only seen at a larger university. You can major in either program from both schools.</p>
<p>Context: I went to BMC.</p>
<p>Academically it seems like a wash for you, since you can take classes at either campus and even major at the other campus if you want (I did). However, if you decide to be a Haverford student and take classes at BMC, know that the logistics of using the bus between campuses in time for classes can be problematic. The setup tends to be more convenient for BMC students than for HC students. Or, you can always walk between campuses if the bus schedule is not to your liking. Takes about 15 minutes and it’s pretty in spring and fall. (evil in winter, though)</p>
<p>BMC dorms are better, but HC’s athletic and social facilities are better. BMC’s food is way better. I found BMC to be friendlier–you never had to prove bona-fides like you sometimes had to do at HC–but the personalities tended to the quirkier.</p>
<p>You can live at either campus after freshman year.</p>
<p>Haverford’s science classes tend to be more rigorous. More work and also they make you take a year of chemistry to prepare you for really intense Biology.
Haverford has a really large emphasis on molecular. At Bryn Mawr you can focus more on the organismal level than at Haverford, earlier.</p>
<p>Also, BMC’s dorms, while pretty on the outside, are REALLY SMALL. You often have a double even in Sophmore year while at Haverford you can be all but guaranteed a single if you want it.
BMC girls are more socially awkward and Haverfordians like other people. Fords are also more trusting of people than martyrs. Fords are closet geeks (we party AND geek out) while martyrs are more likely to be just plain nerds.
Bryn Mawr has more whole college bonding traditions while Haverford has better custom groups bonding. Haverford would rather you talk with someone if you have a problem and spend all effort trying to work out a problem first while at Bryn Mawr you can just go to psych services and easily get moved without resolving the issue (at least easier than at Haverford). At Haverford every week of your freshman year you’ll get together with you customs group and have group discussions on topics you don’t always talk about normally and at Bryn Mawr you don’t have that.</p>
<p>Bryn Mawr food is good but this year Haverford and Bryn Mawr’s dining center’s combined and now Haverford has gotten better.
Also, Haverfords Coop food doesn’t make me sick while Uncommon Grounds food at Bryn Mawr does make me sick. Haverford also has Sushi and a small student run cafe with really good panini’s and bagle sandwiches.</p>
<p>Bryn Mawr is more quiet and reserved. Haverford students tend to shrivel up at die if there isn’t anything to do.
Bryn Mawr college has quiet hours in dorms.
Haverford has a special dorm for those weirdos who get irked by the sound of other people breathing.</p>
<p>and as to what Artygal said… quirky is an understatement.</p>
<p>Oh and Bryn Mawr is more ‘cliquey’. Haverford allows Bryn Mawr students into basically everything with open arms whereas Bryn Mawr tends to want to have things ‘just for bryn mawr’ and they don’t tell Haverford about events or auditions even if it’s open to both colleges.</p>
<p>both schools have some “cliquey” elements, but neither school is really dominated by these elements. both schools are outstanding choices and have distinct personalities. The benefit is that at either you can participate in activities of both quite easily.</p>
<p>AyamicStarfish I can’t help but disagree with some of the things you’ve said. There are times when I have NOT felt “welcomed with open arms” at Haverford. There are also times when events I would have attended at Haverford have not be advertised at all at Bryn Mawr. I attribute this lack of advertisement to laziness, not a desire to exclude.</p>
<p>I also dislike the way you constantly reduce Bryn Mawr students to stereotypes. We are “reserved,” “socially awkward,” and “less trusting.” You’ve basically called us everything but “freaks” and “weirdos.” Lighten up! You’ve implied that the Haverfordian way to deal with “weirdos” is to isolate them in their own dorm! (I know this isn’t actually the case.) Stop assuming your choice of social activity is the only normal way to behave. </p>
<p>Uncommon Grounds now also has Sushi. And the food there has never made me sick. Additionally, I don’t know what Bryn Mawr dorms you have seen, but though the freshman rooms are pretty small, other rooms are much larger.</p>
<p>another issue for Haverford dorms in the last couple of years has been a bit of a rodent infestation problem. The Haverford appts which currently go mostly to freshman range from barely livable to quite nice.</p>
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<p>Completely not true. The apartments house several freshmen customs groups, and the rest are upperclassmen. And the apartments are being renovated this summer, thank God.</p>
<p>you have to admit the apts are in real disrepair. Remember some of the major plumbing and safety issues over the last few years!!</p>
<p>and of the upperclassman, you also have to admit its mostly those with very low lottery numbers in the housing draw. Though some upperclassman do choose the apts for the ability to have a kitchen and a spot a bit removed from the center of campus.</p>
<p>“You can live at either campus after freshman year.”</p>
<p>NOT!! Maybe 25 years ago… still true in THEORY but only about 1 or 2 people a year can live at the other campus. In order to live on the other campus, there must be a matching person who wants to live on your campus–i.e., the # who live at the other place must be the same. That’s why this past year there was only 1 person from BMC who lived at Haverford and vice versa.</p>
<p>“AyamicStarfish… ‘martyrs are more likely to be just plain nerds’”: </p>
<p>That’s completely untrue. It goes both ways. Haverford has what they call the “Phantom 500”-- kids that never leave their rooms, and you only see them in the library. Socially awkward–mmm? At Halloween, I’m more likely to see Jabba the Hut and anime characters at both places than to see a rather unimaginative slutty nurse. Both places are quirky, that goes with intelligence. I think they are equal… both are quite open and friendly. There may be more drama at HC because it’s co-ed, but it’s not like we don’t have drama at BMC… we date too. Both schools are great and accepting. Our social lives overlap because HC has more parties, whereas BMC has maybe 2 a year, so we are often at HC… if that’s what you mean by HC being more ‘accepting’-- just that they happen to have more parties. Like every weekend.</p>