I’ve been accepted to both and have narrowed my search down to these two. I know that I am going to get a lot of pro Haverford responses on this thread, but I would like to know why any of you believe Haverford is better than Colby.
As of now the pros of Haverford are:
close to a big city
ability to take classes at Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr, and UPenn
better ranking therefore assuming better academics and professors
Any others that I should consider?
The pros of Colby are:
better financial aid package
named a presidential scholar therefore have the ability to participate in paid research my first year and get a 3000 dollar —stipend for a study abroad, internship, etc. opportunity. Among other perks.
beautiful campus in Central Maine, very idyllic
Any others I should consider?
The most distinctive feature of Haverford is the Honor Code – it is not simply a “no plagiarism” requirement, it is a commitment to the community which arises from the Quaker heritage and tradition at Haverford. The Honor Code shapes the community and experience at Hford. If that speaks to you, then go to Hford.
Also, in terms of taking classes with the Consortium – BMC is very easy, the class schedule is coordinated and the “Blue Bus” runs the 1 mile between campuses so students can travel easily between campuses. Swarthmore is a little trickier to get to, and I believe there are additional hoops to jump through to take classes at Penn.
US News rankings involve many more factors that quality of academics and faculty so that ranking is not a short cut to assessing academic quality or strength.
If Colby is better money and special perks, and the Hford Honor Code doesn’t speak to you on a deep level, then Colby sounds like the better fit.
Congrats on two great acceptances – can’t go wrong, it’s just sorting out which is your better home.
Haverford and Colby are probably not really too much alike except for the size. As the poster above mentioned, the Honor Code is very much a part of the Haverford experience, as well as self-governing and policing. It’s a very unique place. Colby is more of a traditional college, I think, with a big interest on the conservation of the environment and outdoor activities. Although we didn’t visit that college, I got the sense that it was similar to Bowdoin, but probably not as academically strong.
I would not depend on going to Swarthmore or UPenn. Bryn Mawr and Haverford are very closely tied, but the others are more of a challenge when taking classes.
That’s a nice opportunity that Colby offers. However, you could probably apply for the same internship stipend at Haverford later on.
You should spend time at both and really get a feel for them before committing.