<p>As that May 1st deadline approaches, I find myself getting numerous anxiety waves as I have yet to decide which college to attend.
Got some merit from Macalester, none from Haverford of course<br>
Macalester vs. Haverford
Yes I wanted small, and yes I wanted to be near a city
My considerations:
Strength in Sciences
Variety of Classes
Professor quality (I always love nutty professors)
Stratification with the education (thirst for knowledge)
A helping hand in my future (grad school or jobs)
Social Quality (I do not like parities...but I like being busy)
Food
Quirky people
Cross Country/Track (I want to run, but I always put school first and don't want it too serious)
Happiness of the Students!!!<br>
(I posted this on both threads)</p>
<p>I am not a current student, but I believe I can answer at least some of your questions. As indicated by my name, I care a lot about science. I can assure you that Haverford science classes are top notch, and Haverford is one of the leading LAC in this area of study. Haverford has a lot of research you can get involved with, and the science building is phenomenal. I spoke with many science students, and they all love what they are doing and the professors who are teaching them. If you are interested, I believe there is a tread all about how amazing sciences are at Haverford.</p>
<p>Also Philly being just 8 miles away is a huge plus in my book. Philly is one of the country’s largest cities, and you will be able to find what ever you want there. Philly is the 5th largest city in the US while Minneapolis is the 47th. I met a few students who are interning in Philly during the school year and over the summer, and they love it. In my personal opinion Philly > Minneapolis in terms of opportunity, entertainment, food and just things to do in general. Also, since Haverford is on the main line, it is extremely easy to access the city. Every time I have visited Haverford I have taken the train, and it has always been a pleasure.</p>
<p>There are previous posts about this, but Haverford has one of the highest PhD rates of any college or university (there are past threads on this topic). This really shows that students who graduate from Haverford are able to get into these very competitive programs, and they seem to succeed in them as well. Additionally, everyone that I meet in academia is very impressed that I am attending Haverford. They always have wonderful things to say about alumni they know and have worked with.</p>
<p>Haverford is part of an extensive consortium. The Bi-Co with Bryn Mawr, the Tri-Co with Swarthmore, and lastly the Quaker Consortium with UPenn. I think Haverford offers a huge variety of courses because you can take classes at any one of these schools. These opportunities are taken advantage of quite frequently. Most students will take courses at one of these schools over the course of their time at Haverford.</p>
<p>The students and community is the best part of the school, in my opinion. Everyone is very smart and so interesting to converse with. The students seem to be very dedicated to learning, even the school motto is Non doctior, sed meliore doctrina imbutus (“Not more learned, but steeped in a higher learning”). This just shows that the school is dedicated to fueling the students’ curiosity. On the note of happiness, I think you can ask anyone and they will tell you Fords are a pretty happy bunch. Heck, I’m just happy that I am going there next year! Every time I visit there is such a happy vibe on campus, and you can’t help but be happy as well.</p>
<p>The social life was one of my biggest concerns with Haverford; however, I am happy to report that there is a very vibrant social scene on campus. You don’t need to party if you don’t want to, and there are tons of options on and off campus. If you do want to party, they are there, which is nice. I think a current student can speak more on this topic than I can.</p>
<p>I tried the food, and it was alright. It was not anything spectacular, but the meals were fine. I really like the omelet station they offer in the morning =).</p>
<p>I have stayed overnight three times in the past year and a half, and I can say I had an awesome experience both times. I met tons of very cool people, and so many people interested in science! If you haven’t stayed over night already I highly recommend it. My overnights were probably the reason I applied ED (I know these are a bit hit or miss, but I think I got a good feeling for the campus).</p>
<p>All in all, I am very happy with my choice and I hope to see you next year. If it is any help I met someone on campus last year who faced the same decision as you. He choose Haverford, and is having an awesome time. If I were faced with your decision I would most likely choose Haverford as well (not only because I EDed ). I think on an academic standpoint, Haverford offers a tremendous amount from its consortium and it’s proximity to Philly. Also the people are just the best, and who wouldn’t love a Black Squirrel as a mascot! In the end you need to go with your gut. Choose the place where you think you will have the best four years of your life, and learn a ton. Macalester is also a great school and either place will provide an amazing environment for you to learn and grow.</p>
<p>I hoped this helped, and best of luck with your decision!</p>
<p>Thanks @thatscienceguy!
I did not attend the day activities during accepted students day, and just participated in an overnight. A note to students in the future, GO TO THE ACCEPTED STUDENT DAY! I 100% regret not going because I had a very peculiar overnight experience, which is why I think I am in this conflict to begin with. I happen to meet only students that happen to be polar opposites of me, and I am being vague on purpose. The overnight completely skewed my view of the school, and I started to questions what the normal social experience was like at Haverford. Overnights are tricky. Not everyone person who signs up to be a host will be someone that you can imagine as your best buddy (which was my foolish fantasy going into the overnight). It is hard to exactly ‘ignore’ the overnight experience, but maybe with a tad more data I can evaluate Haverford to the best of my abilities. </p>
<p>@thatscienceguy What was your overnight experience like? </p>
<p>If anyone else has an Haverford overnight experience they would like the share please do!</p>
<p>Accepted students day was so much fun! I’m sorry to hear that you missed it.</p>
<p>My overnight was absolutely fantastic! My host was the coolest person and I met all of his friends as well. I really liked all of them, and I could see myself being friends with them in the future. During my overnight they showed me around campus and gave me more of an idea of what campus is like. I then went to Lunt cafe to eat and speak with people there. Later, we did go to a party just to see what is going on (parties aren’t really my thing either), but then we left and went back to the dorms where a bunch of people were just listening to music, talking and having a good time. I got to speak with a lot of people, and everyone seemed to love their time at Haverford. I had only known these people for a few hours, but I felt like they were all close friends. They were so welcoming that I forgot that I wasn’t a student at Haverford yet! I know this night might not sound like the most exciting night, but I was having a great time. Maybe I just got really lucky, but I stayed overnight a few times and every experience was somewhat similar to this one. </p>
<p>I wish you the best of luck with your decision, and I hope to see you in the fall!</p>
<p>My D was faced with this decision last year, also with roughly the same Fin Aid scenario. She did a prospective student overnight at each school before deciding. She was careful not to generalize too much from her brief experiences but these were her impressions:</p>
<p>-- She had a poor overnight experience at Mac. The dorm floor, with lots of prospectives overnighting, had a party atmosphere in which she felt pressure to partake. (It was not what she was looking for.) Comparing notes in the morning she found other prospectives did not have this experience on other dorm floors, but I believe it influenced her decision. She had a more appropriate experience at Haverford.</p>
<p>-- She found the classroom experience more lively at Haverford. Participation was muted at best at Mac.</p>
<p>-- The general ambiance was friendlier and more supportive at Haverford. In particular she mentioned that a junior student who met her on the first day spontaneously greeted her by name the next day and wished her well on her college decision. This experience turned out to be indicative of her freshman experience once she matriculated to Haverford. There has been a large community of older students, almost as many as there are incoming students, dedicated to helping new students throught their first year.</p>
<p>With respect to your topics:</p>
<p>Strength in Sciences
Both of these schools are very well-respected for their science education. It has already been noted that Haverford uses a molecular approach in its bio curriculum (you can’t take a Haverford course in Bio until sophomore year), Mac’s is broader based. I can’t comment on details beyond this.</p>
<p>Variety of Classes
Probably wider at Haverford as you have the very viable option of Bryn Mawr courses, too. You could also do Swarthmore and even UPenn courses, but arranging your schedule for these is more challenging. Mac is also part of a consortium, but not many Mac students take the shuttle to take courses at the other four schools (which, frankly, do not have the reputation that Mac does.)</p>
<p>Professor quality (I always love nutty professors)
You will run into generally strong but also some less motivating faculty at both schools.</p>
<p>Stratification with the education (thirst for knowledge)
I am not sure I understand this. Her impression is that there is a somewhate higher concentration of serious and capable students at Haverford than at Mac. I believe you can see that in the test score ranges for admitted students.</p>
<p>A helping hand in my future (grad school or jobs)
She has been disappointed in the support for freshman internships at Haverford, but no direct experience with career support yet, though it is reputed to be good. I know Mac has strong support for its grads’ post-school lives. The alumni/ae network at Mac is likely to be wider than at Haverford due to the larger number of graduates, but if you forecast yourself as looking for a job in a particular region of the country that is more likely to be a factor. Haverford is pretty well known by east coast employers and elicits nothing but blank stares in the midwest. Mac is recognized in MN and IA, less so in the rest of the midwest, unheard of elsewhere. However grad schools know and respect both schools.</p>
<p>Social Quality (I do not like parities…but I like being busy)
Lots going on at both schools. You won’t be bored.</p>
<p>Food
Mac has a definite edge here. Food at Haverford has been servicable but not great and I know Mac students to be happier with their lot. It appears to be known on campus that food is one area where Haverford is not splurging.</p>
<p>Quirky people
Very hard to say. Admitted gross generalizations: A few more students embracing counter-cultural fashions at Mac, more friendly introverts at Haverford.</p>
<p>Cross Country/Track (I want to run, but I always put school first and don’t want it too serious)
Haverford is known for its CC and track programs in Div III, although its athletes are still students first. You might find a little lighter approach at Mac.</p>
<p>Happiness of the Students!!!
I can’t even grossly generalize here. Haverford’s freshman retention rate is 97%, Mac’s 94%. Make of that what you will. Neither is a place full of gloomy students.</p>
<p>Thanks I really appreciate all your input. I think it would be super nifty if a bunch of different people shared their different overnight experiences at Haverford on this thread, for all the other indecisive students out there in the world. Oh, do share! </p>
<p>I had a really great overnight experience at Haverford. Even though it was at the beginning of the year, I definitely got the sense that the entire freshman Customs group that I stayed with was really close, and they all seemed to have a great time together. All of my host’s friends were really welcoming and friendly. I got the sense that the social atmosphere was great for someone who didn’t like to drink or to party, because while there were some students who were, the rest of them seemed content to just hang out in the dorms and talk to each other. My host also assured me that there was no pressure to drink at all, which was the vibe that I got.</p>
<p>Have you joined the admitted students facebook group? That might be helpful for you to get a sense of what the students are like.</p>
<p>Now I promise I don’t live under a rock, but I do not have a facebook. Though, I know someone who said they joined the page it is pretty cool where students are discussing books, film, and other things that are not directly related to just Haverford.
Actually, I have already decided which school to attend. Hint* I did not send in a deposit… </p>
<p><g> Hope you have a great freshman year. My daughter will be there with you-- second gen Ford.</g></p>