Haverford vs. Vassar THIS IS URGENT

Colleges and Universities A-Z Haverford College
1

<p>WE HAVE ONE WEEK LEFT HELP MEEEEEEE</p>

<p>So I was originally deciding between Vassar and Middlebury and after visiting both I was set on committing to Vassar because I loved my visit there more and was ~enamored~ with Vassar in the beginning of applying to college.</p>

<p>BUT HERE COMES A CURVEBALL OOOOHHHH</p>

<p>Haverford had accepted me as well. I love Vassar, but Haverford gave me so much better aid. The contribution expected from both schools are the same but Haverford is asking my mom to pay 2k less and did not include any loans in my package. Vassar aid is phenomenal as well but it included a 3500 loan just because my mom makes barely over 60k, and if you know Vassar aid, that's why it included a loan. Please help me decide, because Haverford is an awesome choice for sure, but at the same time, I don't want to deny Vassar, where I was beginning to see myself, just because of money and the chance of post-grad debt.</p>

<p>Someone once said to go to the school that you'd regret saying no to, and I feel that way about Vassar, so I don't know what to do. Please help.</p>

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<p>I also am interested in studying international studies too so what place would also be best for my major.</p>

3

<p>Hey Anjili,</p>

<p>International studies is going to be a combination of political science and economics, so you’re going to look for schools with the best rated programs in those two categories. Haverford does have very good financial aid, and if you want to go to graduate school, this may be the best option. (Haverford ranks 18th as a “feeder” school into top programs at Harvard, Yale, MIT, Princeton, etc.)</p>

<p>With that in mind, Haverford may provide better opportunities (Albeit, not by much at all.)</p>

<p>I love Haverford, and I didn’t even apply to Vassar, so I wouldn’t know much about the difference in campuses.</p>

<p>I recommend you really think about why you like Vassar. Don’t pick a school on debt, but don’t also be nearsighted about your college experience. Remember that you’ll also be able to take classes at Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore, and UPenn while at Haverford.</p>

<p>Feel free to PM me about my opinions and observations on Haverford, and I’d love to hear your decision.</p>

<ul>
<li>Good luck!</li>
</ul>

<p>Richard
HC Class of 2017</p>

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<p>Why don’t you ask for help on the Parents Forum?</p>

5

<p>Go back to Vassar and tell them what Haverford offered you. They may match it if they think it will get you to enroll.</p>

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<p>Both schools are committed to meeting 100% of calculated financial need, however, Haverford is one of a small number of schools that is committed to financial aid packages of all grants <em>and no loans</em>. Vassar includes loans as part of their aid package. That is why you see the difference.</p>

<p>We live fairly close to Vassar, but choose Haverford for this and a few other reasons.</p>

<p>Don’t stress over this too much, they are both great schools and there is no way you will be happy at one, but not happy at the other.</p>

7

<p>You’re not going to want to hear it, but Middlebury has the best international studies program of the schools you’re considering.</p>

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<p>I liked Middlebury but their aid was worse…much worse…
And the fit didn’t feel right for me…
I made a deal with my mom though…if the appeal doesn’t get rid of the loan then I will commit to Haverford.</p>

9

<p>1) What about Vassar “enamors” you?
2) If you write you would “regret saying no to Vassar”, the corollary question would then be what about HC would you not regret if you were to say no to it?</p>

<p>Arcadia, Middlebury is very strong in languages and IR but I’m wondering what observations supports your assertion that Middlebury has the best training for a career in this field? In physician speak, “IR” studies seems to me to be like restless leg syndrome or simple acid reflux; it’s always been there but now it has a name primarily for marketing purposes. It’s a little bit of poli sci, history, econ, anthro, languages, ect. There’s nothing fancy about it.</p>

<p>In addition to academics, HC has 2 things going for it in the field of IR. HC’s location in the northeast corridor between the political capital of Washington DC and the financial capital of NYC, and an easy train ride from Philly, allows numerous prominent speakers to come onto campus to provide real world experience for students to complement their classwork… US leaders, international leaders, humanitarians, business leaders, activists, ect… This occurs at all times of the year, even in November-March when more remote LACs are snowed in and shut in. Multiply this by the speakers that come to Bryn Mawr and Swat and students in the Tri-Co have a tremendous roster of guest speakers to enliven their classroom learning.</p>

<p>In addition, regarding diplomacy and international peace work, given HC’s Quaker roots and strong ties with such organizations as American Friends Services Committee, students are exposed to learning within this framework of social justice and advocacy which is engrained in the culture of the school. HC has been active with international relations forever and alumni include the person who came up with the idea for the League of Nations (which became the UN), a US Secretary of State, the former international head of Greenpeace and the head of UNESCO who just retired. Alumni also include 2 alumni who accepted the Nobel Peace Prize (Noel Baker for League of Nations and William Cadbury for leading AFSC to help rebuild Europe after WWII)</p>

<p>Middlebury, probably like HC, has an academic center to promote students to gain international experience as a part of summer projects or a thesis. At HC, this is called the Center for Peace and Global Citizenship and funds annually I think about 50-60 individual student initiated projects around the world.</p>

<p>[Microfinance</a> Students Travel To Bangladesh - Haverford College News](<a href=“http://www.haverford.edu/news/stories/68361/51]Microfinance”>Microfinance Students Travel To Bangladesh | Haverford College)</p>

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<p>HC Alum</p>

<p>Your responses about Haverford have been phenomenal and very helpful. I have to decide between Haverford and UW Honors program. I am planning to do major in Chemistry with Biochem concentration. I went to open campus day the other day and in general I liked the campus and the student body and closed knit small community. I am not getting any aid as it is all need based in Haverford (though my parents are ready to pay for it the cost differential is huge). UW on the other hand has less in state fees and the honors program is trying to simulate a LAC atmosphere with smaller classes with only select few students. In fact the I have attended classes in both places and the academic environment in honors classes and Haverford felt similar. However, not all classes will be honors based in UW. Also, UW has more research opps and has a huge hospital in the campus. It looked like Haverford will help me all the way in premed advising while it is spotty in UW (bcoz of sheer numbers) and if I have the initiative it has all the resources to use. Bottom line, I am torn between these two schools and my ultimate goal is to go to a strong med school. Any advice from you will be greatly appreciated. Also, feel free to send a PM if that is better way to communicate.</p>

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<p>Thanks and I’m glad you found my posts somewhat helpful. While HC has several outstanding departments and many excellent departments made outstanding with BMC, there is no LAC better in chemistry /biochemistry/molecular bio than HC (ranks #1 in % of MD/PHD grads along with Harvard and Stanford). If you want to major in these fields, you’ve come to the right place.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/haverford-college/427212-why-haverford-sciences-phenomenal-part-12-a.html?highlight=science[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/haverford-college/427212-why-haverford-sciences-phenomenal-part-12-a.html?highlight=science&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/haverford-college/1237667-why-i-love-haverford-howard-lutnick-83-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/haverford-college/1237667-why-i-love-haverford-howard-lutnick-83-a.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>That being said though, as I wrote in the post above, you don’t need to go to the best college in a particular field to learn undergraduate topics to prepare you for your future (extreme examples include a HC religion major becoming CEO of Time Warner, 2 fine arts alumni one becoming a professor of engineering at Berkeley (now provost) and another the head of the ER at UPenn and alumni becoming the chief editors in the last decade of LA Times, NY Times and current chief of Harvard Business Review with HC not having a journalism or business program). Depending on your initiative and innate smarts, going to any number of the top (let’s just throw out a number) 50ish schools may provide you with different college experiences but similar potential for success; it’s a matter more of you than where you’re at. The pre-med preparation and work load may be different between the schools though (all of my friends and I consistently report that HC was more work than the med schools we attended- Harvard on down). My 2 classmates from UW honors seemed to work harder and appeared more stressed (without getting honors or publishing any papers) than I was but that stuff means little after residency and, in the long run, means even less. </p>

<p>In your post, you wrote you “generally liked” the vibe at HC which concerns me. If you merely “like” HC, it’s not worth the cost IMO given what I wrote above. If it really resonated with you like the initial poster wrote about Vassar, then it would be worth it. Med school is about 55,000/year so you should be in a position by 4th year to pick your residency based on your love of a field and not only because a specialty is lucrative so you can pay back your loans.</p>