<p>I have been accepted into all three of these colleges but at the moment I am really confused about the college I should choose.......I would like to have a good social life in the college and though I have not yet decided what major I will take it will most probably be something from science....keeping these in mind could you please give your views which one among these colleges would be the best for me......</p>
<p>I think you need to visit.</p>
<p>Three VERY different places socially. I agree with Mini.</p>
<p>These are three places on son’s tentative list, any one want to characterize these places anyway? I know the obvious Vassar=arty, Haverford=honor code, but would love to have other impressions to add to our own assuming we get around to visiting. The only kid I know at Vassar is a laid back science guy, so I realize the characterizations are sometimes less than helpful.</p>
<p>Carleton = quirky, laid-back, non-competitive, happy, engaged students who feel free to do/explore whatever catches their interest, be it serious or goofy. Check You Tube for a video called “Daft Hands” - that’s a Carleton student.</p>
<p>For Science - Carleton (check out past posts on other threads).</p>
<p>I’m quite sure the OP is international, which is why he’s asking. He can’t visit.</p>
<p>OP: I assume you’re Nepali (based on your old posts)? See if you can get in touch with any Asian or Nepali Students’ Assocation people from those schools. They’ll be more likely to be able to give you a useful perspective on social life and each school’s atmosphere, especially in relation to your home culture.</p>
<p>DS is currently a Vassar freshman majoring in biology. He loves the school and is very happy socially–most of his friends are not science majors-there seems to be a good mix of students who hang out together without regard to “what’s your major?” He was able to begin mentored research in his second semester and will spend the summer there as a paid researcher in the URSI program. He is also enjoying the famous art history course and is thinking of taking beginning dance next semester-everyone is encouraged to do things outside of their comfort zone. For example, he had never done a sport before and was able to join the diving team just by asking. It seems that if a student wants to learn something, someone at Vassar wants to teach him. But be aware-there is NO grade inflation. Just getting a B is very hard work. The art history prof. told the class that she gives only one A per semester and sometimes not even that. All of his courses have been very challenging and grading is tough.
However, students do not discuss grades and there is very little competition, even with the pre med kids. DS visited Haverford and decided it wasn’t for him. He liked the academics but thought the honor code thing was a little over the top. That could just be because the tour guide went on and on about it. Don’t know anyting about Carelton. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>D1 visited all these, 2 with me, Carleton with her mom but I got reports.</p>
<p>These were my undoubtedly flawed impressions</p>
<p>Vassar- bigger, which is good for LAC, more artsy, 60% female. Some hipsters. Located in not so great small city. Access to NYC via train, but not exactly next door; will take 1.5 hrs to get anyplace there.</p>
<p>Haverford- very small in itself, a little better sized with Bryn Mawr figured in. But then, with Bryn Mawr added, environment skews highly female. Haverford kids seemed somewhat athletic bunch, different vibe than Bryn Mawr people somewhat. Is in boring suburb, but has actual access to a major city without car. Unnaturally obsessed with this “Honor Code” thingy.</p>
<p>Carleton- also small IIRC, located in Minnesota where it is very cold. Highly populated by smart public school kids who live in proximate regions. Students frequently described as “Nerdy quirky”, For some reason, unusually high proportion of them play intramural sports (ice fishing??). Friends you meet, grad school destinations, locations of alumni, may be likely to also reflect this geographic tilt to an extent, IMO.</p>
<p>About fifty minutes, by car, to Minneapolis. I forget about M-F mix.</p>
<p>All of them probably have programs that are “good enough” vs. each other, suggest you go to registrar’s websites and count courses actually being offered this semester in areas of potential interest.</p>
<p>My family’s experince with LACs suggests:
- You can, actually run into limitations in course selection, and limitations on people to meet/clique avoidance; influence of predominant campus culture. So bigger can be better. to an extent. Realistic cross-registration options might be helpful.
- To have enough to do , all of these things matter:
i) how much is going on on-campus; ii) how easy it is to get to other places where college students are; iii) how easy it is to get someplace off-campus; iv) how useful the places you can get to actually are v) if people are running off campus all the time they will not be on campus to hang out with (concern for schools located in urban & suburban settings)</p>
<p>My son’s experience at Vassar is almost a carbon copy of joesboy’s son. He was a biology major/ursi researcher/walk on athlete (baseball) and also took art history (my suggestion) He did not dance, but learned to DJ and loved it. There is every type of student at Vassar, not just “artsy” types and many international students as well. And you are right about grade inflation, very difficult to get A’s.</p>
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<p>Agree. Is there some reason to believe that, at peer colleges that don’t have an Honor Code, the kids are cheating and stealing each others’ backbacks right and left? How do those schools manage? Whips and chains?</p>
<p>Every LAC I’ve ever known about has an honor code. I’ve always thought of the Haverford “thing” about it to be unusually self-righteous.</p>
<p>These descriptions seem about right to me. A couple of grace notes:</p>
<p>– Haverford has a lot of Quaker culture. It is exceptionally intimate; many of the faculty live on campus.</p>
<p>– Haverford is also the smallest of the three, except that Bryn Mawr is next door. It is also in a consortium with Bryn Mawr and Swarthmore and (to a more limited extent) Penn. Taking classes at Bryn Mawr is very easy, taking classes at Swat or Penn is doable but inconvenient. It is very easy to get into Philadelphia on public transportation, and the trip is about 20-25 minutes.</p>
<p>– The larger St. Olaf is a couple miles away from Carleton. That makes Northfield MN a great college town.</p>
<p>– All three colleges have very significant intellectual culture. Vassar is not completely arty – I know lots of academically serious kids there, and even some jocks. It is probably the preppiest of the three.</p>
<p>– Vassar is quite beautiful. Poughkeepsie is not.</p>
<p>My son is a third year student at Vassar. The above descriptions are fairly accurate. The school is not as “artsy” as people make it out to be. People are very accepting, especially about sexual orientation. Students are serious about their work but like to have fun. Vassar is definitely a “bubble campus.” Poughkeepsie doesn’t offer much, but the Hudson Valley is beautiful. Professors are incredibly accessible. Junior Year Abroad is huge. Most students go abroad for one semester. The campus is beautiful as is the library. Students have a lot of pride in their campus and school. I would not say that Vassar is preppy per se, though there are some preppy students there. The school has a substantial international population, but it is not as diverse as a larger university might be. There is a lovely art museum on campus with Picassos, Miros, etc.<br>
Vassar students are largely happy students.</p>
<p>I got in Carleton when I applied in high school. Personally I think Carleton is the best among these three, but I would suggest you visit each school before making a decision.</p>
<p>^ ^ I agree that one should visit all three choices. My son was deciding between Wesleyan and Vassar which are probably more alike. He picked Vassar and never looked back.</p>
<p>Current sophomore at Vassar, history major, very involved in dance and theatre… I can’t say much about breaking the “artsy” stereotype, since I kind of embody it. However, that being said, Vassar is the best place in the entire world, so obviously everyone who gets in should come here. (Except not really, as that would totally jeopardize my chances of getting a sweet room next year.) Poughkeepsie is a dump, but there are lots of good restaurants around, and there’s a Target. What more do you need?</p>
<p>^ ^ Not to mention that the Culinary Institute of America is just up the road!</p>
<p>If you cant visit the schools, you might checkout these videos about Haverford: [Haverford</a> College Office of Admission: Admission Videos](<a href=“http://www.haverford.edu/admission/videos/]Haverford”>http://www.haverford.edu/admission/videos/)</p>
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<p>For what its worth, Haverfords honor code is actually unique. Its older than most honor codes, it has a social component, it is student governed (debated and approved by students each and every year for more than 100 years, not just imposed by the administration). I think thats why some students take the time to explain it in detail on tours. That said, to me, the Honor Code isnt the most distinctive thing about the College. Rather its the sense of community–the trust, respect, and concern students have for one another and between the faculty and students, between students and the administration–that leads to extensive collaboration and willingness to purposefully work on making it a plae where as many students as possible feel comfortable, included, and happy. Its definitely not for everyone, but is great for many. The students at HC are extraordinarily happy. Watch the videos and decide for yourself.</p>
<p>Also, Carleton also has some videos here: [Carleton</a> College: Admissions](<a href=“http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/]Carleton”>http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/)</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>the last don </p>
<p>Can you tell us something more about … you? Interests, ambitions, significant positives and negatives when considering where you’ll be the next four years? It certainly would help those of us who know these schools tailor a response to your priorities and preferences rather than offer generic profiles. All three are wonderful places but are not one-size-fits-all. The kids that have great experiences on these campuses have generally successfully preselected these schools based on who they are and what they want.</p>