Just Visited Brandeis.....My Conclusions

<p>The academics are awesome and the club opportunities are top notch. With that said…the social scene is non existent, and I mean that. On a scale of 1-10 I would be generous in giving it a 3. The student population rather sit in the dorms and not socialize than party on campus or go into Boston. It was really sad. This sucks because Brandeis was a top choice of mine. I can deal with the cold weather, the weird campus architecture, the religiousness, and possibly an extremely lacking social scene with students who have to be from different planet, but one thing I cant go out with is hot chicks. Now ya ya don’t give me the ******** about its on the inside that counts, because it does, but bottom line is its natural to be attracted to someone’s looks and if dont have it, then you don have it. For me looks attract and personality keeps. I only saw 3 hot chicks on campus. Now that’s depressing. I will probably have to visit again in the spring to figure this out. I wonder if all top 3rd schools in the nation are like Brandeis…from what I have been told, Brandeis is one of the special ones.</p>

<p>SoCalBum</p>

<p>I'm so sorry. My d. is applying to Brandeis, but she's already got a boyfriend at another Boston-area school. Based on your post, I think she should stick with him.</p>

<p>SoCalBum,</p>

<p>Interesting. Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder. A close friend of my son is in his sophomore year. He absolutely loves the school, both for the social life and academics. I get the feeling, though, that his friends tend more towards relationships than one-night flings. They seem happy with their choices.</p>

<p>My son has an application in at Brandeis as well as a number of other schools. We'll wait and see what happens.</p>

<p>Brandeis definitely is a different environment than most universities. Beyond the great academics, I also felt something was lacking.
The social environment at medium sized institutions such as Tufts, Rochester, Emory, WUSTL and Lehigh was much more active and alive. Many more students participated in mutltiple activities.</p>

<p>Having said the above, Brandeis attracts many students who fit in quite well in Waltham.</p>

<p>SoCalbum....not exactly sure what kind of social life you're looking for but we know a few kids who are at Brandeis and they definitely have made trips into Boston. With the train station at the edge of campus, it's pretty easy. They've got a fun social life from all reports.</p>

<p>If you're looking for tall, stick-thin, leggy blondes, then you're probably not going to find many at Brandeis since a good percentage of the school is Eastern-European Jewish and we tend to run to short, brunette, and curvy. Not to say that there aren't any tall, thin, blonde girls at Brandeis, just fewer than at other places. Regarding social scene, I, personally, went to two parties this weekend and turned down a third. Next weekend I'm probably going into Boston.</p>

<p>To iamtheshoshie:</p>

<p>First off, you assume that that is what I find attractive. I am not going to debate you on my personal preferences but you definitely cannot categorize it into one thing. Secondly, I felt that Brandeis was very diverse, but contrary to that, you are correct with that there are very few tall blondes or blondes in general, which you probably find less on the east coast then on the west coast. </p>

<p>To Everyone Else:</p>

<p>To put it frankly, to sum up the Brandeis experience that I experienced; it was like a bad camp experience. Granted I did not meet everyone, and I mostly only hungout with freshmen. I did meet quite a few people from all age groups, and the people I did hang out with seemed to be doing more social things then the rest of the majority. It was like you deciding to go to a summer camp because what the camp offered seemed ridiculously awesome. But once you got there and you were assigned to your bunk, you become socially ostracized because you are the only one out of the six that does not play the antisocial game of magic cards. Get my drift…… </p>

<p>SoCalBum</p>

<p>"First off, you assume that that is what I find attractive. I am not going to debate you on my personal preferences but you definitely cannot categorize it into one thing."</p>

<p>So maybe tall leggy blondes aren't what float your boat. Mostly I'm just tired of people claiming that there aren't attractive girls at Brandeis when I know many.</p>

<p>And, from my experience, no one's gonna ostracize you for wanting to go to parties. As I said, I've been to my share. I haven't played magic once. Sure, I've had some "stay in and watch movies with friends" nights, but that's just my preference. I've also gone clubbing in Boston and gone party hopping. Furthermore, there are many more people at a college than at a camp. You're not confined to the same 6 people who you live with.</p>

<p>I was using the camp metaphor as an example of how it felt when I went to Brandeis.</p>

<p>SoCalBum</p>

<p>SoCalBum-
sounds like it was a good thing you went for a visit. colleges can so often sound great, but it isn't until you go and visit that you can really tell whether there is an appropriate "fit" or not. </p>

<p>wheneven someone posts that they found a college just wasn't for them, it can be easy for people who love that school to take offense. everyone has to remember that not every school is for everyone.</p>

<p>people reading these accounts need to take both sides with a grain of salt and understand they come from the given perspectives -- but they can inform prospective students as to what types of things to be on the look out for when they make their campus visits - which is, after all, such an essential tool in determining "fit".</p>

<p>I find it very social. But by social, I mean active in the community and politics rather than getting drunk all the time. I'd rather people who are looking for that find some other school far, far away. That's one of the top reasons why I picked Brandeis- I don't want to be around dumb drunk people. </p>

<p>So whatever floats your boat. If your idea of being social is parties and your idea of a good school is based on what the people look like, then go to somewhere like UGA with lackluster academics and parties all day and night.</p>

<p>seriously silver clover? i am here right now and i find numerous drunk, party type people. here's the deal- theres tons of drinking, it just happens in tiny dorms- so granted its lame as hell, but its still there. nobody goes to the dances, and a few parties happen and then get broken up in an hour and a half.<br>
getting into boston is hard, because if you go you have to be prepared to go for 5 hours, you cant just go for a quick movie or somethingg when you feel like getting away from this bubble campus.
the bus runs every 40 mins ( on a good day), when the smarter thing to do would be just to take it to the nearest t- stop, so the buses will go by quicker.
I am definately not the party type, and i dont drink. However, being on this boring campus might drive many to do so.</p>

<p>Drinking with friends in a dorm is not necessarily lamer than going to a huge party to let random people grope you. Getting into Boston takes about half an hour. So you have to time it out with buses and whatnot. It's not the easiest thing in the world, nor is it the hardest. Also, if you're not into the party scene, how can you judge it?</p>

<p>I think it just comes down to fit and finding a group of people who want to do the same things that you do. If you can do that, you'll be fine.</p>