Muhlenberg vs Brandeis University

<p>I just got into Muhlenberg with a 14,500 scholarship per year. I love Muhlenberg but I have a few concerns about the social life and small campus. How do you current students feel about this? Also do you feel you have internship and access to good career services? I'm going to major in chemistry and I'm trying to decide whether I should go to the higher ranked Brandeis where I got no money or Muhlenberg which I felt was very warm and welcoming.</p>

<p>muhlenberg wins</p>

<p>“higher” ranked.
ignore those silly rankings. brandeis is an amazing school. but muhlenberg has brandeis beat. (IMO) muhlenberg is the best all around undergrad!</p>

<p>D is a senior at Muhlenberg and loves it. She and a small group of close friends are always attending activities during the week and on weekends. Despite its small size Berg offers a wide variety of things to do. Career services helped D to find a great internship in D.C. last summer. D says they (Pre law) were very helpful with the application process. Hope this helps.</p>

<p>You can’t go wrong with either school. Muhlenberg and Brandeis are both highly rated. Visit both again. Talk to people in the chemistry departments and in the school at large. You will know after visiting both which is the right fit. Consider attending accepted students day when you will get more of a sense of the clubs and activities that you might not see on a normal visit. Best of luck!</p>

<p>I am in the same exact position!! I visited Muhlenberg and really liked it, got money from them and figured I’d just go there…but then I was accepted to Brandeis. Very confusing. I’m going up to both admitted students days soon, and am just hoping I’ll get a feeling of where I think I’ll fit best. I definitely think you should do the same! Hopefully we’ll both reach a decision :)</p>

<p>@lotta43</p>

<p>so which school did you choose?</p>

<p>After attending both admitted students days with my parents, I chose Muhlenberg! I could not be happier with my decision…in my mind there was no competition (although my dad would probably beg to differ). I think I remember your daughter being in the same boat…which did she choose?</p>

<p>Congrats lotta43! I hope you are very happy at the Berg. My daughter has found the professors to be so approachable and encouraging. I am sure you will find that as well.</p>

<p>My DD is having difficulty deciding between Muhlenberg and Dickinson. She was awarded the top scholarships at both but also was awarded the RJ Fellows at Muhlenberg (honor school) which comes with an additional 4k per year. She is pre-med. Concerned with small campus size at Muhlenberg and no outside campus life at Mulhlenberg. Both excellent schools. Any advice would be greatly appreciated</p>

<p>When you say no outside campus life do you mean Allentown? My daughter would probably say the only downside to Muhlenberg is Allentown. BUT there is more there than meets the eye. The school is right next to a Farmer’s Market and a gorgeous park. There are a couple clubs that sponsor outdoor trips off campus such as hiking, canoeing and rock climbing. For those who like malls, the Lehigh Valley Mall is a very nice one and students go there regularly. There are a couple nightclubs where kids tend to go on Thursday nights. There are good restaurants in the area and those who have cars like to get off campus for a dinner out now and then (my D does not have a car but has many friends who do). There are many opportunities to volunteer in the Allentown community which gets kids out of the Muhlenberg bubble. And of course there is easy access to NYC and Philly. My daughter seems to go to both about once a semester. I thought it would be more but there are so many things going on on campus that she is pretty content to stay there. </p>

<p>It is a small school with all the pluses and minuses of that. On the plus side my daughter enjoys close relationships with her professors and feels very at home. My impression is that professors really want their students to succeed and offer lots of opportunities and mentoring. The smallness means it was easy to plunge into extra-curriculars without having to elbow for a place (You want to DJ? Just sign up.) On the minus side, sure by April it feels like you know everybody and have seen the same faces for too long. But by May you are already feeling that you will miss your friends over the summer.</p>

<p>On the academic side, you might be interested in this program at Muhlenberg. [Muhlenberg</a> College: Dean of Academic Life - Awards](<a href=“http://www.muhlenberg.edu/main/aboutus/dean-academic/awards/]Muhlenberg”>http://www.muhlenberg.edu/main/aboutus/dean-academic/awards/)</p>

<p>They really are both excellent schools and she has great options. I don’t know Dickinson (although my youngest will probably look at it) but I know Muhlenberg is this funny mix of kids who are into music and theater and chemistry and business. It just seems to have a place for all types of kids. I hope she has had a chance to visit both campuses and imagine herself there. There really is no bad decision here!</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>muhlenebrg wins…dickinson has a road running through it.</p>

<p>after much anguish and internal debate, my D finally made a decision as to where she will be headed in the fall. She chose Brandeis.</p>

<p>The reason the decision was so difficult for her was that both Brandeis and Muhlenberg were excellent final choices and both schools would provide an excellent education.</p>

<p>I want to thank everyone on this forum. You have shared your personal experiences and it has really provided clarity to this process. I truly enjoyed my time communicating with you as well as our time interacting with the fabulous staff at Muhlenberg. They continue to impress me whenever we have reached out. You are very fortunate to be associated with both fine people and an equally matched academic institution!</p>

<p>Wishing you all great success in your paths forward.</p>

<p>thank you!</p>

<p>Thank you all for any and all input. My D has deciced on Dickinson College. In the end either school would have been a great choice but only one would win out. She felt that the student body at Dickinson was just a better fit for her personality. The campus size was also a huge plus in Dickinson’s favor. Same number of students but more than double the acreage. Good luck to all the Mules for class of 2017!</p>

<p>Congratulations to both your daughters! I am sure it feels great to have made a decision and get to buy the window decal. :-)</p>