Quality of these colleges

College Search & Selection
1

<p>My sister was rejected from Haverford College (far and away her first choice). Now she has to decide between Bard College and Hamilton College. I know very little about Bard and some about Hamilton. Is Bard a respectable school? It has a strange curriculum and is not listed here as a "top LAC." I would consider Hamilton an alright school but not on the level of Haverford. Would she be better off to go for a year to Ursinus(she received a decent scholarship there) and then try to transfer to Haverford? I know Ursinus is a step down from Haverford and also Hamilton but I still don't think it is awful.</p>

<p>Thanks for any help.</p>

2

<p>Bard is respectable, but Hamilton is more respectable. While it isn’t a great fit for me, I visited and thought it was a very nice school.</p>

3

<p>Actually, I do consider Hamilton to be on the same level as Haverford.</p>

4

<p>I agree, and Bard is too, if your politics on more liberal</p>

5

<p>BTW Chevy Chase went to Haverford, was kicked out and then graduated from Bard.</p>

6

<p>It’s ever more difficult to transfer to Haverford so I wouldn’t plan on that.</p>

<p>Did she apply to Bryn Mawr by any chance?</p>

7

<p>Bard is a decidedly countercultural place - she’d need a good sense of the campus feel there. No one would have to feel that they’re “settling” for Hamilton.</p>

8

<p>Hamilton is a fabulous school. My doctor went there and he raves about it all the time. Its a real gem. Go there.</p>

9

<p>If your sister’s first choice (“far and away”) was Haverford, Hamilton clearly is more similar to her “dream school” than Bard is. </p>

<p>Bard is a great place for certain students – particularly those who are edgy, oriented well to the left politically and very tolerant of a multitude of substances and sexual practices. I don’t see too many overlapping characteristics in the student bodies of Bard and Haverford except that the kids at both places are extremely bright.</p>

10

<p>My sister went to Hamilton and she loved it there. (I went to Haverford and I think they’re pretty similar.)</p>

11

<p>A biology professor and 2 research students spent 2 hours talking to my son and me about the pros and cons of Hamilton, what the school had to offer, and the changes that occurred to make the school even better. Students we saw and talked to were happy, very positive about learning in a cooperative environment, and the quality of the professors. While Hamilton may not be at the level of Haverford, it is still a very good school. My experiences with Haverford student representatives found them to arrogant and pretentious, unlike the student reps at Hamilton. At least the students my son met at Haverford weren’t like the ones at the college fairs/events. Nonetheless, I think Haverford is an outstanding school and anyone who gets in should give serious consideration to attending.</p>