<p>Hi everyone!!
I am pretty sure I am going to apply to Brandeis - I have been doing my research via the website, forums, etc, and from what I see so far I really like it. I’m just wondering from current students especially, what is life there really like? I’ve read a lot of great things about Brandeis, but I’m still a little unclear as to what exactly defines the Brandeis college environment, and I want to make sure it’s a good fit for me. Any feedback would be really appreciated :)</p>
<p>nothing anyone tells you can substitute for actually visiting the school.
in addition, i believe that brandeis strongly considers demonstrated interest.
if possible, you should go and visit. try to interview if possible.</p>
<p>What kind of college experience are you looking for?</p>
<p>I wish I could go visit! Unfortunately, I live far away and am so busy that I can’t make it there before the application is due. I’m looking for an experience where I have a well-rounded education and leave feeling like I can hold an intelligent conversation about a variety of topics. In general, I want an overall liberal arts education, but I want to major in science so research opportunities are important to me. I know, though, that Brandeis has great academics and great research so those are kind of set already. The only thing I’m not sure about is the social vibe; I’m not a big partier or drinker, but I do like to have fun and have some school spirit! Brandeis seems like a great place, but I’m not sure of what everyday social interaction is like. You’re right though, I should probably just try to visit or apply, see whether I get in, and then visit and see if I think it’s a good fit for me. Thanks!</p>
<p>One small way you can get a feel for Brandeis’s campus culture would be to check out the online version their student newspapers, The Justice and also The Hoot.</p>
<p>[The</a> Justice](<a href=“http://www.thejusticeonline.com/]The”>http://www.thejusticeonline.com/)</p>
<p>[The</a> Brandeis Hoot](<a href=“http://thehoot.net/]The”>http://thehoot.net/)</p>
<p>Good luck with your application.:)</p>
<p>I think you’d be a great fit for Brandeis. It’s really not known as a party school. Those things do exist if you are into them, but there’s no pressure. People have fun in lots of different ways just by hanging out, going to the movies or the theater on or off-campus etc. I never really understand what “school spirit” really means because I grew up overseas where it’s not really a concept, but I guess overtly it exists at some sports games, particulalry basketball games and I think it exists in other ways too. It might not be like it is at other schools, but I think in general people are proud of the things Brandeis stands, like social justice and “truth unto its innermost parts”.</p>
<p>Thanks so much :)</p>
<p>Leah, I’ll add my take which I’ve given to others on this site. Brandeis is truly an amazing school. It’s a special combination of small liberal arts college and world-class research university-with the smallest student body I believe (around 800 in a class) of any top tier national research university matched with high-powered professors who actually teach in small classes. So, the research opportunities are tremendous. </p>
<p>Brandeis’s intellectual environment is comparable in many ways to its University Athletic Association sister school, U Chicago (perhaps no coincidence that the President of U Chicago is a Brandeis alum). Yet its students are down-to-earth, friendly and non-competitive with one another. </p>
<p>The kind of person who would feel comfortable at Brandeis is an intellecutal and/or creative sort who is friendly and comfortable with himself or herself and not competitive or pretentious. Intellectual but down-to-earth and friendly I think is an apt description of the student body. Unlike some preppy place or frat-oriented environments where social interraction is based on the “exclusivity” of the frat system, Brandeis has a welcoming, relatively-nonjudgmental environment–yet there are some off-campus frats for those who like what they have to offer. There is no pressure to party, but parties are there if you want them. Often social interaction centers around the numerous clubs and other terrific extracuriculars like theater and music. Rochester is a good school as well, but my impression is that it is more frat oriented. School spirit grows not primarly out of sports, although there is that increasingly, but out of the pride and privilege of being at such a special school.</p>
<p>In that regard, despite Brandeis’ small size and relative youth, its alumni are very distinguished–to name just a few: Nobel Prize winner for chemistry Rod Mackinnon, Fields Medal winning physicist Edward Witten (often called “Einstein’s successor”), 3-time Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Friedman of the NY Times, The Earth is Flat etc; Mitch Albom of Tuesday’s with Morrie (about his Brandeis professor), the Creators/Producers of Friends; actress Debra Messing; Robert FX Sillerman (billionaire businessman–currently owner of American Idol and Graceland) and Christy Hefner, former CEO of Playboy). Friedman returned to teach not long ago and I understand that Hefner may be teaching as well. Also, if you’re into social justice (FYI Angela Davis and Abbie Hoffman are alums) or theater/music/art, Brandeis is a very active and exciting place to be.</p>
<p>Finally, the school is very diverse both among undergraduate and graduate students, with a strong international flavor (in fact the majority of The Brandeis International Business School is international students). </p>
<p>Hope this view is helpful.</p>
<p>P.S. Forgive the passing reference to Rochester in my message above. That was left over from a previous post.</p>
<p>Leah,</p>
<p>I’m a current student at Brandeis and I’d like to throw in my perception of Brandeis. If you’re looking for that intellectual, well-rounded liberal arts education, Brandeis is a great place because you can get all of that PLUS it’s a research university with an abundance of opportunities. That said, the sciences are probably more competitive than other disciplines, but a ton of people become involved in science research/working in a lab freshman and sophomore year (although it’s much easier to do that if you have work study).</p>
<p>Brandeis social life is kind of dependent on the friends you make, in my opinion. I’ve found this very interesting. A very large proportion of students (at least freshman) do not drink or go to parties - ever. I know a lot of people who found a group of friends at the beginning of the year whose members are very into partying and they go out and have a great time on weekends. I also know people who have partier friends but aren’t into that themselves, and they usually find at least a few other friends to hang out with on weekends. Then there is the case of the non-party groups whose members don’t drink or go out a lot (or at all). My friends are like this and I’ll admit it can be very frustrating - like you, I don’t drink and party much, but I do like to have fun. You really need to fish around to find friends who want to do whatever you’re into, which can be inconvenient. The good thing is that there is no pressure to do anything and you don’t have many people drunkenly collapsing/vomiting in the hallway of your dorm late at night.</p>
<p>Otherwise, social opportunities seem endless. It’s so difficult to say “no” to all the exciting things happening on campus! There are a ton of performances (especially at Chums - go look it up if you don’t know about it!), speakers, club meetings, events, etc., plus it’s always fun and easy to take a trip into Waltham, Cambridge, or Boston.</p>
<p>As far as school spirit…I know people who play sports but honestly have never seen a sporting event advertised…they seem to make a bigger deal about things like mock trial, debate, and Model UN, to be honest (it’s an endearing quality of Brandeis!). But I think people do really enjoy it here. I walk around campus and see lots of happy people with Brandeis sweatshirts.</p>
<p>If you can apply and visit later, that would obviously be ideal - try an overnight visit, perhaps. Good luck!</p>
<p>My freshman daughter is deliriously happy at Brandeis. She has some great classes and profs, has already found many like minded friends and there appears to be no shortage of extra curricular and social opportunities. It seems to be a very friendly and unpretentious student body. I saw in the paper that a student group was performing A Chorus Line this weekend and asked her if she was going. She replied that shed like to, but she was going to a Ben Folds concert on campus Thursday night, a group dinner Friday night and a huge Brandeis international group sponsored dance Saturday night, so she wasnt sure if shed be able to fit it in. If theres nothing interesting to do on campus, it is easy to get to Cambridge and Boston via the campus shuttle or train station right outside the university.</p>
<p>If you are looking for big time college athletics, alcohol fueled frat parties, wild hook-ups and glamorous people, this probably isnt the place for you (although Im sure you can find the latter three if you look hard enough). If you are more the type who likes to have close relationships with your professors and prefers getting together to do fun things with a few good friends to getting wasted every weekend, you will find your niche at Brandeis.</p>