<p>I would like to hear from present students and recent grads regarding the location and setting of Brandeis. While it has a beautiful campus, when my D and I and H visited, it had a very isolated feeling. Even though it is so close to Boston which is supposedly so accessible, it felt like it could be a million miles away. How easy is it REALLY to get into Boston/Cambridge? How lonely does it or could it get there? And what about Waltham–is it worth going there during free time or is it kind of down and out?</p>
<p>Hi. I’m a current student at Brandeis. One of the topics I spoke about in my application essay is the 3 different settings Brandeis offers. There’s Boston, Brandeis and Waltham. At my time here, I found that getting into Boston is relatively easy. I was there 2 hours ago. Theres a free shuttle from Thursdays-Sundays. These are the most popular times students travel to Boston. If you need to get into the city on other days you can take the commuter rail ($4.75) to the T stop ($2) and you can go pretty much anywhere in Boston from there. Waltham is pretty cool place too. I go running in Waltham every weekend with a friend. Its got all the basics, grocery stores, hardware stores and restaurants. It also has a great park, and just nice scenery overall. Theres a free van ride into various locations in Waltham. It’s also a very industrial town, great for internships.<br>
Brandeis doesnt get lonley on the weekends. Of course there are students who live a few minutes away and go home, but that’s typical of any college campus. I can only think of one student in my hall of about 120 kids who does this.
Brandeis is kinda like the getaway from the city of Boston and the town of Waltham. Its the place to get serious, study and relax from the fast pace.<br>
Overall, I really like the settings Brandeis has to offer. Each one is unique and has its own locations to offer.</p>
<p>I agree with Kirby. It’s really easy to get into Boston either through the free shuttles over the weekends or on other days, there is the commuter rail which gets in to Cambridge in about 15 minutes (with connection available to airport).
It’s also very easy to get into Waltham, and there are several good ethnic restaurants there (Indian, Thai, other Asian…) a park and a movie theater and just in general a pretty lively main street on weekend nights with access by campus an every afternoon of the week. And in the spring/summer it’s not a bad walk over there either.
And there’s usually a number of things on on on campus, student theater productions, a-capella performances, movie screenings of fairly recent Hollywood movies, other on campus events…other students choose to go to parties in off-campus residences or prefer more low-key hanging out, watching movies etc in dorms.</p>
<p>upstatemom - I agree with the other posters. my D is a sophomore and is very happy with the location. she goes into Cambridge and Boston frequently (and easily) but also finds plenty to do on campus. the Waltham location works well for her - grocery store and drugstore close to campus and plenty of good restaurants.</p>
<p>Hi, We will be visiting Brandeis in a few weeks on a Monday and need to get the best directions in detail on how to travel from the Sheraton to the Brandeis campus.
Your help is VERY appreciated!</p>
<p>You’ll probably have to take the commuter train if you want to go by public transport. There is a stop at the bottom of the Brandeis campus. I’ve been told it originates from South Station Boston, but check it out online. Boston has a great mass transit system and website for it:</p>
<p>NORTH Station. Take any Green Line car inbound and get off at North Station. (Your ride may end at Park Street or Government Center; just get off and wait for another car going on further.) The Brandeis stop is on the FITCHBURG rail line. Here is the link to the schedule: [MBTA</a> Commuter Rail > Fitchburg / South Acton Lines Schedules and Maps](<a href=“Schedules & Maps | MBTA”>Fitchburg Line | Commuter Rail | MBTA).</p>