Vassar vs. Haverford

<p>I have been accepted to Vassar and Haverford and I feel very torn between them. I'm nervous about Haverford not having the amount of arts emphasis that Vassar has. I play the clarinet and I'd love to be in an environment geared towards drama, music, and film, unlike my high school, which is mostly sports. But Haverford has excellent science programs, and since I'm interested in Neuroscience in addition to English and French, I feel like Haverford might be a better fit that way. I'm also just looking for a well-rounded, intellectual place with a lot of different types of people...any thoughts?</p>

<p>If you're interested in Neuroscience and English and French, you'll want to find out which school will make it easier for you to follow all your interests. Does studying science at Haverford limit your schedule choices? I don't know anything about Haverford, but it seems to me that this could influence your decision. Also, though Vassar may not have a science-y reputation, they pretty much have solid academics all around.
Another thought...at Vassar, you have to try out and pay for private instrument lessons(or be a music major, or be on financial aid) and try out for music ensembles. I don't know if the deal is similar at Haverford, but you may consider looking into that.
Good luck making your decision!</p>

<p>I played in the orchestra, sang in two choirs, and studied science and it was all good. Languages are excellent although I only took arabic. intellectual, well rounded describes vassar. Also it is a little bigger than Haverford which I think is an advantage. Both are great from what I know. Congrats on getting into two great choices.</p>

<p>I had to make a decision between Haverford (I was waitlisted, but in contact with a coach who said she could get me in) and Vassar last year, and chose Vassar, so I would be happy to give you my take....</p>

<p>Although I'm biased, I would tell you to pick Vassar, based on your interests. English and French are two very strong majors here, as you're probably already aware. Furthermore, don't be concerned about the Neuroscience major: it's actually quite good here due to the large amount of pre-med students and the strong biology and psychology departments (I almost majored in neuroscience, so I've looked into the department somewhat).</p>

<p>As for your comment about wanting a place with lots of individuality, once again, that falls right under Vassar's description. Due to the larger pool of students at Vassar than at Haverford, you'll find more diversity here by default. Add to this the fact that Vassar prides itself in the encouargement of ALL types of diversity, and it's definitely got what you're looking for. </p>

<p>Vassar is also a place that offers lots of opportunities for involvement in music with all the student groups, lessons, and classes it offers. That's not to say that Haverford doesn't have plenty of music-related opportunities... I just got the sense when I visited the school that sports garnered more attention on that campus than it does at Vassar, where music and art are the bigger focuses.</p>