<p>Any thoughts on similarities/differences between these places? I need to make my decision soon (May 1st, obviously) but probably won't get a chance to see Vassar.
I visited Swat and really liked the people (smart, funny, accomplished, diverse self-deprecating, slightly but not too jaded, friendly and endearingly nerdy/unhip), classes, intense intellectuality, and ethical focus but the location, slightly-too-groomed-for-my-taste campus, size, stress level, small selection of club sports (I'd like to try crew, among other things) and stunted dating scene were kinda turnoffs.</p>
<p>Vassar's open curriculum, large course selection, internship opportunities, male/female ratio (yeah I am totally aware of how silly it is for me to consider this, but c'mon it's college), financial aid and extracurricular offerings all appeal to me, but I've read differing opinions on the campus vibe and the friendliness/intellectuality of the student body.</p>
<p>I'm interested in studying Psychology, English, Film, Philosophy, Southeast Asia, Cognitive Science, Journalism and American History, among other things, and want to be surrounded by engaged, sincerely scholastic kids. I know that these are both great schools and that I'm probably splitting hairs, but any help would still be appreciated.</p>
<p>What are the opposing views on the campus vibe at Vassar? I’m curious because when I visited the campus was quite, however it was an early Sunday.</p>
<p>Much smaller at 15-1600 vs Vassar at 2,400. You should check my numbers though.</p>
<p>Walk to a train to Philly. Leafy suburb and you can walk to some shopping and eating.</p>
<p>A reputation for academic intensity. Personally I like this but others may not.</p>
<p>A very large endowment that allows for many interesting things to be funded.</p>
<h2>Vassar</h2>
<p>Being larger there may be more offerings in some areas that you might want. Swat’s money counters this for the most part but you have to check. Certainly there are more courses offered at more times due to the greater number of students. Naturally the same statement applies if you compare these to a very large State University.</p>
<p>A perhaps more arty reputation though I think this is overblown. Given the size different you could take 800-900 students away from Vassar and perhaps come up with the same mix Swarthmore has. Certainly there are more drama and music productions at Vassar due to its greater size…keep coming back to that.</p>
<p>A very pretty campus in a not so pretty small city. Some interesting but limited places to walk to. Train station is not walking distance and the ride to NY is 90-100 minutes. No sympathy from me for complaints there as that is my daily ride!</p>
<p>Vassar’s endowment is quite respectable but not, as far as I know, in the same league as Swarthmore or Grinnell or the big Ivies of course. The college is concerned about economic conditions but the belt tightening does not seem to be too severe yet. I don’t know what conditions Swarthmore is in regarding this but I think they are probably in very good shape.</p>
<p>Both schools are well known for LAC’s with Swarthmore having the bigger reputation for academic excellence over many years. Both have diverse and interesting student bodies.</p>
<p>You can’t go wrong with either one and you should consider location to your home as well. What what it is worth my daughter loves everything about Vasssar but would have picked Swarthmore in a heartbeat two years ago if she had gotten in.</p>
<p>Although the train station is not in walking distance, there’s a bus the goes from Vassar to various parts of Poughkeepsie, including the train station which will take one into the city.</p>
<p>swarthmore! i don’t think many will have to think twice before choosing swarthmore over vassar. while both are great chioces, swarthmore is generally considered better, academically at least.</p>
<p>I guess I would agree that Swarthmore may be marginally more well known or possibly more respected. I don’t think, though, that there could be a big enough difference in the academic quality of the schools to make your decision on based on that (I’ve absolutely loved my academic experience at Vassar and can’t really imagine great improvement). I would definitely make the decision based on social/location factors, for I think the schools are quite different in this way. When I visited Swarthmore I got the feeling that academics were overly intense and kind of the only thing people thought about. Which I’m sure isn’t true, but I didn’t get that feeling at Vassar. Everybody’s first priority is academics here, and there’s certainly a lot of work, but I think it’s much more laid back.</p>
<p>'I don’t think, though, that there could be a big enough difference in the academic quality of the schools to make your decision on based on that '</p>
<p>it’s like saying there’s no different in the academic quality between princeton and brown.</p>
<p>i definitely agree with thatswhatshesaid, however, it is most likely a slightly biased opinion considering the fact that i will be attending vassar this fall. i strongly considered swarthmore and i definitely would have applied if i had not been accepted to vassar ED. its like collegeprep11 said, its like saying there is no difference in the academic quality between brown and princeton. there really isnt, however, princeton is definitely considered “more prestigious.” (personally, i would have chosen brown over princeton BECAUSE of the environment and vibe). thats really the only difference and the same can be said of vassar and swarthmore. there may be a different overall mindset regarding the way academics are approached and viewed, but that isnt to say that one is better than the other. there are so many more important things to consider when looking at these two schools such as extracurriculars, campus life, amongst a myriad of other factors that will affect YOUR choice.</p>
<p>“Endearingly nerdy/unhip” sounds very Swat and rather unlike Vassar. I’ve visited both; I love Swat for much the same social reasons as you, but hold a fondness for Vassar it reminds me of my performing arts middle school–which is a different kind of vibe. Vassar is intellectual but not intensely so; open curriculum and course selection are pluses, though. The Tri-Co is there and available but seldom-used by Swatties; it usually goes the other way around (BMC/HC students go to Swat for linguistics, for example). </p>
<p>Swat’s financial aid will probably be better than Vassar’s; its endowment per student is much higher, and it packages NO loans for ALL students (Vassar only offers no-loans to income <60k, and it has been need-sensitive at times in the past).</p>
<p>I agree with what ctParent2006 said, but I don’t think Vassar’s artsy reputation is necessarily “overblown”; there’s definitely a core athletic minority, but overall the students enjoy participating in the fine arts (especially theatre, it seems). Again, my two tour guides would have fit in very well at my performing arts middle school (and high school, which I didn’t attend but am familiar with). Ironically, I’m now a humanities-type at a math/science HS, so I have plenty of experience with being in the “minority” of a school’s overall vibe–it’s very possible to be happy, but be prepared for some awkwardness too.</p>
<p>I realize you’ve probably made your decision by now, but I’d like to add my two cents…</p>
<p>I applied to both and only got into Vassar. In retrospect I’m pretty happy about that because I think I like Vassar more than I would like Swat, but that’s probably just personal preference.</p>
<p>As for academics, Vassar had the first Cog Sci program in the country, I think. Also, the English and Psych departments have so far been great for me. </p>
<p>Vassar students are definitely friendly, especially freshman year, I think. They’re intellectual but not to the point where you want to tell them to stop showing off. They’re probably more fashion conscious and less crusty hippie than Swat students.</p>
<p>Poughkeepsie is kind of lame, but there are some cute restaurants and stores near Vassar, and a bowling alley, and the mall’s just a shuttle ride away :).
Vassar also has a very groomed campus, but in a way that makes you want to just hug the whole thing. Also, the library. Seriously, who could turn that down?</p>
<p>My final plug is for the crew team. COME TO VASSAR AND ROW!!! I joined as a novice(that means it’s my first time ever rowing) this year and it made my year. The team is fantastic and friendly and accepting. Also, you don’t have early morning practice until the spring! Our assistant coach, who is the novice’s main coach, was great this year, good at teaching us how to row and how to not flip a boat :-P.</p>
<p>Lol, can I join the Quidditch team instead? Seriously, though, what’s with the rowing? I people rave about it everywhere. Is it really that popular in the US? How do you do it, anyway? I don’t think I’ve ever even seen rowing…</p>