<p>cox - (the person steering the boat who also) motivates the rowers.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Um, not sure that was the answer I was looking for. But what a strange steryotype…</p>
<p>I think it’s just that the people who row really love it…honestly, why would you get up that early in the morning if you didn’t?</p>
<p>Maybe the stereotype about male rowers is because of the spandex uni’s they wear. My son was interested in (high school) rowing, and almost didn’t do it because of the spandex. I swore that the only people who would see him would be other rowers also in the same outfits, so he joined the team. It’s a great team sport, everybody has to literally pull together.</p>
<p>This is a re-post from another board started by a fellow with the same problem. I assure you, however, that this is a very good problem to have. (-;</p>
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<p>Well, you’re in luck. I applied (and was rejected) ED to Swarthmore, and it looks like I’ll be going to Vassar next year. So I know a bit about the two schools. Here are the main differences.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Swarthmore has access to a major city whereas Vassar is <em>very</em> campus-centered. Don’t put too much on this one, as transport in and out of Philly isn’t too common, but it is something to consider if you’re looking for the excitement of a city once in a while.</p></li>
<li><p>While neither are anything to spit at–people will be admiring your degree well into retirement–Swarthmore has the prestige factor. The difference isn’t necessarily a significant one, but it’s not marginal either.</p></li>
<li><p>Extra-curricular life at Vassar will be more rewarding. With it’s (in)famous workload, people are often too busy at Swarthmore to contribute much to the campus. The difference is especially notable in the arts; Vassar’s drama/music community is large and active, whereas Swarthmore’s is rather stagnant.</p></li>
<li><p>They both have gorgeous campuses. You’re going to like the scenery wherever you go.</p></li>
<li><p>Vassar students like their school better than do Swarthmore students. Much of this reverts back to the workload; while Swatties recognize that they’re learning a lot, they often develop a love-hate relationship. When I visited, one student disclosed to me that nearly everyone there thinks about transferring at some point. Though only 4% actually do, here’s an interesting fact: A reasonable share of those 4% transfer to Vassar.</p></li>
<li><p>That said, though, there’s no place you’ll learn more than at Swarthmore. No doubt, Vassar will give you a great education that will put you a step ahead of almost everyone. But Swarthmore is phenomenal academically, albeit possibly at the expense of your sanity.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Hope this helps! Let me know if you’ve any more questions and be sure to tell us where you decide.</p>
<p>Oh…so this was 2009? Never mind, then. Hope everything’s going well for you wherever it is you ended up!</p>
<p>^^Where did that poster get information on WHERE transfers go? I would love to see that kind of data for several schools.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s publicly available. I’ve just heard a great many stories about people transferring from Swarthmore to Vassar, so many that the switch doesn’t seem all that uncommon…</p>
<p>no im having the same problem now, this is very difficult
would anyone mind helping?
swarthmore:
pros:
academia is strong
-probably smaller class sizes
quaker (im not quaker but i love it)–very inclusive
politically active and strong dedication to helping the world
tight community
very diverse, both racially and economically
more selective means smarter kids (maybe?)
access to philly
quirky–ninja grams and screw your roomate seem like fun</p>
<p>cons:
academic intensity
misery poker (i like when people around me are happy)
- love-hate relationship (the guy who called me up from swarthmore, a wonderfully nice gesture, said he had that with the school, which while honest, seemed a bit odd to me).
a bit overly intellectual–people had read all these books and were having intellectual discussions that went all over my head. i consider myself smart, but laidback about it. i also joked a little during these conversations.
small population–im afraid of feeling stuck after a while</p>
<p>vassar:
pros:
close to home (nyc), i guess that could be a bad thing too
artistic and creative student population
-great performing arts, which i love
seem to have more diverse personalities than swat? or am i wrong?
more of a social scene
more of an extracurricular emphasis</p>
<p>cons:
60/40 ratio (my parents, especially my mom, are freaking out about that), i have to admit it’s a bit of a concern
seems to be a bit colder and cliquey and less warm and cuddly than swarthmore, but i could be wrong
less academic prestige than swat and less selective
-(not a ‘top twenty’ according to cc users)
harder to get into performing arts possibly because there is more interest
-less diverse, more white and rich (im not personally affected by finaid packages, but i don’t want to go to a school where you can only go if you have the money; i’d rather everyone who is qualified have the option to go and not run into major debt after graduation).
all in all, if vassar had a more even boy-girl ratio, was a little more selective, and was more diverse, i’d go there in an heartbeat. same with swarthmore if it were more laid back and had more of an extracurricular emphasis, plus a few hundred more kids.
what do i do in the next six days?</p>
<p>Congratulations on having two such great choices. </p>
<p>As I said above in this thread my daughter, now a Junior, loves everything about Vassar but would have picked Swarthmore over Vassar had she been accepted to Swarthmore when in High School (but Brown, Harvard or Princeton over both though). Both have spectacular campuses, academics, diversity (check the % receving aid as I don’t know if that differs but it is a good measure of economic diversity), arts, etc. etc. but Swarthmore has an enviable reputation for academic intensity, like Chicago. </p>
<p>She has found that intensity, which really comes from within though the environment at Swarthmore probably can help keep you from slacking off, she wanted at Vassar. Nothing like being a pre-med with a double major in Classics and Chemistry with various extra-curricular interests I guess…</p>
<p>Your Pros and Cons seem to be correct to me though I thinik the differences are likely to be very slight on the social differences, probably more hipsters at Vassar I do think. As I pointed out above you cannot discount Swarthmore’s greater economic resources (check out the posts by interesteddad over in the Swarthmore forum who i have found very persuasive on that subject) in funding cutting edge departments. </p>
<p>In Vassar’s defense on that I will point out that the extra 850+ students mean larger departments in some areas with resources equal and taking the 850 least qualified (on paper at least) students away from Vassar may give you a mix very similar to Swarthmore’s.</p>
<p>I found a 53/47 male/female ratio out of 1,525 on the Swarthmore website FAQ just now. Given the 2,400 plus students at Vassar there are more guys about even at 60/40. The “ratio” is discussed by the females at Vassar just as the reverse situation was much discussed my myself and other males of my generation years ago. Somehow we all managed as does my D and her friends.</p>
<p>You have not mentioned any particular area of study which might help you make your choice. I think Swarthmore is probably equal or superior in most any area but the arts but the smaller number of students will mean smaller departments in most areas which can mean fewer courses. Please remember that these schools hire from much the same pool of Professors so it is really your peers that make the difference in the classes.</p>
<p>I suspect you can get the same information from Swarthmore to compare. If you want to see what courses are really offered and their enrollment over the years at Vassar go here:</p>
<p><a href=“https://secure.vassar.edu/cgi-bin/geninfo.cgi[/url]”>https://secure.vassar.edu/cgi-bin/geninfo.cgi</a></p>
<p>I would put prestige aside (personally I think Swat is more prestigeous in regard to grad schools but not by much and in all fields or locales) and think about location and what your gut instinct was about the people you met at both schools. If you want the intesity I would go to Swarthmore but if that concerns you then Vassar and make your own.</p>
<p>Distance to NYC is shorter on the train from Poughkeepsie but the commuter train to meet Amtrak is just off the Swarthmore campus. Philly has fewer museums etc. than NYC but is a fine small city to visit.</p>
<p>Good luck. These are really two great choices.</p>
<p>P.S. ok…not fair of me to commit to something so if the choice was mine for me with my interests I would go to Swarthmore but this is your choice not anyone elses so you have to go with how you see yourself fitting in. Swarthmore is not very big but I never felt contrained by my own small school, F&M, years ago.</p>