Hello friends. I’ve narrowed down my accepted college list to these two amazing institutions, both of which I’m going to visit for accepted students days on April 13 and 14. I’m pretty sure I’m still going to be stuck between the two after that because I’m sure I’ll be super impressed by both. I plan on studying neuroscience and religion on pre health track (I want to be a Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant) if that matters. I’ll list my personal pros of each for help!
Haverford
*Bi-co and Honor code
*I’ve made some friends already through the class of 2023 group chat
*Breing next to Philadelphia means it will be easier to take a train to visit family in NYC + I can do stuff in Philly
*Jewish community similar to Vassar (Loved JSU at Vassar)
*Really nice people (I got a note on my acceptance letter!)
*In Pennsylvania (a swing state)
Muhlenberg
*I love amusement parks and Dorney Park is in same city
*Invited to RJ fellows honors program
*Offered merit scholarship of $20,000 a year
*Less Californians (I went to get away from CA as much as possible)
*Really nice and friendly people
*In a swing state (Pennsylvania)
Some of these seem kind of arbitrary, but so is choosing a college, no? Any input is much appreciated. Thanks so much!
Oh! Also, Vassar is definitely a close third after these two, so you can add input about that one as well.
And of the points I listed, the two biggest for me personally are probably the scholarship and group chat. Thanks again!
So. The parks in the city and the # of Californians aren’t really criteria that I’d use for this decision. You will see so few Californians (or know they are from there) at Haverford that it isn’t relevant.
Remember that the note on your acceptance letter is from admissions. You will likely never interact with them again, so don’t take it as any indication of anything.
Picking a college shouldn’t be arbitrary. Look carefully at the classes offered in your major( s ).
How important is the merit money to your family?
If the merit scholarship is important to you, then Muhlenberg is a nice option. It is a solid school with a warm, friendly atmosphere, and you have a wonderful opportunity with the scholarship. The Jewish community should also be good at Muhlenberg; although it is nominally Lutheran, about a third of the student body there is Jewish.
Otherwise, Haverford and Vassar are top-level colleges. While you will be able to find smart and intellectually oriented students at Muhlenberg as well (particularly since you will be part of an honors program), the peer groups and class experiences at H and V will provide a more immersive intellectual atmosphere. The opportunities and resources of these top colleges are wonderful, too.
Let’s put it this way. Two freshmen I know, who were close friends in high school, are very similar in many ways. One is going to a college more like H and V. His friend is going to a college more like M, with amazing scholarship support like you would have at M. They have stayed in touch with each other, and their educational experience in college is very different. The one in the elite college is being much more challenged in class and by peers. That said, each choice has pros and cons.
Between Haverford and Vassar, which are peer schools, it is a matter of personal preference. Since you listed all of Haverford’s pros, and only named Vassar as an afterthought, it would appear that you prefer Haverford!
Basically, how much money is it worth to you to be able to attend a top college? It is great that you will be able to visit both colleges. If the environments seem roughly equally pleasing to you and you like them equally well, go for Muhlenberg with the scholarship. If you can afford Haverford and want that very special type of college experience, then go there.
That’s a fair point. I just added those arbitrary things so that it would be easier to pick places because I’m a really really really indecisive person. Hopefully it didn’t make me look inconsiderate and flighty.
As for classes my major, I think both institutions offer a really good selection! I looked through the course catalog for both and was almost over whelmed. That’s true about the admission thing, but I feel as though it speaks to the character of Haverford too, no? Maybe that’s just a me thing, but it was also in addition to the tour guides and people from the group chat.
In terms of finances, my parents said they’re willing to do whatever they can to help me pay, but say that the merit scholarship would open more doors, especially for spending and graduate school.
And yeah, that is a good point! I just loved Vassar for so much of my college search that I hadn’t realized it suddenly turned into an afterthought of Haverford somehow. Thank you both for the responses! I’ll try to keep them in mind!
I agree that Haverford will probably give you a better academic experience. Will it be worth the extra $80k? Discuss that with your family. As Vassar is clearly an afterthought, I would cross if off your list.
Haverford has a tiny number of students. Muhlenberg has about 1000 more. Is that good or bad? That depends on you to decide. I am guessing that there will be more options for clubs and the like at Muhlenberg. It will be important to consider your major and which school has more offerings as far as that is concerned.
Haverford is a way more selective school than Muhlenberg. And it is reflected in the student body. However, if the price is a key factor in your decision, Muhlenberg will suit your needs.
Thanks for the two more responses! I’ll reflect on price vs academics with my parents. I’ll also try to look out for what the student body is like and what the offerings are when I visit.
If you can swing the price difference I’d choose Haverford. I know quite a few H’ford grads and they are intensely loyal and appreciative to their alma mater.
Because Haverford College is more expensive than Muhlenberg College, the difference is actually about $25,000 per year due to OP’s $20,000 per year scholarship award from Muhlenberg College.
I think that all of the above posters have offered great advice. While both are solid schools, intellectually they are in two different leagues. It is reasonable to speculate that very few Muhlenberg College students would have been accepted to Haverford College & the intellectually elite group of schools at which Haverford students can cross register for classes (Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr &, if I recall correctly, Penn).
Your earlier posts shared that you are a prospective male nursing student from the San Francisco Bay area. In this thread you share your desire to separate yourself from things Californian. Neither school offers any barriers to that desire. If you choose to attend school at Muhlenberg College, you will be pleasantly surprised by the low cost of home ownership in the Allentown, Bethlehem & Easton area.
What you experience as a young adult will have a significant impact on you for the rest of your life.
Personally, I would advise you to save the money and go to Muhlenberg.
If you want to double major, Vassar is best. Look at the actual classes you will take, Vassar is a larger school (slightly) so that may be preferable. Haverford is also great -but take another look at Vassar,