Bryn Mawr?

[Anonymous]

My daughter wants to add another Philly school to her list because she really liked the area when we visited Swarthmore. Can anyone provide recent experience at Bryn Mawr for a straight stem major? Specifically asking because we live in Northampton, Mass and all women’s colleges such as Smith and Mt Holyoke have not been as welcoming to heterosexuals in the last decade or so.

Thanks for any help!

[Anonymous]

We preferred Haverford.

[Anonymous]

Anecdata, but a young women we're very close with goes there, and we've talked to her about Bryn Mawr quite a bit. She loves the place. She did not like Smith and MHC -- found the social vibe at those schools a little more hardened and intense. Her read is that Bryn Mawr is a little nerdier, but in a way that to her feels goofy and fun (sounds kind of Swat to me?). She takes classes at Haverford, and really has liked how easy that exchange is.

[Anonymous]

A friend’s daughter transferred out after Junior year — hated the school so much that she preferred to leave so close to graduation. She felt the school was toxic and the student body was closed minded. So much happier at another highly regarded LAC.

[Anonymous]

If Smith and Mt Holyoke are too gay for your daughter, Bryn Mawr will be too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Smith and Mt Holyoke are too gay for your daughter, Bryn Mawr will be too.

It’s a little different, because Haverford is so close…

[Anonymous]

We did a self tour in the spring. People were very friendly and willing to chat.

Some of the kids we spoke to though said the CS program was a “dumpster fire” so that ruled it out. Such a pretty campus though - could be very nice for humanities for someone seeking an all female college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A friend’s daughter transferred out after Junior year — hated the school so much that she preferred to leave so close to graduation. She felt the school was toxic and the student body was closed minded. So much happier at another highly regarded LAC.

^^ esp if Jewish. The pro-Palenstinan groups on campus are making life very difficult for Jewish students. Wanting to "educate" them about the right of the Palestinians, but not listening to anything about, or caring, about the state of Israel/the Jewish people. Many friendships ended over this currently, ruining for our child what was a great school, a great education, and great learning environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend’s daughter transferred out after Junior year — hated the school so much that she preferred to leave so close to graduation. She felt the school was toxic and the student body was closed minded. So much happier at another highly regarded LAC.

^^ esp if Jewish. The pro-Palenstinan groups on campus are making life very difficult for Jewish students. Wanting to "educate" them about the right of the Palestinians, but not listening to anything about, or caring, about the state of Israel/the Jewish people. Many friendships ended over this currently, ruining for our child what was a great school, a great education, and great learning environment.

I know a Jewish student there who said she’s just trying to graduate and get out as fast as she can. It’s really sad. Right now it’s not a good place to be if you don’t fit a very specific mold, and to fit that mold you have to either not be Jewish or be Jewish and not mind constantly having to prove that you’re a “good” anti-Zionist Jew.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Smith and Mt Holyoke are too gay for your daughter, Bryn Mawr will be too.

Helpful, thanks. And it’s not being “too gay” but rather open and aggressive hostility towards heterosexual students and their partners that we’ve witnessed at smith in particular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If Smith and Mt Holyoke are too gay for your daughter, Bryn Mawr will be too.

Helpful, thanks. And it’s not being “too gay” but rather open and aggressive hostility towards heterosexual students and their partners that we’ve witnessed at smith in particular.

That doesn't mesh with my experience but if you encountered it at Smith, the student body at BMC is pretty similar so you'd probably feel the same way about both schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If Smith and Mt Holyoke are too gay for your daughter, Bryn Mawr will be too.

Helpful, thanks. And it’s not being “too gay” but rather open and aggressive hostility towards heterosexual students and their partners that we’ve witnessed at smith in particular.

That doesn't mesh with my experience but if you encountered it at Smith, the student body at BMC is pretty similar so you'd probably feel the same way about both schools.

Which top women’s college, besides Spelman, doesn’t take an aggressive and hostile stance against heterosexuals? I’ll visit Bryn Mawr, Barnard, and Wellesley to see for myself, but I’m crossing any college off my daughters’ lists where I detect this type of atmosphere. Ugh!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend’s daughter transferred out after Junior year — hated the school so much that she preferred to leave so close to graduation. She felt the school was toxic and the student body was closed minded. So much happier at another highly regarded LAC.

^^ esp if Jewish. The pro-Palenstinan groups on campus are making life very difficult for Jewish students. Wanting to "educate" them about the right of the Palestinians, but not listening to anything about, or caring, about the state of Israel/the Jewish people. Many friendships ended over this currently, ruining for our child what was a great school, a great education, and great learning environment.

They were one of the schools that had a tent encampment in the spring.

[Anonymous]

The risks of there being an overwhelmingly toxic atmosphere for heteronormative students that find a little nuance in the world that may differ slightly from doctrinaire progressives just seems ridiculously high to me at this moment in time at many small liberal arts colleges, particularly in the Northeast. If you are not part of the hive mind, it will be miserable.

[Anonymous]

My DD was a recruited athlete at BMC. Ultimately she chose another school (for reasons having nothing to do with BMC but things offered at the other school). She visited several times, spent time with the team, on campus, etc. It's a fantastic school and has amazing outcomes for stem and pre-health paths (like med school). The exchange with Haverford, Swat, and PENN were a big draw for my DD. The campus is gorgeous and the girls easily, and regularly, head to Philly for fun.

My DD is also straight and lots of the girls there have BFs. Despite its rep on this board, no one marked her and tried to convert her to lesbian-ism. LOL. The school is welcoming to everyone.