Any thoughts on Haverford?

[Anonymous]

In our summer touring, we recently toured this school. Yes it is small and it is liberal arts (what DD has interest in). Very quaint and very beautiful campus. But DH and myself came away with a bit of "empty" feeling. Possibly that's not fair. The school seems as if its very good but for $60,000? Seems like an Ivy League tuition and can it worth that?

Anyone have thoughts or experiences with the school?

[Anonymous]

All small liberal arts schools, regardless of quality, cost roughly the same.

Haverford is a top 10 school, undoubtedly liberal, but beautiful and tiny.

[Anonymous]

Very good school, but not as good as Bryn Mawr.

- a Bryn Mawr alum

Seriously, I personally prefer Swarthmore over Haverford, having taken classes at both. But it's definitely a great school.

[Anonymous]

What does your daughter think? She will get a good education there, but for $60,000, I would want my kid to be more enthusiastic than "Yeah, I guess this is fine."

I went to Haverford and have friends who went to Swarthmore. The Swarthmore students I know say they appreciate what a good education it gave them, but they don't seem to have particularly warm feelings for it. However, that's not a statistically valid sample size.

[Anonymous]

Anassa kata kalo kale!

[Anonymous]

Just visited Haverford. I thought the campus was pretty (it's an arboretum), but some of the buildings (library, dining hall, apartments) are butt-ugly. It's a very quiet campus, an oasis of calm in a densely populated suburban area close to Philly.

The school has a stellar reputation academically, but it didn't feel very warm or welcoming to me. It's a very small school -- 1200 students -- and it's very selective and academically intense. I know kids from my DD's school who have gone there and liked it. They are very smart, studious kids who would never go to a party school.

I would not go there, but that's me. It felt cold for some reason. Both the admissions office and the tour guide were sort of standoffish -- just a subjective feeling, and the info session was boring and rambling, almost designed to turn off applicants, not sell the school. I got the feeling that they have so many applicants that there is no need to sell the school, so they just don't bother.

OTOH, I think DD would be very well suited to Haverford, so I'm trying not to think too negatively about it. She's quiet and studious, not a partier, very interested in interdisciplinary stuff, loves collaboration, hates competition, all of which Haverford stresses.

The food choices are dismal, which won't matter to some, but to DD, who has allergies, there was almost nothing she could eat in the dining hall or the cafe place in the student center.

Wonderful sports facilities. Varsity cricket team!

DD wants to apply and is excited about it. Me, not so much. Just my .02 cents.

[Anonymous]

Bryn mawr is known for its food...just sayin'

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just visited Haverford. I thought the campus was pretty (it's an arboretum), but some of the buildings (library, dining hall, apartments) are butt-ugly. It's a very quiet campus, an oasis of calm in a densely populated suburban area close to Philly.

The school has a stellar reputation academically, but it didn't feel very warm or welcoming to me. It's a very small school -- 1200 students -- and it's very selective and academically intense. I know kids from my DD's school who have gone there and liked it. They are very smart, studious kids who would never go to a party school.

I would not go there, but that's me. It felt cold for some reason. Both the admissions office and the tour guide were sort of standoffish -- just a subjective feeling, and the info session was boring and rambling, almost designed to turn off applicants, not sell the school. I got the feeling that they have so many applicants that there is no need to sell the school, so they just don't bother.

OTOH, I think DD would be very well suited to Haverford, so I'm trying not to think too negatively about it. She's quiet and studious, not a partier, very interested in interdisciplinary stuff, loves collaboration, hates competition, all of which Haverford stresses.

The food choices are dismal, which won't matter to some, but to DD, who has allergies, there was almost nothing she could eat in the dining hall or the cafe place in the student center.

Wonderful sports facilities. Varsity cricket team!

DD wants to apply and is excited about it. Me, not so much. Just my .02 cents.

Haverford's cross-country program and coach are legendary. The team is always a contender for D3 national honors and won the championship a few years back -- quite a feat for a tiny school with high academic standards.

[Anonymous]

I can't get past the $60000 or whatever a year cost....

[Anonymous]

I know two Swarthmore alum well, both loved the place.

I know two current Haverford students. One just started, haven't gotten a report. The second is entering sophomore year and everyone loves it, student and family.

OP, either don't apply or apply and see where the acceptance cards fall.

[Anonymous]

They are all "Ivy League tuitions" whatever tha means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just visited Haverford. I thought the campus was pretty (it's an arboretum), but some of the buildings (library, dining hall, apartments) are butt-ugly. It's a very quiet campus, an oasis of calm in a densely populated suburban area close to Philly.

The school has a stellar reputation academically, but it didn't feel very warm or welcoming to me. It's a very small school -- 1200 students -- and it's very selective and academically intense. I know kids from my DD's school who have gone there and liked it. They are very smart, studious kids who would never go to a party school.

I would not go there, but that's me. It felt cold for some reason. Both the admissions office and the tour guide were sort of standoffish -- just a subjective feeling, and the info session was boring and rambling, almost designed to turn off applicants, not sell the school. I got the feeling that they have so many applicants that there is no need to sell the school, so they just don't bother.

OTOH, I think DD would be very well suited to Haverford, so I'm trying not to think too negatively about it. She's quiet and studious, not a partier, very interested in interdisciplinary stuff, loves collaboration, hates competition, all of which Haverford stresses.

The food choices are dismal, which won't matter to some, but to DD, who has allergies, there was almost nothing she could eat in the dining hall or the cafe place in the student center.

Wonderful sports facilities. Varsity cricket team!

DD wants to apply and is excited about it. Me, not so much. Just my .02 cents.

This post is very consistent with how we felt on our visit as well. School definitely has its pluses....but negatives.....seem to outweigh....I won't touch the comments on the $60000 tuition...one said an "ivy League" tuition....hmmm.....?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't get past the $60000 or whatever a year cost....

all the SLACs are 60K - $65 K, including my own which is definitely not worth $65K + travel costs.