Haverford v Swarthmore

[Anonymous]

People weighed this choice...in 1983.

[Anonymous]

When we visited haverford my son said “this looks and feels like a boarding school” That may Be perfect for some kids but it is definitely the vibe. The academic course catalog wasn’t very deep.

[Anonymous]

People keep saying that Swarthmore was too intense so I'm wondering what that means exactly and how you were able to tell it wasn't a fit for your child. My daughter is talking to one of the coaches about playing a sport there and she is already used to an intense academic schedule (think "Big 3") and seems ok with that. I don't want her having a terrible college experience though so I'm trying to look for clues about what makes something too intense vs intense in a good way. I love that the first semester at Swarthmore is pass/fail and I feel like that's a nod to them trying to give students a chance to adjust and make things not as intense. And the players on the team all seem pretty well adjusted and just as diverse and somewhat nerdy as she is. Am I missing something?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When we visited haverford my son said “this looks and feels like a boarding school” That may Be perfect for some kids but it is definitely the vibe. The academic course catalog wasn’t very deep.

How does it “look” like a boarding school?

[Anonymous]

Aren’t they basically the same school for most Americans. They either don’t know schools apart from the big state and football schools in which case they’ve never heard of either, or they know good liberal arts schools and they lump them together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we visited haverford my son said “this looks and feels like a boarding school” That may Be perfect for some kids but it is definitely the vibe. The academic course catalog wasn’t very deep.

How does it “look” like a boarding school?

Low slung brick buildings on a very compact campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we visited haverford my son said “this looks and feels like a boarding school” That may Be perfect for some kids but it is definitely the vibe. The academic course catalog wasn’t very deep.

How does it “look” like a boarding school?

Low slung brick buildings on a very compact campus.

Mm, yes. That is extremely boarding school-esque.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People keep saying that Swarthmore was too intense so I'm wondering what that means exactly and how you were able to tell it wasn't a fit for your child. My daughter is talking to one of the coaches about playing a sport there and she is already used to an intense academic schedule (think "Big 3") and seems ok with that. I don't want her having a terrible college experience though so I'm trying to look for clues about what makes something too intense vs intense in a good way. I love that the first semester at Swarthmore is pass/fail and I feel like that's a nod to them trying to give students a chance to adjust and make things not as intense. And the players on the team all seem pretty well adjusted and just as diverse and somewhat nerdy as she is. Am I missing something?

My DS attends Swarthmore and will graduate next spring. It’s the perfect place for the right person. If you like to study and have personal interaction with your professors it’s great. If you want to have “big college experience with Greek life” not happening at Swarthmore. The teachers will try to help you in any possible way and especially if you want to do independent research. Really a help if you are thinking of grad school also. Profs very loyal to their students. But it is definitely a place for someone committed to academics.

[Anonymous]

My DS graduated from Swarthmore and was an athlete all 4 years. He would describe the school as intense, but not cut throat. No one talked about grades. Small class sizes and professors know their students. My DS's Dean approached me on graduation day to discuss his attributes. The campus sits on 425 acres and is a suburban setting and quite beautiful.

It was a good fit for my kid. This small setting provided a opportunity for him to gain some leadership experience from Captain of his sport team to RA to student led advisory board. As a sidenote, he was also accepted to a highly ranked NESCAC, but he preferred Swarthmore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we visited haverford my son said “this looks and feels like a boarding school” That may Be perfect for some kids but it is definitely the vibe. The academic course catalog wasn’t very deep.

How does it “look” like a boarding school?

Low slung brick buildings on a very compact campus.

Hmm, Haverford's buildings are largely stone and very old Quaker looking. There are two new dorms that are more modern dark brick. Perhaps you are confusing it with a different campus?

[Anonymous]

Found most kids at Swarthmore LOVE to study... ie studious self driven - and are just fine being intense around others who are intense. - lots go to law school or academia. Most everyone I know who has gone to Haverford is a little quirky. Just saying. And most get restless from the small size by the end of time there. And many go to law school and academia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS graduated from Swarthmore and was an athlete all 4 years. He would describe the school as intense, but not cut throat. No one talked about grades. Small class sizes and professors know their students. My DS's Dean approached me on graduation day to discuss his attributes. The campus sits on 425 acres and is a suburban setting and quite beautiful.

It was a good fit for my kid. This small setting provided a opportunity for him to gain some leadership experience from Captain of his sport team to RA to student led advisory board. As a sidenote, he was also accepted to a highly ranked NESCAC, but he preferred Swarthmore.

Thanks, this is helpful. My DD is the type to love spending time outside of class talking to teachers and discussing academics with classmates so this is pretty normal for her. She doesn’t want Greek life but she does want to play her sport for four more years. Thanks for sharing.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I went to Haverford years ago. Full disclosure: I transferred to an Ivy. Haverford demonstrated a boarding school level of academics. Swarthmore was a considerably more serious place.

Another transfer to Ivy from a comparable college to Haverford and can agree with you. Many of the LACs are good but function more like boarding schools for sheltered kids. Great academics as you do find at the top boarding schools, but the Ivy was just a different level. More exposure to more diversity of backgrounds and interests and classroom discussions were much more interesting.

We live in Philadelphia and my observation on Haverford and Swarthmore is the latter is academically more demanding and the kids are geeky. The non geeky kids at that level go to either Ivy or Amherst/Williams.

Haverford students are the more normal, nice and gentle kids. They're not the popular ones in high school but still get invited to the parties.

I'm glad your exposure to more diversity resulted in such an open-minded and compassionate view of others.

Some kids are geeky. Some kids are athletic. Some kids are preppy. Some kids are artsy. Some kids are outgoing. Some kids are shy and retiring. Some kids are just normal because they're a bit of all of it. And colleges absolutely can take on personalities from their dominant cliques that are attracted to the college. Especially smaller LACs.

So the others are by definition abnormal. Got it.

You're the one who's turning geeky into abnormal.

It's what it is. Trying to pretend there aren't geeky kids is silly.

You used the word normal. Anyone not in that category is abnormal. You went to Haverford? You seem slow.

I am not that poster, but for goodness sake, go away. You are picking apart every word and ruining an otherwise helpful discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Haverford years ago. Full disclosure: I transferred to an Ivy. Haverford demonstrated a boarding school level of academics. Swarthmore was a considerably more serious place.

Another transfer to Ivy from a comparable college to Haverford and can agree with you. Many of the LACs are good but function more like boarding schools for sheltered kids. Great academics as you do find at the top boarding schools, but the Ivy was just a different level. More exposure to more diversity of backgrounds and interests and classroom discussions were much more interesting.

We live in Philadelphia and my observation on Haverford and Swarthmore is the latter is academically more demanding and the kids are geeky. The non geeky kids at that level go to either Ivy or Amherst/Williams.

Haverford students are the more normal, nice and gentle kids. They're not the popular ones in high school but still get invited to the parties.

I'm glad your exposure to more diversity resulted in such an open-minded and compassionate view of others.

Some kids are geeky. Some kids are athletic. Some kids are preppy. Some kids are artsy. Some kids are outgoing. Some kids are shy and retiring. Some kids are just normal because they're a bit of all of it. And colleges absolutely can take on personalities from their dominant cliques that are attracted to the college. Especially smaller LACs.

So the others are by definition abnormal. Got it.

You're the one who's turning geeky into abnormal.

It's what it is. Trying to pretend there aren't geeky kids is silly.

You used the word normal. Anyone not in that category is abnormal. You went to Haverford? You seem slow.

I am not that poster, but for goodness sake, go away. You are picking apart every word and ruining an otherwise helpful discussion.

I disagree. Poster made a good point. Neither Swarthmore nor Haverford have more or less “normal” kids and it does imply that the remainder are something not normal. It was a stupid comment. Honestly the kids going to these two schools are more alike than different. They are all extremely smart and hard-working. Environment at Swarthmore is allegedly more intense (and having an engineering major is undoubtedly part of that) and I’ve heard it enough to think it likely. But don’t think for a second the Haverford kids aren’t serious grinders who work their a$$es off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Haverford years ago. Full disclosure: I transferred to an Ivy. Haverford demonstrated a boarding school level of academics. Swarthmore was a considerably more serious place.

Another transfer to Ivy from a comparable college to Haverford and can agree with you. Many of the LACs are good but function more like boarding schools for sheltered kids. Great academics as you do find at the top boarding schools, but the Ivy was just a different level. More exposure to more diversity of backgrounds and interests and classroom discussions were much more interesting.

We live in Philadelphia and my observation on Haverford and Swarthmore is the latter is academically more demanding and the kids are geeky. The non geeky kids at that level go to either Ivy or Amherst/Williams.

Haverford students are the more normal, nice and gentle kids. They're not the popular ones in high school but still get invited to the parties.

I'm glad your exposure to more diversity resulted in such an open-minded and compassionate view of others.

Some kids are geeky. Some kids are athletic. Some kids are preppy. Some kids are artsy. Some kids are outgoing. Some kids are shy and retiring. Some kids are just normal because they're a bit of all of it. And colleges absolutely can take on personalities from their dominant cliques that are attracted to the college. Especially smaller LACs.

So the others are by definition abnormal. Got it.

You're the one who's turning geeky into abnormal.

It's what it is. Trying to pretend there aren't geeky kids is silly.

You used the word normal. Anyone not in that category is abnormal. You went to Haverford? You seem slow.

This is why the poster is over the top and argumentative. Just uncalled for.