Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 22:15     Subject: Bryn Mawr vs Kenyon
Oberlin
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 22:14     Subject: Bryn Mawr vs Kenyon
Anonymous wrote:Here's my advice. If she can get into Bryn Mawr, then she can likely get into Smith. We visited both, and Smith is so much more dynamic and well resourced. Bryn Mawr seemed faded and oddly overemphasizes it its relationship with Haverford (which seems far less invested in the relationship). I'd definitely visit Smith before doing ED. And while there, visit Mount Holyoke as well, which our DD and I also liked better than Bryn Mawr, and seemed like a great community.

Kenyon is a very good college and they definitely promote their writing program. But I've been there a lot over the past few years for another child's sports events, and Kenyon is truly in the middle of nowhere. It's a fairly nice campus with a great athletic center. But you truly can't believe how isolated it is until you drive there. I would also add that, despite some artsy writing students, the overall vibe feels more Midwestern umc subueban somewhat preppy.




Absolutely agree on Smith being more dynamic and offering more. But it is definitely a harder admit than Bryn Mawr.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 21:29     Subject: Bryn Mawr vs Kenyon
Fwiw, Jewish DS loves Kenyon. Strong Jewish community/Hillel. New Jewish President. No issues on that front whatsoever.

Yes in the middle of nowhere but that is more feature than bug. Access to anything you need within 10 mins in Mt Vernon and Columbus is less than an hour a way. One of the prettiest campuses in the U.S. Not for everyone but a gem of a college. Almost magical college experience.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 20:14     Subject: Bryn Mawr vs Kenyon
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If Jewish, skip Bryn Mawr. The pro-palestinian group on campus is very strong, and outright rejects anyone Jewish/Israeli. It is actively challenging on such a small campus and has been brutal for our Jewish child


Do they reject anyone Jewish/Israeli, or anyone who is Zionist? I suspect it's the latter.

Every college in America is Zionist.


+1
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 19:43     Subject: Bryn Mawr vs Kenyon
Anonymous wrote:DC at Haverford who has taking many classes at BMC. Consortium a huge benefit and proximity to Philly a plus. Plus the towns are walkable with restaurants and coffee shops. It really is a preference.

+1 I loved my time at Bryn Mawr.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 19:40     Subject: Re:Bryn Mawr vs Kenyon
Bryan Mayr easily to avoid being in the middle of nowhere.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 19:39     Subject: Bryn Mawr vs Kenyon
DC at Haverford who has taking many classes at BMC. Consortium a huge benefit and proximity to Philly a plus. Plus the towns are walkable with restaurants and coffee shops. It really is a preference.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 18:53     Subject: Bryn Mawr vs Kenyon
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Here's my advice. If she can get into Bryn Mawr, then she can likely get into Smith. We visited both, and Smith is so much more dynamic and well resourced. Bryn Mawr seemed faded and oddly overemphasizes it its relationship with Haverford (which seems far less invested in the relationship). I'd definitely visit Smith before doing ED. And while there, visit Mount Holyoke as well, which our DD and I also liked better than Bryn Mawr, and seemed like a great community.

Kenyon is a very good college and they definitely promote their writing program. But I've been there a lot over the past few years for another child's sports events, and Kenyon is truly in the middle of nowhere. It's a fairly nice campus with a great athletic center. But you truly can't believe how isolated it is until you drive there. I would also add that, despite some artsy writing students, the overall vibe feels more Midwestern umc subueban somewhat preppy.



I'm realizing I didn't answer the question. In head to head for a student very interested in writing, I'd take Kenyon over Bryn Mawr. Everything about Bryn Mawr seemed like time passed it by. And Kenyon's writing major is its signature program. I'm sure they'll make sure it stays excellent.

But if your DD likes women's colleges enough to consider ED at Bryn Mawr, I'd go with Smith, Mount Holyoke, Kenyon, and Bryn Mawr, in that order.


MHC graduate who took classes at Smith. Both have outstanding writing/English programs (also took a theatre-writing class at Amherst through the Five College Consortium). Considered Kenyon, but it just felt so removed and remote.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2025 15:28     Subject: Bryn Mawr vs Kenyon
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If Jewish, skip Bryn Mawr. The pro-palestinian group on campus is very strong, and outright rejects anyone Jewish/Israeli. It is actively challenging on such a small campus and has been brutal for our Jewish child


Do they reject anyone Jewish/Israeli, or anyone who is Zionist? I suspect it's the latter.


Anyone Jewish - they won't trust you, become your friend, or even talk to you. Our child is culturally Jewish, but isn't very active or observant. And she is actively shunned by a large chunk of the campus. It's nice that the President reacted quickly, but it hasn't made living at Bryn Mawr any easier


Again, this seems like quite the opposite of what I've seen living in this area.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2025 15:26     Subject: Bryn Mawr vs Kenyon
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If Jewish, skip Bryn Mawr. The pro-palestinian group on campus is very strong, and outright rejects anyone Jewish/Israeli. It is actively challenging on such a small campus and has been brutal for our Jewish child


Do they reject anyone Jewish/Israeli, or anyone who is Zionist? I suspect it's the latter.


Anyone Jewish - they won't trust you, become your friend, or even talk to you. Our child is culturally Jewish, but isn't very active or observant. And she is actively shunned by a large chunk of the campus. It's nice that the President reacted quickly, but it hasn't made living at Bryn Mawr any easier
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2025 12:18     Subject: Bryn Mawr vs Kenyon
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Bryn Mawr is more invested in the bi-co relationship? Could you expand on that?


My friend's son goes to Haverford. He has a girl friend at Bryn Mawr -- his second in two years -- and takes at least two classes per term there. From what he reports, that is common.

I imagine Bryn Mawr leans into the consortium during tours bc many potential students, even though attracted to an all-women's college atmosphere for some reasons, are reluctant to commit to single sex education. Tour guides like to present Bryn Mawr as the best of both worlds.



TBH the story about this kid is kinda creepy.

It’s creepy that a guy at Haverford has dated a couple of women at Bryn Mawr and taken classes there? When I was at BMC in the 90s that was very normal. Why do you find it creepy?

Reposted because replies are all messed up on this thread for some reason.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2025 12:17     Subject: Bryn Mawr vs Kenyon
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:



Bryn Mawr is more invested in the bi-co relationship? Could you expand on that?


My friend's son goes to Haverford. He has a girl friend at Bryn Mawr -- his second in two years -- and takes at least two classes per term there. From what he reports, that is common.

I imagine Bryn Mawr leans into the consortium during tours bc many potential students, even though attracted to an all-women's college atmosphere for some reasons, are reluctant to commit to single sex education. Tour guides like to present Bryn Mawr as the best of both worlds.



TBH the story about this kid is kinda creepy.

It’s creepy that a guy at Haverford has dated a couple of women at Bryn Mawr and taken classes there? When I was at BMC in the 90s that was very normal. Why do you find it creepy?
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2025 12:14     Subject: Bryn Mawr vs Kenyon
Anonymous wrote:If Jewish, skip Bryn Mawr. The pro-palestinian group on campus is very strong, and outright rejects anyone Jewish/Israeli. It is actively challenging on such a small campus and has been brutal for our Jewish child


+1
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2025 10:45     Subject: Bryn Mawr vs Kenyon
To say Kenyon is in the middle of nowhere is an understatement. It is literally surrounded by cornfields. There is no town whatsoever, just a small strip of college-owned and operated shops adjacent to campus. They do emphasize the location as something students have to be aware of when visiting. But until we saw it in person we didn’t realize the magnitude of the rural setting.

My daughter is at Smith but we visited most of the seven sisters and we were disappointed by BM. I’m sure it’s lovely as a student but it just didn’t seem to have much personality and the dorms were not good. Haverford was also on our list and we liked it but it is very small even for a SLAC. She is thriving at Smith.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2025 10:19     Subject: Bryn Mawr vs Kenyon
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:



Bryn Mawr is more invested in the bi-co relationship? Could you expand on that?


My friend's son goes to Haverford. He has a girl friend at Bryn Mawr -- his second in two years -- and takes at least two classes per term there. From what he reports, that is common.

I imagine Bryn Mawr leans into the consortium during tours bc many potential students, even though attracted to an all-women's college atmosphere for some reasons, are reluctant to commit to single sex education. Tour guides like to present Bryn Mawr as the best of both worlds.



TBH the story about this kid is kinda creepy.


Huh? Some majors (like some languages) are only at Bryn Mawr, and some are only at Haverford, and certain concentrations within majors, so students from either school can end up taking a lot of classes on the other campus depending on what they study. And a Haverford guy dating a Bryn Mawr woman is hardly "creepy"?