Bryn Mawr: The Big Picture
After two years, Bryn Mawr has me entirely torn. On one hand, I feel that the academics are challenging and rewarding, and that I have had the opportunity to meet a number of bright, dynamic, interesting people in my peer group. However, I dislike the competitive nature of the school (Despite whatever the literature says about our honor code, etc eliminating competition, it seems like everyone is pushing for the best grade, and even to seem as if they are under the most pressure), and I have found that a great number of my peers, while highly intelligent and good-natured, are rather immature and closed-minded. The social opportunities are also lacking; I've often told friends at home that I feel that I am not having the normal college experience, and I mean that in a negative sense.
Bryn Mawr Academic Life
There are many excellent, eccentric professors, and many fall all over themselves to be available whenever we need/want them. I feel that I have been able to explore all of my areas of interest (Though many of my friends in the sciences do not feel this way). The academics are definitely geared more toward learning for its own sake; almost everyone I know seems to want to go to grad school right after they finish here, and many of them want to eventually go into academia as a career. Though I really believe that learning for its own sake is very valuable, I have found that it is not really the right atmosphere for someone who does not want to stay within academia for an extended period.
Bryn Mawr's Student Body
For a school with such an emphasis on diversity, we are not all that diverse. There is a bit of latent racism that has reared its extremely ugly head in the last couple of years. The LGBT community is very vocal and active, but can be less than welcoming to those who do not consider themselves part of that community. I have heard that it is difficult to be religious on campus. Most of the students seem to be from the east coast of the US, though there are a large number who come from elsewhere. Also, most of the students seem to be from mid-to-upper middle class and wealthy backgrounds, which can be very strange for students from other backgrounds (My family is very mid-middle class, and the majority of my friends from my hometown are lower-middle class and working-class; it's weird to be with people who can afford to order-in food most nights of the week, for example).
Bryn Mawr Student Activities + Social Life
There are not a lot of parties on campus. Philadelphia is right here, but many people do not take advantage of it. Haverford offers free concerts to Haverford and Bryn Mawr students, which are excellent and draw some big names. As for the dating scene: Dating is pretty normal for my friends who are interested in women. However, I've found that a majority of my friends who are interested in men simply do not want to date. I am a woman interested in men (and dating), and I've found it nearly impossible to meet men. There are just too few within the tri-co (Bryn Mawr/Haverford/Swarthmore). Frankly, it sucks.
Bryn Mawr Naked Truth
The atmosphere of the school tends to coddle people; I do not feel that I've met many people who are really growing up here (In other words, I know a lot of girls, but not many women). I've found a small group of very interesting, wonderful people, and the academics are, by and large, excellent; these are the only things that have kept me from transferring. This seems to be a common sentiment here, actually, despite the reports I keep hearing of people professing their overwhelming adoration for the school.
