Brandeis is a school largely defined by its position as the
only secular Jewish-sponsored university in the United States. Still, a
sophomore writes, “A lot of people ask me if I find it difficult being a Christian in a Jewish University. Absolutely not! It is such a gift to be surrounded by peers with such a deeply rich culture. I have learned so much about the Jewish faith and the Jewish people, a college experience that I would have missed out on otherwise.” And while Brandeis may be more Jewish than
other universities, students frequently comment on the range of attitudes that
the students take towards Judaism. A nice aspect about Brandeis is that you get to learn the different Jewishnesses: religious, ethnic, identity, etc.” writes a graduating senior. Hillel is the largest student group on
campus, but that doesn’t mean a Brandesian will feel out of place if he or she
doesn’t want to get involved in it.
Brandeis has an extremely liberal and tolerant student body,
and very few students report feeling unwelcome. A history major writes, “People are incredibly tolerant here. As a gay student, I feel more at home here than I probably ever will in the ‘real’ world.” There is less diversity, however, when it
comes to socio-economic status and race. The average Brandeis student is a middle-class Conservative Jew from New York or New Jersey,” writes one senior. “He or she loves Andrew Lloyd Webber, thinks
'Garden State' is a great movie, and has been on Birthright. As such there's not a whole lot of racial or
ethnic diversity, and it can be especially difficult for the small African-American
and Arab contingents.” Brandeis students are also by and large
politically engaged, and they pride themselves on being so, which has led to
clashes with the administration in recent years. “But the activism and passion of Brandeis students is part of what makes Brandeis... well Brandeis,” writes a sophomore
majoring in history. “In the 1960s we were known for student activism and that spirit continues to live on.” Outside of politics and activism, students
are generally laid-back. A junior,
studying history, says, “I find the campus here to be so down-to-earth and unpretentious that I dread going into the real world.”
Academically, students tend to be high achievers but not
especially competitive. Writes one
English major, “I don't think students are competitive with one another but most have high standards for themselves.” Academics are something that Brandeis does very well. With just over 3,000 undergraduate and 2,000
graduate students, it offers the breadth and benefits of a research university
while keeping classes small and offering a liberal arts style education. “So far I have managed to avoid taking class with more than thirty-five students in them, and I would say that 2/3 of my teachers knew my name within the first week,” writes a freshman studying
sociology. Students also speak very highly of Brandeis professors. Indeed, a junior music major writes, “My Near-Eastern and Judaic Studies professor is coming to my musical, and the next week he's making sushi for a resident hall event.”
Outside of class, students are very active with extracurricular
activities available to them. At night and on the weekends, partying happens,
but not as much as at some schools, and it is generally done with fellow dorm
residents or club members. Greek life is
present at Brandeis, but underground, as it is not allowed by the
university. “The sororities do not have houses so they don't really add anything to the social life here,” writes one
freshman. Still, Brandeis students find plenty of ways
to kick back and have a good time. A
sophomore majoring in Russian studies has the following : “Between club activities, school sponsored events, and personally thrown parties, there are enough things to do in a given weekend that generally you have to prioritize, and sometimes do a ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ thing (with the changing in the bathroom stalls) to be everywhere you want to be.”
Students can also go off-campus into Waltham (where Brandeis
is located), or to Boston, which is a short bus ride away. “I really like Waltham...lots of interesting stores on Moody St and around the town. It's also moderately flat and good to run around!” writes a freshman pre-med. A sophomore comments, “There are many good restaurants, though if you're looking for shopping or entertainment it would be best to go to Boston or Cambridge.”
Some common complaints about Brandeis are the tuition, the
food, the ongoing construction, and the fact that “The campus is kind of ugly.” “We really need to repave, redesign, and spruce up the campus,” writes one sophomore. Overall, though, students are vocal about how
many great experiences they’ve had at the school. “The best day I have had a Brandeis was last spring during Springfest,” writes a sophomore studying biology. “The Great Lawn had music playing all day, I went to play ultimate with some friends in the sun, I had a picnic dinner at the top of the castle, went to the culture x show later that evening. I finished the evening with a party with the ultimate team.”
