Brandeis University Top Questions

"What kind of student would feel out of place at Brandeis?" Some people feel out of place geographically, but everyone finds their niche socially. There are so many clubs or activities and events and different types of people that there's a place for everyone. At the same time, not even an antisocial person would feel out of place at Brandeis - you'd kinda just end up finding one other person that's perfect for you to hang out with and stick with them. People who would be most uncomfortable here I guess are ones that don't like hearing controversial opinions vocalized - Brandeis does have its opposing groups and occasional drama.

We have way more Jewish kids than anything else religiously, lots of LGBT kids, mostly white, mostly middle/upper class, very left wing and politically aware. Right wing kids, conservative Christians, might be a little left out. Jewish holidays are more recognized that Christian- we didn't have Easter Monday off, but we get off for Yom Tov Sukkot/Simchat Torah. Works for me, not for my Christian friends. Money we'll earn one day is only discussed in terms of the boxes we will live in after we graduate. And we mean literal cardboard boxes.

Brandeis students clump: this group, that group, no interaction. I'd like to think that it's better here than at most schools, but people are just very comfortable in their own bubbles. I've never seen anyone be out and out mean to anyone else, and any type of hurtful racial/religious/LBGT comment or discrimination is unheard of. I think the only type of student that might feel out of place would be one who held opinions of intolerance. I also feel for conservatives and christians: they are underrepresented here, but aren't necessarily left out of the student body. That's not to say that there is no interactions among groups- there is, just not enough in my opinion. People are generally upper-middle class, and either very politically aware or deliberately indifferent. Most groups or clicks are undefinable through just a description. The real truth is that people just like sticking close to their friends.

Nobody would feel out of place at Brandeis, kids wear anything, you've got everything here, and different types of students definitely do interact. The only 'tables' of students in the dining hall is where one fraternity sits, and ehh, not even really - other kids sit there a lot. Mostly upper-class students from New England, students are not politically aware, but anyone who is at all will be a huge lefty. Students do not talk about how much they will earn one day.

Probably the racial minority feel out of place. I know in one class, a black girl said it was really hard to meet other people outside of the group because of unconcious racism. Most students wear regular clothes to class.

Jewish, predominantly. Lots of artsy types, and not a lot of jocks. Not a huge LGBT contingent, but definitely there, and well-liked and supported on campus. I think the only students who would feel out of place at Brandeis are the ones who spend all their time trying to fit in. A lot of students are very politically active, staging protests and making noise. Very left-leaning campus, but a few high-profile republicans, as well.

Most students are from the Northeast. Some have a sense of entitlement but most are pretty down to earth. Almost all of our students are the activist types, they care about our world and want to make a difference.

Brandeis is very centered on social justice. Student groups that work for everything from environmental sustainability to ending global poverty are constantly in action doing all kinds of cool events.

Brandeis can only be described as super liberal, sometimes to the point of irritation. If you love dead baby and racist jokes, you might want to keep your voice down here. Not that people will automatically hush you, but that type of stuff just doesn't fly here (see above about campus controversy). With that said, Brandeis excepts EVERYBODY, no matter what race, gender, or whatever. I even have a friend who was in my all-male a cappella group who quit, became a woman, and is now pushing the administration for gender neutral housing successfully. That's awesome. Nonetheless, there is some class and racial tension. Brandeis is predominantly white, and sometimes social groups arrange themselves according to ethnic lines. I don't think it's really a racism issue, just the fact that people become close with others who have shared experiences. Who would feel out of place: A complete party person who doesn't care at all about academics. Someone who has never met a jewish person. Perhaps some ethnic and racial minorities (keep in mind this is coming from the perspective of an upper-middle class white jewish male. This no doubt skews the perspective). What people wear: Anything. Not an issue at all, although punk and emo styles are a little under represented. It's mostly typical college stuff (sweatshirts and sweatpants, jeans, t-shirts) with a little conservative edge (button up shirts, slacks). One nice thing is that it is DEFINITELY NOT PREPPY. I am so happy everyday I don't see a pink polo or a popped color or argile sweater vests. That's probably what irritated me the most about Duke. One last thing: It's cold, so heavy jackets are a must. Do different types of students interact: Wow, that's a huge question. I could write an essay about social interaction among different groups (as a brandeis student might). All I can really say is I have friends who are loud, video game players, friends who are fraternity brothers, friends who are musicians, and friends who know more about world of warcraft and fantasy than their classwork. Sure there are different groups that have varying degrees of overlap, but in general I have no problem crossing the bridges between them. Nonetheless, I find certain group more comfortable than others. 4 tables of students: 1) The close friends: always eat together, maybe even arranged their schedule so they could get lunch. It's awkward if you don't know them really well and you try to sit with them, because you are not a part of their little world. Often included fraternity bros, although they can be really receptive to new people chilling with them. 2) Loose friends and second-degree friends: You just came in to grab something to eat before recitation, and you don't want to eat alone. You spot that person you know pretty well from you on-campus job and their sitting with someone you kind of recognize from Bio. You decide to sit with them. Repeat 4 or 5 times with different people, and you end up with a table of loose friends. This has potential to be awkward, but more often then you would think you end up meeting cool people. Just remember to say hi next time you see them, or there might be some awkward eye contact every time you pass them on the way to class. 3)In our kosher dining hall, you'll walk in during the dinner hours and see tons of well-dressed, modest looking folks in kipas (skull caps for you goyim). We're the only school with an integrated kosher eatery, so in theory non-kosher and kosher students should be able to eat together. What actually happens (for the most part) is the conservative jews sit with their conservative friends, and except for a few exceptions, that's that. It's an insular society and unless your a part of it, don't expect to sit down there. Not that you're missing much if that's not your thing. 4) Lonely person. Either someone doing work who doesn't want to be deserved, or someone from category 2 who couldn't fins someone to sit with. It sucks to eat alone, so if you find that none of your friends are eating at the same time as you, just grab your meal to-go and go do something else. Just don't make a habit out of this. Eating meals socially is one of the most important parts of having fun and being successful in college. Where are most students from: Geographically, the east cost, predominantly NY, NJ, MA, FA. Some from midwest, and a fair amount from california. Internationals are mostly from Turkey, with a good representation of many cultures. Student financial backgrounds: middle to upper-middle class. One of the most common stories at brandeis goes like this: I got into *name of fantastic school* but Brandeis gave me a scholarship, so I didn't have much of a choice. One of Brandeis' priorities is making is financially possible for students to get a world class education without going broke. It's a good policy, and it keeps interesting and intelligent people coming. Students are extremely politically aware and socially active. Having just entered the realm of philanthropy by starting my own NGO, I cannot praise brandeis for offering more support and help. It must be noted that this help came from other students, not the admins. The drive for social activism is 99{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} students. We were 3rd place in the university ONE campaign. We try to live up to the motto and legacy of Justice Brandeis: "Truth, even unto its innermost parts." If you want to do social activism and you are self-motivated, brandeis is for you. Brandeis students are SUPER LIBERAL. it's a little sugary and restrictive. Conservatives, be ready to be berated for some policy or something the republican party came up with. Still, most people are respectful.

Unambitious and lazy people will not have a great time at Brandeis. True, my first-year roommate was a bum, but when we were both excited about things, we really made them happen (...notpron...). The student body here is so involved and so dedicated to various interests that if you come here with a desire to party or sit around all the time, you'll miss out on the real Brandeis experience. Be prepared to try new things, and if you're not prepared, you'll just get pushed into them. There is a lot of quirk in the student body, but there still are cliques just like high school. You can never eliminate that, but to Brandeis' credit, the cliques are fluid and interact positively with each other. You will have a first-year hall with people of all ranges, but you will most likely get along with all of them and realize that you span multiple cliques, just like everyone else. The connotation of "clique" is usually negative, but at Brandeis, it means that you can always find a niche for yourself, and you're never stuck in that niche. There are a lot of Jews, which can be frustrating at times, but it's so much more fun to adapt to Jewish difficulties (Friday night and Saturday sabbath, religious holidays) than to deal with the more typical Christian difficulties. Whatever school you go to, there will be religious challenges, but Brandeis is unique in that the challenges here involve Jewish traditions, which is different than a lot of other places.

The campus isn't very diverse, and because of that, the students tend to be a little segregated. Once the campus grows and people don't feel outnumbered, I'm sure that'll disappear, because the students here are very inclusive in general. There are so many students from Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey. It also seems like there are a lot of high income families present, which makes me furious when I see how stingy Brandeis is with financial aid. The students are generally liberal.

Brandeis is less diverse than some colleges, but probably way more diverse than most high schools. It is extremely supportive minorities of any kind, racial, ethnic, religious, or sexual-orientation. Some non-Jewish students feel odd at first since there is such a strong Jewish presence. However, I haven't heard of anyone who truly felt like they were excluded or singled out. Most students wear casual clothes, jeans, T shirt, etc. Most people make some attempt to look presentable for class, but fashion is generally not a focus. All different students interact, there are no boundaries. We're generally not cliquey. Most Brandeis students are from NY or MA, or New England. Many Israeli students. Mostly well-off financially, but probably not loaded with cash. People try to be politically informed, but sometimes you get so busy you don't have time to keep up with the news. Predominantly left, though generally not radical.

Yeah, we're rich white Jews. Gay ones. Okay duh not everyone is gay. It's very accepting of LGBT students- they're the fun clubs! I have heard that it's more difficult for kids who are not in the majority. But you know what... go somewhere else. I'm sorry that you are a minority here, this is the ONLY place we get to be a majority, and I am not sorry for taking advantage of that. And if you don't like it you can go to any of the other 1 bazillion schools in the country where Jews are not the majority. Get bent. Fashion at Brandeis is mostly non-existant. Wear your sweats to class, whatev. Or if you're feelin it today, dress up, no one will glare at you either way. Most Brandeis students are from Mass, New York, New Jersey, and then statistically its California although I think it's way way more southern california (I am form northern, so I can tell :) ) I would say the next biggest demographic is Turkey. jk. Theyre everywhere though. Financial backgrounds: I had never met so many people from private schools before in my life. On the other hand Brandeis notoriously gives out lots and lots of money in scholarships. Predominately very liberal. No, students do not talk about how much they will earn. It's a small demographic that is studying things that will make money- sciences and economics. One of my friends is writing his thesis on Ultimate Frisbee. Don't know where he is going in life. The school is all baout Social Justice, not cash.

1) If you are not Jewish, you will feel out of place at Brandeis. I think that the official statistic is that something like 45{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of Brandeis is Jewish, but I think this is an understatement because it only includes those students who choose to identify themselves as Jewish before arrival. Many other students become much more active once they get here, or at least after they go on Birthright. If you don't know what kippot or mezuzot are and aren't familiar with the words pareve, yeshiva, Beit Midrash, or kashrut, you will be if you go to Brandeis. There is also nowhere to get food after 7:00 on Fridays. 2) Brandeis has a reputation for being a very liberal and socially aware and active school. It's not. Many students take part in lots of clubs, but outside of these activities, they generally have no idea what is going on in the world and don't take much pleasure in intellectual conversation. That being said, students still participate in class, but it's an entirely different persona from their after-class persona.

Brandeis is definitely not as politically active as it used to be, but some groups on campus are trying to bring it back to the way it was in the glory days.

There are a lot of diverse groups on campus but they tend to stick to themselves, whether it is a racial, religious, or other niche. Especially religious. There are a handful of inner-city students who are thrown into a school full of upper class jews from NY and Mass, and that tends to make for a hard adjustment. A lot of students are open minded and 'cross over' but they are far out numbered by those who are too ignorant. Students dress well during the 2 weeks its actually warm, but this is Boston, and its cold and rainy ALL THE TIME so most of the time students are just wearing jeans, uggs, sweatshirts. Most students are from Massachusets, New York, New Jersey, etc. California well represented. There are also a lot of opportunities for international students to attend, and they tend to be from Israel or Turkey I think. Most students come from a wealthy financial background, but there are a lot of scholarships available so wide representation. Targeted prospective students tend to be well-off. Students are very politically aware, or at least want people to think they are. Tons of activism on campus. Very social-justicey. Very predominantly left-winged. Students talk a little bit about future earning, but it's not a huge discussion.

Culturally, Brandeis is actually quite a diverse place. There are many different ethnic groups besides Jews, and the student groups representing them are extremely active in promoting their cultures and providing entertainment as well as good food. Culture clubs represent just about every possible ethnic group and have quite large followings. It would be very hard for students to feel culturally out of place. Religiously, Brandeis is far more homogeneous. While the Brandeis Humanists have a sizable following and the Christian groups also exist, Judaism is no doubt the strongest religion on campus, even if it's believers are only a plurality. The number of kippahs and Stars of David can attest to this fact. However, this does not mean that there isn't absolute freedom of religion here as well. Judaism is strong here, but Gentiles aren't bothered by it at all. Geographically, the majority of students at Brandeis come from the Northeast. Residents of New England, New York, and New Jersey form the majority of people here. Even so, there are many Californians and other Westerners, as well as people from the Southeast. The international presence here is also noticeable, with rather large groups of students coming from France, China, Turkey, Israel, and many other countries around the world. Regardless, students from various places mix very well. Financially, Brandeis has also a diverse mix. While I have friends who already own really nice cars and have no problem paying for school and other expenses, there are just as many who must pay their own way and have little extra spending money. Most students here come from middle class backgrounds, and must pay at least part of their tuition and spending. Politically, Brandeis is quite leftist. The few Republicans here and there tend to have their ideas shunned and ignored by the liberal majority. While radical hippies are also rare, the mainstream opinion makes groups like the Democrats and Democracy For America very strong. Activist groups are always enthusiastic, as almost all students have some sort of political opinions. One will never find the political environment at Brandeis to be lacking.

i hear way more about Judaism then sometimes i would like to. I think a student that is not open-minded would feel out of place. Students are generally pretty casual on what they wear to class, jeans, a t-shirt and some sort of fleece jacket is the average outfit. In the dining hall there are four tables the one closest to the check out has a group of former varsity soccer players and current basketball players the one near the wall has zbt boys and their affiliated girls the one near the entrance has international students the other one has a conglomerate of kids that are generally being pretty goofy

There is no type of student who would feel out of place at Brandeis. People think of Brandeis as being super-Jewish, but it's easy to forget that. There are plenty of students who practice other religions. There are plenty of resources and clubs for people in the LGBT community (such as the QRC, and Triskelion), and different racial and ethnic communities (AHORA, SASA, KSA, BSO, JSA, etc.). Students dress fairly casual for class. Some wear pajamas and sweatpants, others wear heels and mini-skirts. But the average student wears jeans and t-shirts. Students do tend to group off. In the dining hall, there would be a frat table, an international students table, a dorky table, and a table of "average" white, middle class students. There are a lot of people from the Northeast (New England, NJ, and NY). It is very hard to say what financial background people have. It's rarely discussed or flaunted. Students are very politically aware, generally left-wing/liberal democrats. Lots of people are invested in social justice/human rights. But there are also a lot of people who are here just to be doctors or investment bankers.

Please see the accuracy of stereotypes section.....up there ^ Brandeis students are fairly open minded when it comes to religion, sexuality, and socio-economic situations. They might be less open minded if you are republican (though they will actually hear you out because being a Brandeis student you will be smart enough to have good reasons for being a Republican... even if you wear Birkenstocks) or Pro-Palestinian (somewhat less likely to hear you out- they might even send you to MIT like the administration did to an art exhibit on Palestine).

Everyone's pretty casual, there are lots of types of people and I think anyone can find a place. Mostly liberals. Students don't talk much about money.

Most people do not wear pajamas to class. Jeans/t-shirts, sometimes sweatpants, and dressier clothes. Different types of students do interact. Everyone is very friendly. The tables at the dining hall consist of the frat boys/sorority girls, the athletic teams (all only with their own team), and then small groups of friends. Most Brandeis students are from New York/New Jersey/ Massachusetts. I feel as though an upper-middle class financial background is prevalent. Students are very politically active, and are liberal and predominantly democrats.

1) They are extremely present -- even if there aren't a lot of people of a certain named group, those who are in said division are very cohesive-yet-inclusive. I once saw this guy with a rainbow yamaca (the Jewish man-hat that all middle eastern men secretly wear not for religious reasons but to cover up their bald spots). That was awesome. 2)That said, EVERYONE can feel awkward at Brandeis. At least we're all out of place together. Funnily enough, though, it's awkward if you're half-Jewish-by-ethnicity-but-don't-believe-in-the-religion. Is it an ethnicity? Is it a religion? "Are you Jewish?" is a hard question to answer. "Yeah, I had a bat mitzvah, but I don't believe in the religion; my dad's Jewish for the food, my mom is a self-proclaimed fallen Catholic and I celebrate both Chanukah and Christmas." 3)It depends. What I notice most is the "I'm from Newton, a wealthy suburb of Boston" fashion, which is J-Crew. Oh god, the J-Crew. It's brutal! 4)Yep. 5) One: Random people sitting together who don't know each other. Two: The crew team. Three: Activists for some cause either promoting awareness or selling stuff. Four: Someone sitting alone. 6) They're either from five minutes away from campus or from somewhere like Palestine or Ethiopia. 7) I'd say the most PREVALENT is upper-middle-class(whatever that means), but this doesn't mean that those from other financial classes who got scholarships don't brag about it. 8)Students are very politically aware. Brandeis is predominantly left; this causes the effect of the left-oriented students being more politically active, and the more conservative students staying quiet. I have conservative friends who are afraid to say that they're conservative. Such intolerance goes against real liberal views. 9) Some do, some don't. You'd think that people in the business school or with an economics major would talk more about it, and they do, but I have some friends who are in the economics major because they find it fascinating and exciting.

Nobody should be surprised to learn that over half of the student body is Jewish. Among the Jewish community is tremendous diversity in terms of Jewish observance. (Some are rigidly Orthodox, some go to services every Friday night and keep Kosher, some go to services once in a while, some go just on High Holydays, some never go...) If you like being apart of a strong Jewish community, as I do, you'll love Brandeis and find Shabbat here to be a very rewarding experience. (Non-Jews also come out to Friday night dinner for the experience.) Students dress pretty casually to class. It is not considered a faux pas by any means to wear a sweatshirt and sweatpants (especially during finals.)