Bryn Mawr College Top Questions

What is the stereotype of students at your school?

Paige

Some stereotypes are: wierd, nerdy, either all are lesbians or really desperate straight girls, awkward.

Alyssa

One of the misconceptions people have about women's colleges in general is that we're all lesbians. This is not true whatsoever! At the same time, it can't be denied that we have a considerable lesbian population at Bryn Mawr. I think it is our open-mindedness and complete acceptance that make students with alternative preferences feel more comfortable here than they would at other institutions. Bryn Mawr does not collect statistics on students' sexual preferences, nor should they. We are all women and we don't compare ourselves on just that one measure. I'm straight and I don't feel like I'm being changed or that my lifestyle choices are being imposed upon. However, if homosexuality really, truly bothers you, don't come here.

Dylan

Bryn Mawr students all fall under a similar stereotype that is usually cast upon all students who attend an all-women's college, in that they are thought to be either gossipy, rich, snobby, hairy, PC activists, butch, or queer. Among the tri-co, Bryn Mawr girls are also known to be the desperate oddballs who fling themselves upon every guy spotted on campus.

Kate

That we're either man-haters or desperate;

Hannah

We're all really gay and/or weird. I've also heard that we're socially awkward and ridiculously nerdy. I think the truest stereotype is that there's nothing a Mawrtyr loves more than a good cause! We love to champion other causes, and it's a bit ridiculous.

Sarah

That we are all anti-social or socially awkward lesbians who study all the time.

Leah

A lot of people see Bryn Mawr students as social hermits because we bury ourselves in our academics. Then there's the idea that, because we go to an all-girls' school, we must all be lesbian.

Sarah

That we're all lesbians or militant feminists and don't have fun, just do school work all the time

Emily

We're all stone cold sober lesbians who study all weekend.

Jessica

militant feminists all we do is work and have no fun take ourselves too seriously

Harper

The stereotypes are numerous and disheartening. They all showcase the college at its perceived worst. Some stereotypes are: Everyone's a Lesbian. By proxy, everyone hates men. We're all Feminazis that go around unshaven. Either that, or everyone's a rich snob. Everyone's catty because it's a woman's college. Those are all the primary ones.

Carson

That Bryn Mawr is filled with a large number of gay and bisexual students and has a pretty terrible social scene.

Regan

That we are all lesbians or socially awkward anime freaks or uptight, type A, homework nazis.

Dorrie

Some positive stereotypes are that Bryn Mawr students are passionate, independent and and intelligent women with a deep desire to make an impact on the world. Some negative stereotypes are that Bryn Mawr is an unwelcoming place that hates men. People think that all of the students are desperate for male attention and have no social lives, and lack social skills.

Carolyn

It is a strongly feminist school with many gay students. Bryn Mawr is a place where students are serious about academics. The school is like a cult because there are unique traditions, including a form of "freshwoman hazing" and the wearing of long black robes while singing with colored lanterns. Bryn Mawr women are strong, independent, and confident.

Meagan

The most pervasive stereotype about Bryn Mawr students is that we are all lesbians. Bryn Mawr College as a whole is known to be academically rigorous.

Genevieve

Intellectual, empowering women, full of lesbians, strong-willed students, very actively liberal, dedicated to improving the world

Rachel

bi and large, bryn mawr girls are bi and large. the odds are good but the goods are odd. we study all the time.

Andy

Within the Tri-Co, some of the guys think Bryn Mawr students are promiscuous and/or lesbians. Most, but not all of the Havergirls and Swat girls are territorial and feel as if we're infringing on their limited resources of males.

Mel

Well, some stereotypes about us are that we are completely feminists (as in man haters lol, ...and other things), no social life, one that I actually like is that we are 'go getters'!

Katie

A lot of surrounding schools think that Bryn Mawr is a school full of freaks. I don't think that 'freaks' is necessarily the right term to use. There are a lot of very individual women here--I think that as a strong womens' college, part of the appeal is that you can be as unique as you'd like to be. It's obnoxious when people from Haverford or Swarthmore automatically peg you as that weird Bryn Mawr girl who runs around with a cape on. Not all of us are like that. However, within the school's boundaries, you can definitely see a lot of stereotypes. You have the rugby girls, who are more often than not are partiers that date at least two of their teammates. You have the capies, who play Quidditch and spend their meals discussing anime. There are a lot of groups, and, for me at least, it's hard to really relate to any of them.

Emily

That we are all liberal lesbians.

Madison

I think there's a stereotype here of work hard, play hard, and the idea that we're all incredibly driven women. There's also this (relatively unfounded) stereotype that women at Bryn Mawr are here because they dislike men; totally untrue!