Bryn Mawr College Top Questions

To me, Bryn Mawr is the PERFECT size! It's small enough that you see familiar faces throughout classes and you can form close relationships with other students in your major because the group is small enough that people can really connect with each other. Our small size also lends itself to close professor-student relationships. It's great to have that one-on-one attention with a professor. That kind of support is unparalleled. On the other end of the spectrum, Bryn Mawr is still big enough that I can walk into the dining hall or campus center and see someone I've never seen before. For those looking for the bigger collegiate experience, the consortium allows for students to take advantage of Haverford, Swarthmore and U-Penn's additional social and academic resources. Basically, Bryn Mawr gives its students the best of both worlds. The traditions at Bryn Mawr are certainly unique and memorable experiences. With four major traditions and several smaller ones, these campus wide events promote inter-class bonding and school spirit. I think most students are much more into the traditions than into athletics from a spirit standpoint. The most memorable experience I've had so far was the duck pond run, a part of a February tradition in which freshwomen run to Haverford's duck pond in the wee hours of the morning. My love of Bryn Mawr at the that times was as strong as it will ever be and I l will look forward to sharing that experience with the new freshwomen every year until I graduate. My favorite place on campus is my dorm room. Our dorms are really amazing and I feel so at home in my room. It's a haven where I can retreat when I need some quiet time or alone time.

The best thing about Bryn Mawr? TRADITIONS! HELL WEEK! YEAHHH, babyyy! Uhh...ahem. It's a liberal arts school, so it's definitely a lot smaller than most universities and colleges. However, that also provides for a more intimate space for our students, making it easier for us to get to know each other. I wouldn't say the environment here is stifling either, but rather, it's a comfortable size for those who are sick of being the little fish swimming in a big pond. There's definitely a feeling of personal space on campus. There is definitely a lot of Bryn Mawr pride (especially when it comes to our rugby team) on campus, but I think a lot of it has to do with the bubble that we live in at Bryn Mawr. Bryn Mawr is quite different from the outside world, in that there is a social and academic honor code that we all try to live by. There is usually a lot of trust on campus - you can leave your stuff lying around and nobody touches it because of the honor code. And then there's Hell Week, which is probably an experience that I will never forget. There really are no words to describe what fun I had during Hell Week <3 <3

The traditions are fantastic. If I had gone to a larger university, I would have rushed for a sorority, however at Bryn Mawr, you're automatically part of this giant campus-wide sisterhood.

The best things about Bryn Mawr are the traditions we have. We have 4 major traditions and many many minor ones. Our major traditions are Parade Night, Lantern Night, Hell Week, and May Day. Nothing makes us seem more like a cult than Lantern Night, but it's so fantastic. My best memory, however, will always be the Duck Pond Run during Hell Week. Running to the Haverford College Duck Pond makes you more of a Mawrtyr than anything else! When I tell people from home that I go to Bryn Mawr, I mostly get blank stares. No one in Texas seems to know where it is! I almost always have to mention that it's one of the Seven Sisters. Once they know what Bryn Mawr is, they are always very impressed. Then they ask where I meet men. We all love our school so much. It's almost impossible to attend this school and not love it! We're proud to be here and to take advantage of the opportunities Bryn Mawr offers to its students. We can take classes at Swarthmore, Haverford, or the University of Pennsylvania. I really like that because I love living on a small campus, but I have the course selection of a major university.

I transferred to Bryn Mawr this year, so I think I have a bit of a unique perspective on the college. I'd say the location of Bryn Mawr is the best thing about it. I may be a bit biased, as I spent my freshman year of college at an isolated upstate New York school, but I find Bryn Mawr's location to be absolutely perfect. Located on the Main Line, Bryn Mawr is a great suburb (if a bit ostentatious and snotty) with restaurants, grocery stores and drug stores al with in incredibly easy walking distance. Getting off campus and going into the real world is incredibly easy to do, and that's something I really appreciate. BMC is also only a twenty minute train ride away from Philly, which is great. I'm the kind of person who needs to be close to a city, and BMC certainly allows me close proximity. Some times I love BMC's small size, and sometimes I find it stifling. It's great to be known by your professors and your deans. I love that I always run into someone I know anytime I am walking around on campus. But, if you don't find your niche, Bryn Mawr can be way too small a community. There isn't a huge pool to pick friends from, so hopefully you met people you click with, or it's going to be a long four years. Also, everyone knows everything about everybody else. The best part about Bryn Mawr is the traditions. Give in to the traditions! I found them hokey and cultish at first, but if you embrace them, they really are beautiful and help you to become a part of this great community of unique and woderful women. The traditions create a kind of bond between classes that I can't even begin to explain here. All I can say is, embrace the traditions, because you may not realize how important they are until you have missed them.

The best thing about Bryn Mawr is that it's all women. If there was one thing I would change it would be the size - 1200 people is just too small. When I tell people I go to Bryn Mawr the response is either, "Where's that?" or "Wow, that's a tough school." Surprisingly, I spend most of my on-campus time in the gymnasium. Between crew practice, working out, meetings with Coach, or work I feel like I make two or three trips a day to that place. The town of Bryn Mawr is almost inaccessible to Bryn Mawr students - the boutiques are too pricy for us to even browse. Philly's a great city, though. There are so many schools here that a train ride or a 20 minute drive can bring you just about anywhere you want to go. Bryn Mawr's administration is a bit of a mystery. What do they even do? I've never been able to talk to them in person. They are really good at pampering the parents and visitors. The biggest recent controvery on campus had to do with leadership roles and appropriate behavior for school leaders. As an athlete, it often seems as though there's no school pride. However, when I think hard about it I realize that there is tons of school pride here. It's just not expressed through the athletics department. Everything about Bryn Mawr is unusual. It's not a "normal" place. The women are strong and independent. They know what they want and they're not afraid to go after it. We have traditions that make other college students scratch their heads in puzzlement - things that only we would understand. One experience I'll always remember happened when I was a sophomore. It was May and I had a huge final paper due by midnight on a Friday night (though our professor had told us that any time before Saturday morning was fine). I was having a hard time focusing and getting my work done, so my friends came up with a plan that would get me to work. Around 11pm they invited me outside for a study break, where my roommate was waiting with a garbage can full of water to pour all over me. I was soaked! But my spirits were lifted and, once I got dried off, I was ready to pump out the last few pages of the paper and say hello to summer vacation. The most frequent student complaints are that there's way too much work. As an athlete, we often complain about the lack of support for the athletics teams on campus and the lack of resources to make the program stronger.

Bryn Mawr is pretty set apart from the rest of the world, even other colleges. Simply by virtue of being an small, all-girls school that puts its emphasis on academics, we are kind of an alternate reality. But it's wonderful because our size gives a sense of a close-knit community, our gender makes us kind of like a sorority, and our devotion to classes gives a certain meaning to our lives. The best thing about Bryn Mawr is probably our traditions; I think that's the reason Bryn Mawr has been able to survive as an all-girls' school. It's just another way Bryn Mawr becomes a real community. I think a lot of students would be happy to see more parties going on on-campus. This year, people have had to go off-campus (haverford, swarthmore, villanova, penn) to party, but it's usually worth it.

I applied ED here and sometimes I regret it. There is definitely a concept of the "Bryn Mawr Bubble"- that the campus is its own environment and sometimes it can be hellish. There's definitely a feeling of need to get off campus every once and a while. It can be a pressure cooker. At the same time, orientation is great, and if you get involved in anything on campus, you can meet people very easily. And you meet their friends. I love the traditions here, though sometimes I don't understand the hype. The administration is great, and if you get a good dean, you can really luck out.

I love the fact that Bryn Mawr is a women's college. I came not knowing what to expect, but now I love it and wish that every woman could experience it. Bryn Mawr is like one big sorority, except that we work harder in academics. It's very small, but when you start feeling shut in you go to Haverford or Swat. I've made a lot of friends at other schools, so the size of Bryn Mawr really isn't a problem. The area is definitely a college town, the Main Line is great, and Philly is a great resource. There is a Ton of school pride. It's probably one of the best things abot Bryn Mawr, and alums have just as much as current students. The traditions are very unusual and memorable, and create a great feeling of connectedness and community on campus.

Bryn Mawr really care about its students and the campus is georgous! When things pop into my mind that I would like to change about Bryn Mawr, it is not so much the important things but the nitty gritty details just to complain about. For example, I wish we had a better gym. It is quite outdated but still there and used by all means. Sometimes I feel like the school is just a little too small but that is what I was looking for and it is easy to not get trapped at Bryn Mawr as there is the Tri-Co and UPenn so there is always opportunities to meet new people if you wish to do so. I spend most of my time on campus really in my dorm. The dorms are such a friendly and cozy environment. It is such a tight knit community that I really would rather spend it no place else. The location is wonderful. I love Bryn Mawr's location. It is in nice suberbs of Philadelphia. The houses are georgous and the neighborhood is great. All stores are in walking distance that you would need as well as a movie theatre. Sometimes I wish it had a litlte more diversity of a big city closer by but that is just because I am from a city myself. There is a grocery store, pharmacy, gas station, Starbucks, movie theatre, restaurants, etc all in walking distance so a car is not necessary. The location truly is ideal! When I say I go to Bryn Mawr I get a variety of reactions. From the older generations they all have such wonderful reactions and are so proud of me for going to such an elite institution. All the older ladies seem to knwo soemone that went there. Sometimes I get the "where is Bryn Mawr" question or then the question of " is everyone there a lesbian?" since it is an all women's college however those are all misconceptions and we Bryn Mawr women know the truth of Bryn Mawr and I say I am from Bryn Mawr loud and proud. Bryn Mawr's administration is one of the best aspects of the school. They are so caring and really make themselves avaiable for the students. My dean gave me his cell phone and home number in case I ever needed to reach him in a more urgent matter and always gets back to my emails asap. I suppose another thing I would change about the college is that sometimes I find it a little too politically correct and that some students do in fact take themselves too seriously btu that only encourages me to lighten up a little bit more and a reminder can never hurt! There is a lot of school pride in terms of academics but not in terms of sports. Sports are not very big on campus but it is a great place to go to play sports if you want to do both school and sports. I played volleyball freshmen year and it was the best experience I ever had on a team before. The wonderful thing about Bryn Mawr is almost everything is unique to the college! It is definately not a typical college experience. A big part of Bryn Mawr is all of our wonderful traditions that really help welcome the freshmen to the college. Hell Week is fantastic and one of the best weeks I have ever had in my life. I will ALWAYS rememeber Hell Week and the Duck Pond Run.

The best thing about Bryn Mawr: I hate to have it be something so trivial, but I love the dining halls and the food. The thing I'd change is: I'd like to see an increase in interest and participation in athletics. The college just doesn't give a shit. The school's size is: perfectly fine, at least for me. I don't like being a number. When I say I go to Bryn Mawr, people say: Well, there are a number of reactions. Some don't say anything; they just give me a look and say, "Where?" Others say, "Isn't that the all-girl's school? God, I wouldn't be able to go there!" because of the awful stereotypes floating around. There are a number who say, "Really? You must be very intelligent!" If people recognize the name, and don't react in the negative way, they're impressed. I spend most of my time on campus in: the science building, in the Physics Lounge. All of Montgomery County is one large college town. The administration is: changing. We're undergoing a presidential search, and hopefully things will change for the better once we have our new president. Biggest recent controversy: Aside from the Barack/Clinton thing? Last year a member of the Student Government Association, through poor judgment, made some racist comments and people jumped on her--"she's a member of the student government, she, more than anyone, has to be impartial and not racist/sexist/abilist/etc." School Pride? Yeah, we have school pride. Not in the football sense, but I do think everyone feels strongly about our school. Bryn Mawr is unusual by: 1) Being a woman's college. 2) Having ties with Haverford, Swathmore, and UPenn. 3) Hell Week! The experience I'll always remember is: Hell Week, definitely. THe most common complaints are: Everyone's too fucking PC.

The best thing about Bryn Mawr is the academics. Academically I am challenged. I'd change the fact that there is absolutely no social life. In my opinion, the size is perfect. Most people haven't even heard of the school and if they have may references to the gay/bisexual population here.I spend most of my time on campus in my friend's dorms. "What college town"? The administartion's wonderful.The biggest recent controversy involves a party that many African-American students believed was racially offensive. The party for the slogan involved the n-word.About one-third absolutely love the school and another third complete despise the school and the fact that there at an all womens college. The other third have simply come to terms with the positives and negatives of the school.Bryn Mawr is A VERY VERY weird school. You have no fucking idea!!! I'll always remeber crying the first two weeks. The most frequent student complaint is the lack of a social life.

Bryn Mawr is a very unique environment. It's first of all a women's college, and even though they tell you that you will interact with boys in the Tri-Co, this is rarer than you would expect. First, of all Haverford and Swarthmore boys have Haverford and Swarthmore girls that they are involved with and the Havergirls and the female Swatties definitely resent Bryn Mawr girls and their desperation for male contact. Second, Haverboys are notoriously awkward, unwashed, and undeservedly full of themselves (mostly due to the ridiculously high female to male ratio in the Tri-Co). So not so much in the romance department, unless of course you happen to be gay. The best part about Bryn Mawr is definitely the food. It's absolutely fabulous and the dining halls put a lot of effort into it. The dorms are really nice too, they are clean and quiet and most people get singles. The campus is very beautiful in a gothic, eerie sort of way. Another great thing about Bryn Mawr is the opportunities that one can take part of: there are tons of funded internships, externships, study abroad programs etc. basically anything you want to do Bryn Mawr can help make it happen. In addition, Bryn Mawr has an extensive alum network that is very supportive. The name Bryn Mawr will open doors.

I'd have to say that the best thing about Bryn Mawr is how it has helped me grow. The Bryn Mawr experience is unlike other college experiences in that it really forces many students to become extremely self-sufficient and outgoing. The Bryn Mawr experience is what you make of it. Granted, there are not a whole lot of social events going on, but if there were I would not have made all of the wonderful connections that I now have at Haverford, Swarthmore, and the University of Pennsylvania. The academics are incredible, challenging, and top notch. While there is a close and supportive community, individuality is still encouraged. A women's college is not a typical college experience, and it is not for everyone. Many people are taken aback when they discover that I attend a women's college and am not a lesbian, or sexually repressed and frustrated. While not everyone appreciates the Bryn Mawr experience, the majority certainly have a great deal of Bryn Mawr pride, I know that I do. The thing that I have found extremely telling is that the majority of girls that I know who chose to transfer away from Bryn Mawr ended up transferring back. They said that they had thought that they problems they had had socially and academically were because of the school, but once they were someplace else they realized how special Bryn Mawr was, and that perhaps the issues they'd had that had inspired them to transfer were not rooted in their college but rather themselves, and thus grew considerably from the experience.

The best thing about Bryn Mawr is the student body. People are friendly and often hold doors open for one another even when it isn't expected. One student who swipes meal cards in the dining center even asks how diners are doing and tells them to enjoy their meal. I like the smallness of Bryn Mawr. I don't think that Bryn Mawr is well-known outside of the Philly area, but since I'm from this area, when I say that I go to Bryn Mawr people reply that I must be smart. The campus is absolutely gorgeous. The Customs Program for incoming students is a great way for first-year students living on the same hall to get to know each other and their two sophomore mentors. I just wish that the quantity of schoolwork was reduced so that I wouldn't have to see everyone look so stressed.

The community. I know everyone here. I would like the students to stop stressing and start communicating with one another. It's the perfect size but I would like more people of color and more class difference. People usually have never heard of the school--which I sort of like. I spend a lot of time in the Campus Center. There is no real town of Bryn Mawr--there are some restaurants and a Starbucks. But Philly is only 20 minutes away by train. A lot more students are starting to live in the city and commute. The administration is incredibly understanding and caring. If you ask, they will deliver. The biggest recent controversy centered around a racial issue that seemingly got blown out of proportion. I think a student-lead initiative will hopefully lessen some of the racial tension evident at points on campus. I think Bryn Mawr is the school you love to hate while you are actually attending but there is definitely a bond out there in the real world among Mawrters. I will always remember the friends I made here. We have some weird students--which is actually great, because they feel comfortable expressing themselves--except for when they play Quidditch in an open field with broomsticks. It's a little strange. Also, my favorite quote from a friend, "Bryn Mawr has taught me the joys of platonic communal nudity". I think that sums it up.

I love the people here, both the faculty and the students. The teachers strive to challenge us but also make learning enjoyable and rewarding. The students are mostly very driven and we can talk about what we're studying and not worry about what others think, and this applies to most conversations about anything. Outside the classroom we are involved with many activities that add to the college experience. Bryn Mawr is not a "party school" but we have fun wether it's at parties or just hanging out with close friends, and I feel that I'm not lacking in the social aspect at all. I feel that the administration and the deans are very supportive and encourage active participation in the classroom, school community, and the outside community. One thing that makes Bryn Mawr particularly special is the emphasis on traditions that annually bring the campus together. I'm a freshman this year and I already greatly appreciate the traditions and what they mean to the college. Overall I think that Bryn Mawr is practically perfect.

The best thing about Bryn Mawr is the Growth and Structure of Cities department. I would change the skateboarding policy. Just right. You're gay/you're a nerd. Radnor lounge. "What college town?" BMC's administration is fine unless that includes the deans. The deans are the antithesis of helpful. The biggest controversy on campus was the SGA secretary's invitation to a "mo money mo problems" party which contained a racial slur in the description. There is a lot of school pride and a lot of school hate. Everything is unusual about Bryn Mawr starting with the large numbers of students interested in RPGs and wearing capes. Dorm Olympics 2007. That the social life sucks. And it does.

Bryn Mawr is a small school, there's no doubt about that. But that's the beauty of it! I chose to come here because of its small and inviting atmosphere. I can get to know my fellow Mawrters better than if I went to a large university where I am simply one amongst thousands. Plus, it's not like we're restricted to our campus. We're close to Philadelphia and there are many colleges nearby. There is plenty of school pride. To come here is a special and unique decision and I feel that just by being a Mawrter ties us together.

There's so much I love about Bryn Mawr, besides it's BEAUTIFUL campus, there's a lot of beauty in everything else about Bryn Mawr. There's a lot of school pride. To be honest, I wasn't so sure how I felt about the many traditions that this school has, but at the end of my freshman year I loved everything! All of the traditions and the students' attitudes towards it make the school very unique. I've heard from students from colleges around that they don't have that in their school. I think the size of the student body is also just perfect. Is very easy for you to know everyone, and everyone is just so nice! During my time at BMC I've gone through two hard moments and each time I was amazed at how supportive everyone was! Professors are also great, and the fact that we have small classes makes the bonding with students, professors, and staff just so much easier. It's a great feeling. I love spending time at home and always, like everyone wish for longer vacations, but when I come back to BMC it really feels like a home as well.

Bryn Mawr honestly does have great academics. I love that I can have relationships with my professors. I recently missed a week and a half of classes, and most if not all of my professors were just as concerned for my health as they were for my work. The professors are all excellent at what they do--I have yet to come across a poor professor. The administration is fabulous, as well. It's easy to form a relationship with your dean, who can help guide you through registration, personal issues, extracurriculars, and time management. The campus has a very close feeling of community, which can have its perks, but also its drawbacks. Sometimes, it can feel claustrophobic. With a campus as small as this, one can feel cramped. I'm sometimes starving to just be anonymous, but everywhere I go, I see someone that I know. What's more, the surrounding town is pretty dismal. Other than the independent movie theater, there's not much that's catered toward a younger crowd. The R5 train can take you into Philly pretty easily, but even then, unless you have a lot of money, it's hard to find cheap things to do. You can always go over to Haverford, Swat, or Villanova for parties, but the fact that you have to search them out gets old, and the judgment on being a Bryn Mawr woman gets old even faster. Another problem is that there is a bit of racial tension on campus. I wasn't here for this, but last year there was a huge scandal that involved a student in SGA sending out a racist Facebook invitation. It wasn't meant to be racist, but it came off that way, and suddenly there was a huge split in the campus between those who were offended and those who defended this girl. You can still feel a lot of the tension--racial groups tend to draw towards each other.

Overall, I think Bryn Mawr is a great place for women t o go to school. It can feel a bit small at times (like when everyone you pass knows your name), but in the same token that smallness can be comforting. When people are told what college I go to, you can see a clear generational gap in the responses: the younger crowd either has no idea where and what Bryn Mawr is or thinks it is a "lesbian school", where as the older crowd is impressed by the clout the name holds.

I think Bryn Mawr is an incredibly unique experience. We're given power, independence, and respect in a way that I can't imagine getting at other colleges, but at the same time, there's tremendous pressure, both on an academic and social front. You're expected to do your best and work your hardest, which is both empowering and a little exhausting at times. Bryn Mawr has an incredibly beautiful campus and committed community members who all really want to be a part of things; we're also one of the most academically intense schools in the country. I think Bryn Mawr has name recognition in academic circles, but I genuinely wish that we got a little more credit for putting in as much effort as we do. The friends you make here are the best you'll have in your life - I finally understand what everyone meant about keeping their college friends. I'm part of a family and part of a community in a way that I think would be impossible at a larger, less community-based school.