Haverford College Top Questions

Yes.

The "Haverbubble" does exist, since it is a small, tight-knit community with its own atmosphere that is very different from other communities. Haverford students are nerds, but in a cool way. You can be smart and cool at the same time. We are idealists in some ways because of the great expectations we have for ourselves as a self-governing student body, but part of being an idealist is acknowledging where the problems are and what steps we can take to fix them.

Being awkward is more of an endearing quality. It's sometimes true, sometimes isn't, but once in a while you'll stumble upon someone who epitomizes this stereotype. We're definitely not a big party school, but we're also very small and parties are basically just getting together with friends, drinking, talking, and just relaxing and having a good time. You make your own party and life on campus doesn't center around huge frat parties. We don't have a greek life so nothing crazy happens. Everyone is definitely super friendly and nice and the atmosphere is very comfortable and trusting. YES we are WAAAAAAAY too PC - take some things too seriously. Can't make any racial or sexual jokes. People will flip the fuck out. Haverford students are very loathe to talk about grades. People are too humble and don't like to recognize those who stand out - we kind of like to treat everyone as equals - maybe TOO much of an equality thing sometimes. Students are definitely down to earth though. Everyone is very tolerant, but oftentimes only towards those who are also tolerant. This is not such a problem with the school however, just with me. VERY trusting environment because of the Honor Code.

Yes.

Yes, for the most part. As with any community, there are going to be people that stray from the norm-- there are the traditional varsity athletes that are less hippy-ish, and the select more conservative people (but they tend to stay quiet), as well as the outspoken, more opinionated folks who voice their opinions strongly and tend to be seen as not as "nice." Overall, though, most people on campus tend to be a bit quirky, intellectual, and at least a little bit socially awkward.

We work ALL the time, classes are harder than most, and yeah, there are some awkward moments. Still, not everyone is a social leper.

Yup.

We are socially awkward, we do have way too many extracurriculars, and the girls are attractive. The guys are a little bit taller and cleaner than they're made out to be... but not by much. So yeah, most of the stereotypes are accurate. Then again, they might be self-fulfilling.

The stereotype about the men is inaccurate although there are certainly a lot of short guys. However, I would say that Haverford is becoming more attractive every year so there is a lot to look forward to next year. We are, however, a group of (for the most part) kind and intelligent people. We take pride in the fact that we are a socially conscious campus (even if it doesn't match up to other campuses).

Definitely not! Working in the Admissions Office, I can confidently say that although there are Haverford students that were turned down at Swathmore, there is probably an equal contigency of Swathmore students that Haverford turned down. The schools have very different personalities and draw very different types of students.

In general, yes. I still have not figured out why. It might just unfortunately be the students themselves, but it is definitely also partially the size of the school. It is smaller than many high schools, and seeing people that you don't care about very much (or that you actually would rather avoid) 5 or more times a day, at least at Haverford, becomes pretty awkward.

Yes...we are geeky, but in a good way (I think). There is no paucity of cheesy/dorky jokes, but I think it adds to the school.

For the most part, it's true

There are alot of socially awkward people but a large enough group of fun outgoing people and very few people who are snobby about their intelligence.

I do happen to know two short hairy guys named Dan. Not everybody is awkward, but there are a few. Underclassmen are much more idealistic than the upperclassmen. People are amazingly honest. It seems like everybody has done or is doing something amazing, from filming a documentary to being an EMT crew chief.

Most students at Haverford understnad that you need a healthy balance of academics and social life to succeed. You can find people that are hermits at any college. The statement about the guys is unfair, yet again there are short guys everywhere. Haverford just has less male students of intimigating stature (we don't have a football team)

There are some people that fit hte Phantom 500 stereotype. I think recent classes have overall been more attractive and less socially awkward.

nerdy: yes; awkward: yes but hyped; really young looking: YES!; the breakdown of guys and women at times true but way too simplistic and the track team is crazy and very good at what they do but they are not at all disconnected from the school

Completely false. While some of the kids are different, it is a fun place to go to college. The parties are fun and playing a sport really helps.

The first three are largely true, although of course there are a fair number of jocks and others who wouldn't be classified as nerdy and are very socially capable. The fourth stereotype I listed is not true. I love the social life here - there is something happening every weekend and it feels like a real community affair since we are such a small school. If you are looking to party, you won't be disappointed most weekends.

There's definitely a good amount of awkwardness on campus, for whatever reason, but I think it's endearing. As for the smart but unattractive stereotype, I don't think that's really true. What's so cool about this place is that everyone is just so different, and while the student body is predominantly liberal, it's really a very varied student body with a lot to offer.

Maybe we're a little socially awkward because we go to a very small school and you know more than you'd like to about everyone. The truth is, I'd take awkward over smooth any day. Smooth is an act. Awkward is honest, and can be charming.

Some of them sort of are, I do not think that there are fewer attractive people than at other schools, but in general people here are very studious. There are many who focus on their studies extensively, and the classes are challenging, to the extent that I would say demanding. The truth is not that people focusing solely on academics but that many students are general over achievers who either try to do it all or are very dedicated to one area, academics, sports, a club, or students run community forming activities (student council, etc.)

For the most part these setreotypes are true but one thing they don't tell you is that the hipster is the new hippie.

Oh yeah.

There are a few men who fit the stereotype but not overwhelmingly so! And I realized that when it comes to nerdiness, let's face it, you have to be a little nerdy and studious to get in and handle the work, but Haverford students are more complex than that and everyone does more than just study, whether it is playing a varsity sport, singing a cappella, being in a sketch comedy group or just hanging out with the kids that do those things. Haverford students are very involved beyond pure academics.

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Haverford students are certainly hard-working, but they work in such a way that it's never really a stressful environment. Part of that has to do with the fact that nobody knows anyone else's grades, and part of it I think has to do with the fact that the people at Haverford are the kinds of people who don't want academics to be a competition. They're all about learning, but are completely against stressing out. And I know plenty of guys who are not named Dan who are Jewish and hairy ;)

Kids are not mega-dweebs or mega-hippies, but somewhere in between. We tend to be motivated procrastinators, or alternatively, really mellowed out nerds. It usually strikes a good balance, but there are a few oddballs in the population. Haverford is not a community college. Obvi.

to some extent, awkward is thrown around a lot, same with upper-class and white, although i must say i am either, perhaps a bit awkward, but people really are diverse. too many northeasterns. and most are around middle-class

Some of them are, but there are certainly attractive people on campus. There are a lot of cool people, although there are certainly plenty of "phantoms" who are never seen outside of the library. Unfortunately, the ridiculously uptight minority seems to have a lot of power. Off-taste jokes are sometimes frowned upon by those few people, who usually happen to be very loud. The Honor Code definitely is important, but most people just follow the main principles: be polite to people and respect others.

Awkwardness abounds, to be sure, but there are far worse things. Men do tend to be hairy, no two ways about it. The girls range and don't really fit into any broad generalizations.

Kind of. People here are nerdy, but in the best way possible. It's not like everyone sits in their room and does homework all the time, although that is a common activity. People have odd or different interests. Everyone has hidden quirks and interests. Everyone here is a nerd, whether they admit it or not. The awkward factor definitely exists, but I think people tend to bond over it.

It's not the most attractive school. There's is usually enough free time, so I don't work all the time at all.

my boyfriend is 6'7. We are neither only hooking up nor very serious. So that kind of puts that to rest. However, the distribution between short and tall does lean very far towards short. Everyone everywhere is a little awkward at this age. I don't think Haverford is any more so. That said, I really don't see or know a whole of couples on this campus.

In general these stereotypes are not accurate. Haverford is a liberal college but students are expected to abide by the Honor Code. Also, Haverford students control their drinking and often do many other things. While some Haverford students are weird, most are just slightly awkward and are good people once you get to know them.

Who knows. I've been here for four years and I've met some people that match the stereotype perfectly, and others who appear to be the total opposite. Much like anywhere, people are just people, and you have to take the time to get to know them on a personal level. I would say, however, that the atmosphere on campus created by students is one of friendliness with an occasionally uncomfortable interaction with someone you know you should know, but don't.

Completely not, while there are some people that are like that they still have a life outside of the library and either now how to have fun on a weekend or at least play a sport of some sort. Even if they do neither they still have friends.

The "awkward" thing is, I think, mostly myth. Everyone I've met here seems like a normal teenager, and while there is a bit of awkward inherent in that state of existence, I haven't seen anything that inhibits social interaction. As to the physical stereotypes... while there are a few quintessential "haverdans," people are generally average looking. There are a few real babes though, and the fact that they aren't super-common make them all the more alluring.

They're pretty accurate.

They are probably underrated to the casual observer. It's easy to say a place is a "nerd school." It's entirely different to walk on a campus where people lack the social skills to make eye contact or smile on a path.

Mostly.

Not all of them, but some.

They are all found somewhere on campus to some degree or else the stereotype would not exist in the first place. But they are not all completely true. There are many girls/guys that break the stereotype all the time.

We might not be the warmest person to pass on the sidewalk, but everyone is so nice.

yes and no. I was really surprised when I realized that there are a lot of people that go out and have fun and party. And they're all really smart, too (but not that obnoxious, condescending smart that you get at places like wakeforest or some of the other elite "small, liberal-arts schools"). That said, there are still a lot of people that don't go out at all. They're called the phantom 500 and if you do the math that's almost half the school. So it makes for a really small social scene (but a fun one nonetheless).

Only somewhat. Once we get past being awkward and nerdy, we're friendly and can have a great time!

To some extent: Most people are smart but the classes seem to be getting dumber as we go along. To tell the truth I expected to find more quirky nerdiness and smartness at Haverford than I do. Although a lot of people are modest though, so that may be why. We don't talk about grades and it's not competitive in that way, but everyone is a super-perfectionist and fiercely competative with themselves; there are a lot of closet eating disorders and stuff like that that comes from the Type-A personality culture. That said, everyone IS really nice and genuinely friendly, and un-pretentious. You do get the oddball "should-have-gone-to-an-Ivy-League" snob, but for the most part everyone is great. There is a hook-up or "Haver-married" culture in which dating doesn't really take place. This frustrates a lot of people, but so far it hasn't changed. As for the awkwardness, some students are, most really aren't, but it's in a good way if they are - an interesting way. If you have an open mind and like to just chat you can have some really fascinating conversations.

More or less, yes.

Absolutely!