Haverford College Top Questions

My classmates are a group of primarily white, upper middle and upper class kids mostly from the northeastern United States; many of them are Quakers, many of them are hardworking, many of them are kind of uptight, and a good few try not to take themselves/their work too seriously.

Meg is a junior Psychology major at Haverford College.

I don't like to make generalizations but I'm going to do it to describe, if possible, if we averaged all Haverford students into one person. This one person would be slightly more female than male and be mostly white, but one third of color. The amalgam student would probably be moderately liberal in terms of political views. Haverperson would be confused about religion, but most of the time would be atheist or agnostic but with serious respect for the Quakers. Haverperson would wear jeans and a t-shirt to class and only really dress up on the weekend. For this reason, you're going to have a hard time telling Haverperson's socio-economic class. He/She would be involved in two or three clubs and probably still get emails from a club that he or she signed up for but has no time to attend. He or she would probably chose to party every other weekend, but the Haverperson knows that he or she will be respected if he or she choses to drink or not to drink, as long as he or she doesn't go overboard. I hope that this is understandable and helpful!

very liberal college. Lots of clubs and activites dealing with racial and sexual diversity. Wide range of social classes as well, though a majority are pretty well off. Financial aid isn't super great, but that's about to change, and with that change the makeup of the student body will as well (i expect). most students are politically aware. students are very casual - no one really dresses up. very down to earth. people go to dinner in their pajamas. no one is really pretentious or preepy. there's a joke that haverford's student body isn't very attractive so anyone who is considered cute at haverford is average int he real world, anyone hot is above average in the real world and anyone ugly must be actually repulsive. there is NO dating scene at haverford - everyone laments this fact.

Haverford is generally really open-minded and accepting. However, in terms of truly being open, that's another story. As a member of the LGBT community at Haverford, I never faced any blatant homophobia. However, there seemed to be a lack of complete support. People were tolerant of my sexual orientation, but didn't go out of their way to fully support me. I did find my own communities of support-- SAGA (sexuality and gender alliance) meetings, COQw (community of queer women), the women's frisbee team, and my own circle of friends (made up of queer and straight friends alike.) So, people can find support- they just have to look for it. SAGA hosts several events throughout the year, and helps make Haverford more aware of issues in the LGBT community, but I do wish people went out of their way to be more supportive of the LGBT issues and community. In terms of race and class issues, as I mentioned above, there is a lot of underground tension. People are not blatantly racist, but instead people tend to avoid talking about issues related to race or class. I helped found a group called The Alliance, that provides a safe space for people to talk about issues surrounding diversity, and there are several other groups on campus that discuss issues around race. However, outside of these private meeting spaces, race discussion hardly occurs (except if a big incident occurs), and if it does occur, it's hardly ever between groups of people of differing racial backgrounds. Class as an issue, is a huge problem on campus. Haverford is a mostly upper-middle-class school with students mostly from NJ/NY/CT, with a lot of people from privileged backgrounds, but because (as with other issues) Haverford students don't like making people feel uncomfortable, they avoid talking about class. As a result, tensions surrounding class issues lie under the surface at Haverford, with not many discussions surrounding class occurring. However, I found that in the more socially-active communities on campus, people recognized the importance for dialogue and were more willing to engage in discussions surrounding these more controversial issues. I found this on the frisbee team, as well as with the women with whom I did Women In Action (a women's support and activist group on campus), and among a lot of the people involved in the other activist groups on campus. So, it's just a matter, once again, of finding awareness and support for talking about these issues. In general, while Haverfordians can be uncomfortable talking about controversial issues, they seem to care about the world as a whole, and want to do their part to make it better. People often end up doing non-profit work when they graduate, and don't seem to care about making a lot of money. Every summer, numerous people travel to countries around the world to participate in non-profit service, too. People at Haverford care about being socially responsible not only at Haverford, but beyond Haverford, too. While we joke at Haverford about being stuck in the "Haverbubble" and being separate from the wide world-- in this safe, tiny bubble of intellectual, nice people-- people do seem to care about politics, and being accepting. People tend to be liberal as a whole. As a liberal on campus, I felt really comfortable being liberal, but I've heard that conservatives feel a lot less comfortable being conservative on campus. We joke that it's easier to come out as gay than as republican. I knew a few republicans, so they do exist in the open!-- but the "out" republicans were few in number. The others must have kept it more quiet. It also definitely depends on the social circle, as I was not friends with a lot of varsity athletes, but knew of more conservatives on some of the varsity teams, than the communities of which I was a part. I should also acknowledge, however, that though I wasn't friends with a ton of varsity athletes, I did have a few friends on some varsity teams. There was constant debate the whole time I was at Haverford about the significance of the divide between the artists and athletes. I think there is a general divide between the communities, (and I'm completely generalizing here) not only in terms of the interests, but in the style (the artists tended to dress in a more hipster fashion, the athletes tended to be preppier), and in general socializing style (the artists tended to go to concerts, while the athletes tended to host larger frat-style parties). However, it is possible to have friends in different communities, and just because someone is an artist or an athlete (obviously) doesn't mean that they person falls into these stereotypes.

Good people. Solidly in class, out, and on the weekends, GOOD PEOPLE.

What kind of student would feel out of place at Haverford? That's a good question to ask, and it's actually one of the most hotly debated issues at Haverford. I think the most alienated group at Haverford is the political conservatives. As people, they fit in just fine. I'm pretty good friends with three and a fourth is definitely a "Havercelebrity" (...Haverford has its own vocabulary). But in political debates they are usually shot down and they're dissatisfied with that. Hopefully that will change in the future.

Most of the students are white, but I also think most of them are welcoming of differences. There is a lot of homogeneity in the school: mostly white, middle class, from the east (New Jersey, Maryland/DC). As someone who fits into these categories, I'm probably not a great judge, but I think most people are accepting of everybody else, although devout Christians and Republicans are most likely to attract disparaging remarks (even, I hear, from some professors).

Haverford students are definitely left-leaning, intelligent, athletic and laid-back. The school is more athletic than I thought it would be but in the typical Haverford way everyone is interested in taking care of themselves and living a balanced lifestyle. People tend to come from a large range of socio-economic backgrounds, although the dominant culture seems to be fairly wealthy. There are lots of affinity groups that receive support from students on campus.

The student body is very open and accepting of different people. Quirky, geeky, and normal nice people are all appreciated.

Too many jocks. Not enough pretty people.

Most people are interesting, there is not very diverse student body, most people are from the east coast around Philadelphia, students like to volunteer, people dress very laid back in athletic clothes are whatever they found at the top of their laundry pile, people aren't very politically active but are active in issues about awareness and the enviroment.

Haverford is suprisingly diverse. Like most private institutions, it has ground to cover yet, but it is trying very hard. There is a significant LGBTQ population, mostly gay men because the gay women tend to go to Bryn Mawr (all girl school). Almost one-third of the student population consists of students of color. I would say that most students are wealthy, but Haverford has a need-blind admission policy and a surprising number of students are on financial aid. Haverford is very definitely a liberal school and a Republican is likely to feel very uncomfortable. People mix pretty freely.

Haverford's student body includes people from every walk of life. For such a small college there are a lot of international students. No matter your interests you will be able to find other people who are into the same things as you are.

Conservative views are generally not welcome at Haverford, though most students are willing to engage in genuine exchanges of views and hear people out. Like other small prestigious liberal arts schools, Haverford is not very diverse! This is simply the nature of higher education and hard to avoid. Most students are white and privileged and had good high school educations. Among these kinds of schools though I would say that Haverford is generally less pretentious. Most students dress casually. Different types of students interact most during Customs Week in which people living together freshman year do a lot of bonding activites.

Haverford is a diverse community that as any good community must struggles to understand all of its members and build through "trust, concern, and respect" (a catch phrase of the Honor Code) a place where all may thrive. That being said, things happen because the commuity os made of humans and quite a diverse group. Regular open discussion ranging from class, race, gender, sexuality, academics-literature philosophy, science, art and to some degree politics (though to be completely honest this is something that has been lacking for some time but is getting a big boost from the Presidential elections). It is more liberal as it is a college, but maybe not as liberal as many think.In addition, there is certainly a conservative presence that mostly tries to balance things. Students try to all blend into the middle class mold, and mostly wear t-shirts and jeans to class, with some exceptions. The over whelming middle class idea though gets shattered since the economic diversity is one of the biggest differences and maybe biggest issues facing the college. This issue is the least talked about and most avoid, with every assuming things for the most part are equal for people here. However, this is true of higher education and the country as a whole. Haverford has a big price tage and does a decent job of giving out aid, it actually is getting even better at this, but when you are here it is easy to tell for many students where students come from and from what type of socio-economic background due to thing sliek clothes but also who has to work and who needs extra help because maybe they weren't as prepared in high school. This idea of educational differences though is something few people want to actually recognize. The school, however, does provide for students to go help inner city students a mentors and tutors. Community service is pretty big here, though the types and amount varies greatly from student to student.

Half weird, half normal.

Most kids here come from either Philly, New York, DC, or Jersey. There are a lot of kids from other places though, it just seems that kids are predominantly from that area. Other than that, it seems like students here have really diverse upbringings and backgrounds--financially, racially, even in life experiences. Students here whatever they want to wear, there really is no norm. It's generally whatever that student feels like wearing. It really is a pretty easy-going atmosphere and a really accepting community. Kids here are really politically active, usually coming from the left.

All of my friends believe that they'll find a way to make some money some day without having to sell their souls. We would rather not think about ever having to choose between money and happiness (it's a distinction we make), so we mostly just think about happiness. My friends are from Gettysburg, Pittsburgh, New Jersey, Ohio, Maine, Lebanon, Romania... It's a cliche, but I have learned a lot from the life experiences of my friends. Haverford <3s Michelle Obama. What a hottie.

There are many religious groups here, and a fair amount of socioeconomic diversity, as well as ethnic diversity, although people still tend to form groups of friends, often based on racial divides. Students wear whatever they want to class, although the tendency is more to dress down than to dress up, although some people, like myself, enjoy being inventive about dressing each day, other people come in their pajamas or throw on whatever is comfortable and nearby (this is certainty facilitated by the fact that all the classrooms are close to the dorms, the apartments are farthest away and it can take 10-15 minutes, but most dorms are within five minutes of the classrooms. So many people role out of bed 10 minutes before their first class. It is the most difficult to be on the campus if you are a conservative, especially with an accent, but all types of politics and people are present here, although the republican/conservative types are a minority. In general the population tries to be very open, aware, and very PC, although I do not always appreciate this, since I just want some people to say what they really think instead of being worried that they will be offensive. There are slightly more females here than males, and Bryn Mawr (all girl) is nearby, so woot if you are a bisexual female. There is a fairly extensive athlete/average college student population here, but the student population tends to be rather artistic and and "alternative"- I felt much more natural at the Harry Potter costume christmas party, than the typical lacrosse team hosted one, with pop music, crowd dancing, and lots of girls in makeup. I particularly enjoy the monthly student run pen mic night, and I think that it exemplifies the artistic and alternativeness of the student body.