<p>Hi guys,</p>
<p>I just was wondering if anyone had any opinions on attending Haverford College vs. Bowdoin College as a transfer. I was admitted to both, and have to decide by next friday.</p>
<p>They were two of my top schools so I’m really excited about both.</p>
<p>My prospective major would be Government at Bowdoin w/ a Latin American Studies minor/concentration. At Haverford it would be Poli Sci w/ a Latin American Studies minor/concentration.</p>
<p>Also, at Haverford I have a really good / almost definite chance of playing soccer (have already talked w/ the coach and I am can go to pre-season training in Brazil w/ them). Bowdoin, is less of a sure thing. They finished second in the NESCAC last year and the few kids who I know of on the team are really really talented players, probably above my level. The coach said I could try to walk on, but he didn’t seem as optimistic.</p>
<p>What to do???</p>
<p>That’s a really hard decision. Does location matter? Bowdoin’s an awesome school, but so is Haverford. Maybe I would say Haverford, with the soccer thing. But, Bowdoin’s government program is really good. I think it was rated #1 in the world or something a few years back. That’s what the tour guide told us when we walked by the government building on a tour. Bowdoin does have an nice campus.</p>
<p>Yah, it is a really tough decision. I mean I like both of the locations despite their differences. If I had to hypothetically create the perfect school, however, I think it would be in a location similar to that of haverford.</p>
<p>I go to Bowdoin and one of my closest friends goes to Haverford, so I know a little bit about their differences. Honestly, as much as I love Bowdoin, if you have a chance to play soccer and you really like soccer, I’d pick Haverford. My friend is actually on the soccer team there and he really likes it. As far as I can tell, academically, both schools are really similar–going to Haverford for Poli Sci would, in the long run, be no different than going to Bowdoin for Government. From what my friend and I have talked about, the major differences are in campus cultures–Bowdoin is very much a typical new england liberal arts college–generally, more prep schoolers, somewhat of a heavier drinking scene, more emphasis on athletics, whereas Haverford seems to be a bit more quirky. These are generalizations obviously, but I think they’re helpful. As far as locations go, my friend and I are fairly similar and ended up both liking our schools, so I think you could probably be happy in either place unless you are just dying to be near the city (in which case haverford is the clear choice). Anyways, I think Haverford has a clear advantage (soccer) unless the Bowdoin culture really draws you in for some reason over that of Haverford’s. Good luck with everything!</p>