Brandeis is within easy walking distance of pretty much everything a student could need. There are pharmacies, a hospital, salons, coffee houses, a movie theater, a grocery store, a farmer’s market, kayaking on the Charles… There are also lots of shops and restaurants on Moody Street, which is quite close to campus. There is a train station on the edge of campus that goes into Cambridge and Boston in one direction and out to Concord and a place called Wachusett (with skiing about ten minutes from the train station) in the other direction. There are campus shuttles for around town and a Brandeis bus between campus and Cambridge and Boston. Definitely no need for a car.
eta There is a great network of bike paths in the area too, with a path along the Charles into Boston a few blocks from campus.