<p>I am a senior math major at Bryn Mawr and I have interacted quite a bit with the math departments at Haverford and Penn. In my opinion, Haverford offers the best of all worlds!</p>
<p>Math at Haverford is demanding yet supportive. (In contrast, math at Bryn Mawr is supportive but lacks in rigor, while Penn has a “sink or swim” attitude.) I am particularly impressed by the close interactions between faculty and students at Haverford. Students and faculty regularly mingle in the math lounge and it’s not rare for professors to give impromptu lectures or try to solve logic puzzles with students. Professors are also happy to include motivated students in their research work, both during the summer and the academic year. Most professors have open door policies and are on a first-name basis with students. Overall, there’s an atmosphere of mutual collaboration. </p>
<p>If you decide to go to Haverford, I would highly encourage you to take advantage of the resources of the greater Philadelphia area. Haverford, Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore and Penn taken together offer a huge variety of advanced courses, and there are amazing colloquia, seminars and workshops throughout the area (don’t forget Princeton, Temple, Drexel, …).</p>