<p>I actually sort of liked the idea of the Haverford honor code. If anything, I was dissappointed when I actually read a copy (which was considered such a strange request from an applicant that it actually took the admissions department quite a while to figure out where I could get one) and found out that in the last few years its been stripped of most of its actual substance and specificity. Now, it’s a string of platitudes- “be honest,” “respect others,” etc. I mean, that’s not so much a code. Everyone knows you should strive for those things, the whole point of the honor code is supposed to be to help you get there.</p>
<p>However, even though I appreciated the idea of the honor code, my tour guide still completely over-sold it. He made it sound like it was the only important thing about Haverford, and like every school without an honor code is innately less worthy. I’m not saying this is really a problem with the school, but from this experience combined with the stories from other tours I think its at least some bad PR.</p>
<p>I would have been happy to go to a college with an honor code, but was less happy about the idea of attending what seemed like almost an “honor institution” first and a college second. I agree with “fit” to the extent that if you can’t stand the idea of an honor code, you shouldn’t go there. Still, I felt that the school wasn’t very welcoming to people who just don’t want their entire life to revolve around the honor code.</p>