StudentsReview :: Brandeis University - Extra Detail about the Comment
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Brandeis University

How this student rated the school
Educational QualityA- Faculty AccessibilityA-
Useful SchoolworkA- Excess CompetitionB+
Academic SuccessA Creativity/ InnovationB+
Individual ValueB+ University Resource UseC-
Campus Aesthetics/ BeautyB+ FriendlinessB+
Campus MaintenanceB- Social LifeC-
Surrounding CityB- Extra CurricularsC
SafetyA
Describes the student body as:
Arrogant, Closeminded

Describes the faculty as:
Friendly, Helpful, Arrogant

Female
SAT1230
Quite Bright
Lowest Rating
University Resource Use
C-
Highest Rating
Academic Success
A
She cares more about University Resource Use than the average student.
Date: Jan 28 2002
Major: Political Science (This Major's Salary over time)
I do not regret having attended this school, although I have not been entirely satisfied for the past 4 years. Overall, if you attend Brandeis, you will learn wonderful things: you will have the opportunity to take many extremely interesting classes in lots of different fields, meet bright peers and brilliant professors. You will get a high quality liberal arts education that will prepare you for almost any career, and will make you an intellectually curious person.

I guess the main problem I had with this Brandeis, however, is the very academically-intense culture, a mindset that is depressing and hard to deal with at times. Students are generally very serious about their work, but lack a sort of open-mindedness, or willingness to go out and explore. I thought that college was supposed to be a time of self-discovery, but most students here cloister themselves up in their rooms all the time to study. Although their devotion to learing demonstrates a maturity that most college students (especially freshman) have not developed, and that's a good thing, it also points to an immaturity in other ways, social ways.

At Brandeis, it's hard to avoid getting swept up by this very intense mindset, and I often remind other students that they are not living a life of misery and pain; they are not welfare mothers or prisoners of war. Many Brandeis students too often forget to lighten up and have fun.

Brandeis, like many exclusive academic instituitions, is an artificial world. It is (perceived to be) extremely safe, aesthetically nice, suburban, and most students do not work or have financial troubles. Many students come from fairly comfortable economic backgrounds, and there are many naive students. Socially, students form cliques (don't worry, you will find your own eventually), which are very hard to break out from once formed.

If you are a city person like me, you will feel extremely constrained by the almost-rural feel to the campus. Do not be fooled by the school's proximity to Boston. You will not get out much, and if you do, it will most likely be to go to the suburbanized Harvard Square.

Oh yes, another thing. Most Brandeis students have this complex that they are academically inferior to the people at the ivy's, so therefore, they spend their entire 4 years here trying to make the grades to get into Harvard Law/Med/Grad School. It's disconcerting. I wish they would just be happy being who they are—bright, but not geniuses. But then again I'd probably get flogged for that comment on this campus. Arrogance does abound.

So I will say that Brandeis life has had it's ups and downs. I've learned a lot, but at a cost. I think that Brandeis is one of those schools you appreciate having gone to from afar, as an alumnus or alumna, so as a senior I can reflect positively on these experiences. However, most students here would tell you that they're unhappy. Still, it's a good school and opportunities abound.

Responses
questionAre you serious? I'm a city type like you are & similarly opposed to stressful education. I probably will attend Brandeis this spring but just by what you said…I'm thinking of transferring already.
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