Bryn Mawr College

Date: Feb 06 2005
Major: Geography and Geosciences (This Major's Salary over time)
I came to Bryn Mawr as a person who devalued their own opinion, and as a person overly concerned with how others would feel if my opinion differed from theirs. I rarely had a voice. At Bryn Mawr, there were only 5 people in my major and I quickly found my much needed voice. I was an athlete, a scholar, and a part of an amazing community. I was spoiled by the experience. I have not met such incredible people together in one place since, and I've found graduate school standards and expectations ridicuously easy in comparison. At Bryn Mawr, my opportunities were only limited by time. I was always in charge and I was quite happy.

I frequently hear people commenting that there is no reason for a womens' college now; I am far from silent. In my own experience, there is so much fuel for arguing the opposite and winning that debate. I went to Bryn Mawr… I had four years of intense study, relentless questioning, with peers who wanted the same. The environment was one of self-reflection and self-competition which is far from the one I see around me. However, it is much easier to deal with the real world when you have an ideal to strive towards. I only have to look around me now and see other women who have not had my experience. They are too worried about what everyone thinks. Perhaps I would be the same had gone to a small coed college. I doubt it.