Brandeis University — Attraction in Waltham

Do not go here. I graduated with honors, so I'm not some lazy drop out who didn't like working hard. If you're going into a science major, particularly a softer science, it's not a bad university to go to, but anything else is pretty weak.

I did film and arts. Halfway through my time there, the production side of the film department was essentially killed. The arts department was almost literally killed the year before I came to the school (SPRING of 2009 saw a huge controversy with the uni prez trying to sell off the entire art collection to pay some school debts. It was such a huge brouhaha that he had to resign the next year). Should have done my research. The arts have no place at Brandeis.

If you want to be a snobby trust fund kid with a degree in art history, then maybe you'll like it, but if you are actually interesting in learning a craft, or engaging with modern contemporary art, then don't go here. I learned quick that you have to teach yourself here. The professors aren't bad, but they're hampered in at all sides by the administration. Intermediate and advanced classes at Brandeis don't even rise to the level of difficulty of introductory fundamentals at many other universities. It would be like showing up for an advanced math course in university and finding out that you're going to be learning pre-algebra.

Additionally the actual college culture is very hard to relate to. If you're not jewish, you're not welcome. Well there are a fair share of rich local goys, and token minorities (and even then it's an unfortunately very very white campus), but if you come from a lower middle class or working class background, prepare to feel a little alienated and/or ashamed. Brandeis touts how close it is to Boston, but unless you're willing to pay the $16 round trip fee on the commuter rail just to get to North Station (and then after that you still gotta take a T stop or two to get anywhere interesting like Harvard Square), then you're pretty much going to spend a lot of time sitting around in dorms rooms eating pizza, or getting sick on cheap alcohol. People do not possess and adventurous attitude. Most are sheltered kids who believe firmly to sticking to the rules and doing what they're told. This does not mean that they're good kids, this only means they lack imagination or drive of their own. Freshmen year, no one has a clue what they want to major in (even after 12 years of school). Senior year a large percentage of students will still not know what they want to major in, scrabbling to qualify for whatever major they happened to fit closest to in meeting requirements. Many students will go on to grad school because they don't know how to do anything else, and after another 4 years of school, they have still yet to figure out what they want to do with their life. They've spent most of their lives as students, and they're very good at it, but probably at nothing else.

If I could go back in time, and not go to this school, I would. Unfortunately I can't, so I just have to learn from this and move on. Don't make the same mistake I did.

EDIT: I'd additionally like to add that this is my personal experience. I do not pretend that my experience is universal to people who have gone to Brandeis. But I think it's disturbingly common. I've never known a university to have such common apathy and bitterness present in the current students or alumni. It seems that for 30% of the campus Brandeis was the best experience of their lives, 30% are neutral and 40% loathed...

Graduated from Brandeis in 1993 with a BA in Politics. I can only speak from my experience during that time, and I realize how much has changed since the early 90’s. My class was one of the last to do a lot of stuff the “old fashioned way”, eg physically going to the library as the only option for research, scheduling office hours to meet with professors in person before email (or texting), etc. Internet explosion was right around the corner, so no social media yet either, which I’m glad didn’t exist then. I wouldn’t want to go to any college, Brandeis included, today. Societal pressures are tough enough at that age without having to curate an online presence too.

Academics are excellent in the social sciences, humanities, and history. Science and/or math were never my thing, but the few classes I had to take in that area in order to satisfy certain graduation requirements were tolerable. Overall I received a well-rounded, intensive education. Brandeis is not for students who were able to cruise through high school and do well without strenuous effort. The workload is huge, a lot is expected of you, but I learned how to manage and balance that pressure in order to achieve the high academic goals I set for myself.

Almost all professors I had were incredibly smart and interesting people, as accessible as possible, and the vast majority of classes quite small (15-20 students), apart from some freshman/sophomore intro classes. This often helped foster a more open and less structured curriculum, which worked for me.

Brandeis was not my first choice, and wasn’t for a lot of other students. It’s widely known as an Ivy League safety school, a label both a bit unfair and somewhat accurate. However, I don’t regret “having” to go here because I wasn’t accepted at my first choice. I’m thankful for the high level of quality education I received. If that’s your primary concern, in addition to its excellent reputation when it comes to applying to law, medical and other graduate schools/programs (if you choose that path) you will not be disappointed, and you’ll be well prepared for whatever the...

Firstly, I agree with the decision of the President in regards to Ms. Hirsi. Promoting hate of one group over another is not part of the Brandeis philosophy. Her comments are just as divisive as those she speaks agaisnt.

Now I will fault Brandeis for not thinking it through thoroughly before this drama unfolded, but in the end, I think they made the right decison in the end. As religion is extremely important to me, her comments are offensive to me.

But going back to Brandeis itself, it was a great visit.

We went to Harvard and MIT as well.

We liked MIT over Harvard.

Now we like Brandeis over MIT.

Brandeis is just very well rounded.

MIT produces a lot of graduates who make cool things, but when you are so focused on 1 thing like that, as much as MIT tries to keep you normal, it's just hard to do when surrounded by so many super math, science geniuses.

Now Brandeis doesn't make cool things, but they make cool people who probably live a much more meaninful happier life.

And you can still get your engineering degree from one of it's partner colleges which is also a great engineering school.

If you want to be close to the city you can by mass transit, but if you just want to ride your bike around without fighting rush hour traffic you can.

Brandeis seems to offer a real college experience. They take their work seriously and they seem to really care about you.

Go to info sessions. They give you so much information that you just can't get...