What to Expect at Bryn Mawr: Academics & Work Opportunities

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Katarina Karris-Flores, an admissions counselor at Bryn Mawr College, in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

 

What’s Covered: 

 

• Can Students Work on Campus at Bryn Mawr?
• Are Bryn Mawr Classes Challenging?
• Academic Support at Bryn Mawr
• How Bryn Mawr Helps Students Gain Professional Experience

 

 

Can Students Work on Campus at Bryn Mawr? 

 

First-year students who want to work on campus at Bryn Mawr are required to work in the dining hall their first year. As sophomores, they can opt to stay in the dining hall, work in the library or gym, or become an orientation leader, tour guide, or teaching assistant, among other things. 

 

On-campus jobs provide extensive leadership opportunities for students and aim to help them grow professionally. Students who work as tour guides, for example, are later able to become interns in the program’s office. 

 

Students do not have to qualify for work-study to apply for on-campus jobs, and many students opt to work off campus as well. 

 

Are Bryn Mawr Classes Challenging? 

 

Although Bryn Mawr does not have an honors program, all the classes are designed to be academically rigorous. 

 

The average class size at Bryn Mawr is about 14 students, and the student-to-faculty ratio is about nine to one. Introductory classes are the largest, with about 70 students in Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Anthropology, Introduction to Biology, and Introduction to Chemistry. For upper-level classes, however, the number of students decreases dramatically. 

 

Classes are discussion-focused and writing-heavy rather than relying on lecturing alone. 

 

Academic Support at Bryn Mawr

 

There are tutors available for a variety of subjects at Bryn Mawr, including at dedicated math and writing centers. These are student-run and offer in-depth feedback to help students improve in classes where they may be struggling. 

 

For students who need help learning to conduct research, the library has services available to assist. They have information and technology services as well. 

 

Each student is assigned an academic advisor at the beginning of their first year to help them stay on track. Although most students see their advisor less in later years, they can help students ensure all the necessary graduation requirements are completed throughout their time at Bryn Mawr. 

 

Given Bryn Mawr’s small size, students can build a relationship with their advisor and meet one-on-one rather than becoming a number among many.

 

How Bryn Mawr Helps Students Gain Professional Experience 

 

Through the Career and Civic Engagement Center, students are supported in finding numerous internship, externship, volunteer, and job opportunities. With Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania’s campus less than 30 minutes from Bryn Mawr, it’s easy to find a plethora of options. 

 

About 75% of students hold at least one internship during their time at Bryn Mawr. Even during the pandemic, about 65% still reported that they had at least one internship during their time at Bryn Mawr. 

 

Students are also able to participate in various forms of research with different departments on campus. Many pre-med students will choose to assist with research at local hospitals as well. 

 

Are you applying to Bryn Mawr? Find tips for the application and supplemental essays here.