![Rhodes Beach Summer](http://vebl.gharsocho.com/sites/default/files/styles/hero_lg/public/2023-07/Summer_Photography_Website-026.jpg?h=86f399f9&itok=iKkeAtZw)
Adventurous Academics
Hone your intellect in small classes with our 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio, learn from every angle and frequently apply your knowledge to scenarios outside the classroom.
First-Year Seminar
Our Emily Balch Seminars introduce all first-year students at Bryn Mawr to a critical, probing, thoughtful approach to the world and our roles in it.
Through intensive reading and writing, the E-Sem challenges students to think about complex, wide-ranging issues from a variety of perspectives.
![Admissions Balch feature](/sites/default/files/styles/feature_image_detail_large_lg/public/2023-07/Page%208-9_2%20%282%29%20%281%29.jpg?h=265e640d&itok=80MXnd53)
Micah Sheppard, '26"My E-Sem was called Empathy—I loved having a writing seminar where I could learn the philosophical aspects of a concept and why we use it. My E-Sem was very impactful for me because it made me feel comfortable writing at the college level and my professor really made me feel encouraged and supported in the adjustment to the classroom environment."
Academics Applied
Summer Science Research
At Bryn Mawr, science and mathematics students have the opportunity to work alongside professors each summer through the Summer Science Research program. Qualified applicants are awarded a $5,000 stipend to fund a 10-week independent research project, conducted with the guidance of Bryn Mawr faculty. The experience also includes professional development workshops and a poster session where students present their research to the college community.
![students on hike](/sites/default/files/styles/feature_image_detail_large_lg/public/migrated-files/360.jpg?h=c44fcfa1&itok=cCSok6Gg)
Interdisciplinary Opportunities
Interdisciplinary and interactive, 360° Course Clusters build on Bryn Mawr's strong institutional history of applying learning outside the classroom. You'll take 2-3 courses that are grounded in different disciplines, but organized around a central theme or question. Each cluster includes an experiential component that is entirely College-funded and provides you the opportunity to bond with faculty and peers, while reflecting on the intersectionality of your work. Through the 360° experience, you'll learn to shape arguments through writing and research, develop strategies for teamwork that push the limits of your creativity, and work with professors and scholars to engage in big-picture thinking.