Like “cheese-ick” (it rhymes with Cheese-Its, a favorite snack of Chesick Scholars!)

Any entering student with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $7500 or less, as determined by Haverford’s Financial Aid department,  and students who have neither parent earning a bachelor’s degree. Some additional students who do not meet these exact guidelines are also invited.

Yes, you can choose to sign up for those parts that you think will be most useful to you.

No – on the contrary, you will gain access to many totally free resources as a consequence of your participation.

While it is not guaranteed, yes, many Chesick Scholars have successfully joined research programs, even in their first year. Both First-In and Horizons will give more details on how this works, and how to get funding for term-time and summer research.

Chesick Scholars have told us that one of the most important aspects of the program is the friendships they’ve made over the summer and during the preCustoms program. Many students find the academic culture on campus takes some getting used to, and having a supportive group of scholars makes it easier to transition to College-level work.

Yes—there's lots more to being a Chesick Scholar than these introductory summer programs. While we hope you'll attend at least one of them, if you choose not to, we'll still reach out to you about joining the other parts of the Chesick program (e.g. Mentoring, First-Year Seminar) that take place during the academic year.

FLI (also known as FGLI) stands for First Generation/Low-Income. First Generation means that neither parent of the student has attained a US-based Bachelor’s degree. Low-income status is determined by the student’s Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as calculated by the Haverford’s Office of Financial Aid. Note that not all students who identify as first generation also identify as low income, and vice versa. FLI students’ stories, like all students’ stories, are complex and unique and allowing students to self-define is central.

Yes! As long as you are a first-generation and/or low-income student, you are a Chesick Scholar at Haverford. We have many Questbridge Scholars in the Chesick family (in addition to Philadelphia Fellows, Gates Millennium Scholars, etc.).

That’s OK – we hope you can attend in person, but we will be recording the first part (large group information part) and making these available for off-line viewing.

That’s OK – join as soon as you can.

Email the Chesick Program coordinator Julian Jackson (jjackson2 [at] haverford.edu) and he will discuss options with you.

Unfortunately, due to strict COVID policies, we cannot accommodate arrivals before the start date.

Students with travel plans that make it difficult or impossible to arrive by 4pm on the first day of Horizons can come in one day earlier – contact Julian Jackson (jjackson2 [at] haverford.edu) for permission.

The SEPTA train to/from the Philadelphia International Airport is a good, inexpensive option once you are set up and established on campus, but not when you arrive for the first time, if you have lots of luggage. Since you have to change trains at 30th Street, you’ll need to carry your luggage from one platform to the next. And, there is a 15 minute walk from the Haverford train station to your dorm.

Prices have been rising lately, from the usual $40 plus tip, and can be as much as $75 depending on availability.

No, it is not permitted for family members to stay overnight in your dorm room.

No, we ask family members to leave after the 4 p.m. reception on the first day. Horizons has a packed schedule, and during unscheduled times, you’ll be wanting to hang out with other students.

Yes, all of your meals will be provided during Horizons and Customs.

Prof. Jeff Tecosky-Feldman (“Jeff TF”) is a local Philadelphian and has lots of knowledge about the logistics of arriving by train, bus, air or car. Contact him at jtecosky [at] haverford.edu">jtecosky [at] haverford.edu.

There aren’t any hotels close to campus! There is a Hilton Homewood Suites on City Avenue about a 15 minute drive from Haverford – prices vary. Villanova University, also about 15 minutes from campus, rents accommodations in dorms and apartment-style rooms but these may not be available in Summer 2021 due to COVID concerns. There are many budget-priced hotels in Plymouth Meeting (about 20 minutes away by car).

• Mapes has two stores very close to campus (walking distance): a hardware store on Lancaster Ave two blocks from campus which has many housewares, and an old-fashioned “general store” on Rittenhouse Place (15 minute walk)  which has EVERYTHING from lamps, teakettles, board games, birdseed, underwear (you get the idea).
• There’s a CVS and Rite Aid Pharmacy, both open 24 hours, within a few blocks of campus.
• There’s a WAWA convenience store, open 24 hours, a few blocks from campus.
• The closest “regular” supermarket to campus is ACME located in Bryn Mawr on Lancaster Ave, about 1 mile from campus. But there’s a Trader Joe’s supermarket in Suburban Square in Ardmore (which is an open-air shopping mall, and has other, mostly expensive stores.) This is about 1.5 miles from campus, an easy walk.
• There’s a Bed, Bath and Beyond in Wynnewood, about 3 miles from campus (across from the Wynnewood train station) which has many items useful for dorm living.
• There’s a Target on Monument Road about 6 miles from campus.