Dealing with change is tough. This is especially true when it comes to transferring schools. Transferring requires saying goodbye to the familiar and saying hello to the unknown. This fear is softened, however, when the community you’re entering is as welcoming as Merion Mercy Academy.
It is now October, and the school year at MMA is in full swing. From classwork to club commitments, one would expect there to be an ”every woman for herself” mindset. However, this is not the case at MMA.
Looking from the outside in, Merion seems to be a positive environment filled with a strong women-uplifting-women mentality, and I can confirm that this could not be more true. Along with there being this empowering attitude among students, the faculty also joins in on this through their active participation in school tradition and their moderation of student-led clubs.
Since transferring from Cardinal O’Hara, the contrast I’ve seen between the two schools is stark. Yes, one is a coed, Archdiocesan high school and the other is an all-girls, college preparatory school. Nonetheless, those superficial traits don’t even begin to describe the many distinctions between the two schools.
The most significant difference, I’ve found, lies in the students. As mentioned earlier, there is a big focus on women supporting women, but more than that, each student is held to this standard. Moreover, each student is expected to actively engage in the community and welcome one another with open arms. This is especially refreshing because one can easily tell that those partaking in afterschool activities are choosing to do so and not required.
More importantly, when asked about their high school experience, all the alumnae I’ve talked to had an overwhelmingly positive experience. They enjoyed every aspect of life at MMA and were excited when I communicated to them my thoughts about transferring. Some of the alumnae I talked to even told me about how they are still invested in many of the traditions at Merion.
Furthermore, what Merion has, as both a school and a community, is outstandingly special. Those who go here are innately welcoming and amicable as well as driven and bright. As a whole, my experience here has been overwhelmingly positive, and I look forward to continuing my education in the same spot where so many other intelligent women earned their high school diplomas.