Bard College Top Questions

Bard College offers a holistic education where you can study many different subjects. No matter which subject it is the professor is a master of the subject and the class is demanding. However, there is a good balance between academics and the arts. It is a liberal school where literally everyone is unique and has their own style. In addition, it is a small college. Thus, professor to student interactions are closers and professors are more widely available which is a very special asset to the school.

What I love about Bard is how small and personal of an atmosphere it offers. There are only about 400 people in my class. When I need help or guidance, or want to make something happen, I can easily find someone who'll listen to me and trust that I'll get a response. The anonymity of a large state university doesn't exist here; everyone is a lot more accountable for their education. Having the luxury of such a small student body comes with the expectation that you will take command of your education and take it seriously.

Bard is small, the faculty are amazing--they're incredibly eager to meet with and listen to students: they're always available. Bard doesn't have any frats or sororities so it's up to the students to create a cohesive community. One can feel as much a part of campus and as if they're participating in student life if they're living off campus because it's such a small area people tend to congregate in the same locations. People may be standoffish but they're all interesting and smart.

Bard provides a fantastic academic environment, but I was fairly unhappy with the social scene there. People are unfriendly and sometimes downright nasty. There were groups of nice people doing very positive, important things, but a lot of that gets overshadowed by the trendy, hipster, perpetually-unhappy vibe. That said, Bard provided me the intellectual atmosphere I needed to thrive. I would absolutely recommend it to any student with a serious interest in expanding their knowledge and gaining a broader view. There is so much opportunity there to blossom academically that, at least for me, it outwighed the negativity.

very precise and creative sense of self

Bard is innovative in its admissions policy and overall pedagogy. Bard does not require SAT scores and does not value AP scores because it does not believe in standardized measures. This results in an emphasis on real critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and deep thought over mere test-taking savviness.

It has a really remarkable foreign languages program, and is second best for film in the country (so I've heard).

As a prospective student, take a class if you can. What suprised me the most about coming to Bard was how different classes were from what I was used to. You could walk around Annandale all day and not get a feel for what the learning environment is like.

Bard is definitely not for everyone, but it's an amazing place!!! It was my first choice!!

The high level of apathy on campus makes students resort to drinking and drugs to while away the time between weekdays when classes, homework, and club meetings take up most peoples' time. It is very unusual to find someone who does not drink alcohol or smoke pot or do other things. Speaking from experience, you will most likely feel awkward if you avoid these things. Also, despite the numerous Jews here, going to temple is almost out of the question; religion is kind of a joke.