Bard College Top Questions

The professors are very personal. I love all my classes. People are constantly atudying. Participation is a big part of your grade in many classes. Bard is all about intellectualism inside and outside of the classroom. I'm doing my own program, Neurochemistry, and both departments are pretty good (new labs are great). I work with my professors outside of class. There are alot of requirements, but still alot of freedom. It is geared towards learning for its own sake.

Professors always know your name, you are in small classes and all classes are discussion based. Students study a lot, but always have time for the other aspects of life.

My professors have been great for the most part. They're smart and weird and know my name.

1) The professors definitely know my name. They also invite me over for brunch and call my cellphone when I'm late to class. 2) My favorite class was an art history course with Laurie Dahlberg on 19th century photography. She's knowledgeable, accessible, and enthusiastic. My least favorite class was Accelerated Spanish, but only because I had to be there at 8:45 every morning. 3) It depends upon what you mean by "study." In the traditional sense of memorizing definitions, names and dates, that kind of thing only really takes place in introductory courses before an exam. In the broader sense, constantly. One of the things I love about Bard is that there is perpetual open dialog about class material. Bard values the Socratic method, which is carried out both inside and outside of the classroom. 4) Class participation is inevitable. You can't hide in the back of a 10-student class. 5) Have you ever been drunk at a party and discussed Foucault? Because I have, more times than I can count. 6) Students are competitive with themselves, not with each other. It's an atypically supportive environment. 7) The most unique class I've taken is the Photography Senior Seminar. Larry Fink, the famed photographer who runs the class, arrives two hours late, chirps scandalous anecdotes between harmonica solos, and offers some of the most brilliant and constructive critique imaginable. 8) I major in photography. The professors are lovably quirky, invaluably well-connected, wise, talented, and always willing to help. I had initially planned on majoring in human rights, but before I even had a chance to take a human rights course, I fell in love with the photo department. They bring in three lecturers per semester, and often the professors bring in their genius artist friends to class to speak and critique our work. All seniors are provided with their own darkrooms. The department just built a brand new, state of the art digital lab. We have a reputation for being competitive, because limited space in the program demands several portfolio reviews for readmission. My class, for example, had 50 photo majors in it my freshman year. Now, as a senior, we are down to 18. However, only two students were actually cut from the program. Most people just aren't hardcore enough to follow through. It's pretty demanding, not to mention expensive. 9) Yes, they do. My photography professors invite me to their studios and openings. My art history professors invite me to their homes for dinner. My advisor met with me over the summer just to indulge me in a pep talk about my senior project. All professors have office hours, too, and are always happy to meet with students. 10) I think the academic requirements are generally fair. Students who complain about distribution requirements clearly misunderstand the goal of a liberal arts education. Moreover, it's pretty easy to get around a requirement. Students who fear science can take Field Study in Natural History, aka the nature walk class. The foreign language requirement can be circumvented with a Russian Literature course -- in English. The only complaint I had about requirements was within my own department. We're required to take The Physics of Light and Color. The class is designed for art students who can't add. As someone who was offered a full scholarship for physics, it was a bit tedious for me when we spent a full class period learning why 3/3 does not equal 3, as a significant portion of the class got that little calculation wrong on the homework. UGH. 11) Education at Bard is definitely geared toward learning for its own sake, though faculty is always willing to offer career guidance. The Career Development Office is kind of a joke.

Academics are what you make them. The classes are no breeze as they have large amounts of reading no matter where you go (that means even math majors aren't safe!). The school emphasises writing which is evident through the L&T 3 week introduction to college the school puts on for incoming freshman. The campus is closed but to fall athletes and Freshman for orientation and a reading and writing intensive program during the day. It's a good chance for students to get a feel for how important writing and reading are at Bard. But really, it's like any college, work work work. Classes are usually small, with introductory course such as microeconomics being the biggest you'll ever sit through numbering 30 people. Class participation becomes more important and participated in after introductory courses when everyone starts starts to take classes that they are really and truely interested in. With so few core requirements, you're really given a chance to explore at Bard. Competition is minimal and if it exists, it's usually hush and hush. No one admits they work hard, and no one admits they are naturally talented. But beleive me, everyone seems to be exceptionally good at something, or exceptionally interesting, if for some reason they feel they need to hide their attributes (which a Bard kid who wants to rediscover themselves would!). I have heard however many horror stories about life after Bard, how the school isn't very helpful when it comes to career directing. I think that the truth is too many kids graduate with obscure degrees in odd fields since you can make up, for the most part, whatever major you like here.

Bard students have the reputation of being very laid back about their grades and school work. This reputation is completely false, students at Bard are very competitive and will do anything to get an A. The proffesors make sure no students fall behind.

I frequently will discuss classes or topics inspired by a class with my friends in our spare time. However, I would hardly say our free time is dominated by talk of school. There are some research opportunities for undergrads, but you really need to be willing to make it happen for yourself. Writing a senior project is mandatory.