Vassar College Top Questions

I like Vassar because you have the opportunity and freedom to do what you want. You can take on leadership roles as soon as you arrive--there is space to create your own club or launch your own program. You can dabble in theater even if you're not a major, and sing with the chorus even if you're not a professional singer. The campus is beautiful in all seasons, and Poughkeepsie is an wonderful, interesting neighborhood where a lot of interesting people live, and with lots of great places to eat, listen to music, or just hang out (by the river there is a lovely park and pier). There are certainly some problems with Vassar, particularly in reference to how we as a community view ourselves in relation to the rest of Poughkeepsie, and some of the hypocrisy of a liberal, non-profit college focusing more on status and prestige than accessibility, equality, and responsible citizenship. There is also limited diversity, but more importantly, a lack of space to discuss the issues surrounding diversity at any place of higher education, and the implications and tension of those issues.

the two things I get asked are: Is that all girls still (answer: NO!), and where is that again (good old Poughkeepsie NY, not that they know where that is either). Vassar is a great academic space, where professors are always available, and going to push you on your ideas whether you like it or not. While Poughkeepsie may not seem like the greatest place, you can get to know it better than you think and there are great places to go, and there are always things going on on campus.

When I tell people that my boyfriend and I both go to Vassar, they say, "Isn't that a girls' school?" Vassar went co-ed in 1969, but some people never learn. (That's why they're not at Vassar. We learn stuff at Vassar.) There's always tons of stuff to do around campus, between plays, dance performances, comedy shows, concerts, parties, more parties, spontaneous games of Hallway Quidditch or Aliens (remember the movie?), you name it. So we don't really leave campus much. Which is good, since there isn't really anywhere to go. Although Vassar itself is quite safe, downtown Poughkeepsie isn't really a safe place to be alone at night, and there's not much going on there either. The administration is really friendly and accessible. Even more exciting is the fact that they actually listen to what students have to say! Students have an input on lots of important decisions, and it's very easy to get involved.

Vassar is extremely hard to pin-point. It is full of so many different types of people and things to do. The best thing about Vassar is that people feel comfortable to do and think whatever they like. While there are still people who pass judgment on others, Vassar is really the most open place one could go. Everyone I ever talk to feels so at ease here and not scared to show their true colors.

I love Vassar. I've met wonderful people, made great friends. One thing I really love is the atmosphere here. The opportunities are pretty much limitless: you can experiment with pretty much anything you want, and you're bound to find another group on campus that's interested in the same things you are. One thing that can be inconvenient is location--Poughkeepsie is definitely not a college town. To get to the mall or the movies or most other stores, we usually have to spend at least 20$ round trip on cab fare; the college has a weekend shuttle but it's small and unreliable. They're just starting a new shuttle system that stops at the train station, though, which is very convenient for going to NYC.

The campus is beautiful. I love walkign through the Quad and watching the seasons change...when the leaves turn colors, or when the campus is covered in snow, or blooming, its absolutely gorgeous.

The best thing about Vassar are the people. They're open and kind, social, and they want to know about you and learn from your experiences. I would change student involvement with the community. Vassar isn't very connected with the Poughkeepsie, NY area and more needs to be done about that. Vassar is just the right size. I don't know everyone here, but I recognize most faces. It's close-knit, but you can always meet new people. I spend a lot of time in the Student's Building, my dorm room, the beautiful library, or in nature when the weather is good (the campus is gorgeous). Vassar's administration tries really hard. They're trying to make school more affordable, make themselves available, and I see members around a lot. Also, if there's any event that causes alarm, they send an immediate response and make sure the community is prepared to help everyone through it.

Many people haven't heard of Vassar, so I often find myself telling them "it's the school next to Marist," and then they'll usually get it. For people who have heard of the school, they're typically surprised when I tell them that I go to Vassar, not knowing that the school became coed in the 80s. With that said, Vassar is an amazing school. I don't fit the mold for the typical student; I'm most simply classified as a jock, yet I love it here. It is true that some students are entirely anti-sports, and look down upon athletes at our school, however I very rarely find this. In fact, the concentration of people at this school who are entirely open minded and willing to get to know you is astounding. The other thing that I love about people at Vassar is that there is way more to everyone than meets the eye; the life experiences and interests of Vassar students are varied and fascinating.

If Vassar is anything, it's not your high school. Almost everyone is eccentric here, in some way, shape, or form; and while some might be more judgmental than others, by and large people just don't care if you're off or not "normal". We almost never go into Poughkeepsie, both because Vassar always has things going on, and also because actual minorities scare the crap out of us. Sports aren't big, student government isn't big...actually, there really isn't anything that's particularly popular, but most things have enough of a following to keep them going. Vassar is a fantastic place to go if you have a good sense of self definition - but if you don't, well, that's ok too.

Vassar likes to pride itself on being kind of "out there" and forward thinking, but the truth is, we're pretty moderate. Most people on campus think that green is a good thing and couldn't give a rat's ass if their neighbor is gay, but that doesn't mean that they're actually willing to do anything about it.