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.