About Bard College

Founded in 1860, Bard College. is a Private college. Located in New York, which is a city setting in New York, the campus itself is Town. The campus is home to 1,970 full time undergraduate students, and 334 full time graduate students.

The Bard College Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 10:1. There are 203 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Bard College include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.

Quick Facts

Acceptance Rate56%
Application Deadline
Application Fee50
SAT Range
ACT Range

Admissions at are considered Selective, with ,16% of all applicants being admitted.

In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 10 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.

99% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 95% were in the top quarter, and 62% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.

STUDENT LIFE

We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Bard College.

3%
“We”re apathetic”
22%
“We know about current events and vote”
54%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
22%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
5%
“We save it for the classroom”
13%
“Sometimes, but not often”
34%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
47%
“All the time, including weekends”
5%
“I”m always terrified”
0%
“I only go out in groups”
28%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
67%
“I feel extremely safe”
86%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
7%
“We bought the gear”
7%
“We live for the big game”
5%
“It”s not really our thing”
0%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
34%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
61%
“We”re a very artistic group”
3%
“Haven”t met them”
0%
“Available in class”
58%
“They keep regular office hours”
39%
“They”re always available”
92%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
0%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
3%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
5%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
3%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
15%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
46%
“We only party on weekends”
36%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
3%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
10%
“There might be people who do”
49%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
38%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
3%
“We”re apathetic”
22%
“We know about current events and vote”
54%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
22%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
5%
“We save it for the classroom”
13%
“Sometimes, but not often”
34%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
47%
“All the time, including weekends”
5%
“I”m always terrified”
0%
“I only go out in groups”
28%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
67%
“I feel extremely safe”
86%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
7%
“We bought the gear”
7%
“We live for the big game”
5%
“It”s not really our thing”
0%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
34%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
61%
“We”re a very artistic group”
3%
“Haven”t met them”
0%
“Available in class”
58%
“They keep regular office hours”
39%
“They”re always available”
92%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
0%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
3%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
5%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
3%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
15%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
46%
“We only party on weekends”
36%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
3%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
10%
“There might be people who do”
49%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
38%
“There”s a huge drug scene”

Bard College REVIEWS

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  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    57 Students rated on-campus housing 3.1 stars. 11 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate off-campus housing?

    47 Students rated off-campus housing 3.1 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus food?

    59 Students rated campus food 2.5 stars. 7 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus facilities?

    59 Students rated campus facilities 3.6 stars. 15 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate class size?

    59 Students rated class size 4.3 stars. 56 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate school activities?

    59 Students rated school activities 3.6 stars. 27 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate local services?

    59 Students rated local services 3.4 stars. 19 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate academics?

    59 Students rated academics 3.9 stars. 47 % gave the school a 5.0.

What's your overall opinion of Bard College?

16 Students rated Bard College

Sameer - 12/16/2023

My opinion of Bard College is generally positive, as I was also able to benefit from their early college system. I attended a BHSEC (Bard High School Early College) where I also received an associate degree from Bard College and up to 60 transferrable credits. Attending a Bard campus gave me a safe place to ponder the world, and adequately set me up for my future.

stella

Bard College isn't a bad school. The academics are above average and I've learned to become a politically active member of civil society. We're encouraged to get involved and support local organizations which I love doing. The small-town atmosphere is most likely homely and welcoming to most, but not really my thing (I'm a city girl at heart). To anyone looking to get involved in social activism or enhance your artistic abilities, this is the place. If you really enjoy school-led glow stick parties, this is also the place. The professors here really care about the individual students and intellectual conversations are prevalent. I've definitely grown a lot since coming here.

Rhonda

My daughter was a very excited freshman in September 2015. Two weeks into the Language and Thinking Program, which is an introduction to the liberal arts and sciences with a particular focus on writing, she started feeling sick. Her fever shot up high, and she felt like she couldn't go to classes. We recommended her to go to student health services to feel better. She had gone five times and was misdiagnosed five times as having the flu, a cold, strep throat, tired and homesick! A week and a half had gone by, with numerous phone calls from her complaining of not feeling well. We live on the other side of the country in California, so we tried to get her to a real doctor in town near Bard. That was seeming impossible to figure out, because Bard is VERY SECLUDED. We couldn't find a doctor to treat her. I flew out to New York and traveled to the Hudson River Valley of upstate New York to figure out how to help my daughter. When I saw her, she looked like she had lost 20 lbs. and was definitely dehydrated. No one was helping her get food or water. I demanded she get a blood test and the results said she had mononucleosis. The school BARD, did not care for my daughter, the student health services did not care for my daughter. I took my daughter out of school as the finance department demanded that we pay 70{6f65e1278338a62264eed73e2adc5af8e2841420db12ceb4f80b8db22f3260ec} of the remaining semester! My daughter had only been there a couople of weeks, and most of the time there, she was in bed - sick! The president of the school, Leon Botstein, started emailing us demanding to be paid. BARD IS THE WORST!

Clea

Bard College is probably the best place I have ever been. I suffer from several severe mental illnesses, and I have never felt as accommodated and supported as I do here. The academics are amazing, the classes are small, the teachers are available, and the campus is gorgeous! The students are kind and driven for the most part. This is where I feel truly at home.

Bard College FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at Bard College?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Bard College is 56%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.

  2. What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

    Visit the school, try and find out what the school's values are, what the school's philosophy is, don't base your decision off of who gives you the most aid. Find out what the classes are like, what books teachers ask you to read and what the professors are like. Also, make sure you like the look of your campus, you dont want to feel it's dirty or too noisy. Your campus is your home for the next four years you should love it.

    Read all  54 answers
  3. Describe the students at your school.

    intellectual, academically driven, east coast culture, well traveled, worldly, well read, liberal.

    Read all  39 answers
  4. Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

    Yes, most of the students are those kids you knew in high school who never really fit in. Chances are, if you're at all "mainstream" you'll have a hard time finding your place here. There really are all types of people here though, it's just difficult to find them. You pretty much are only friends with the people you live with. It's hard to socialize outside your dorm, especially when the weather gets bad. For such a small school, it seems even smaller since there are so many little cliques. And no, not everyone is a pothead. But at times it can really seem like it. A LOT of kids at Bard smoke pot. There's not a lot of pressure to do it, but chances are you won't go the whole four years here without at least trying it.

    Read all  27 answers
  5. What are the academics like at your school?

    Classes are tiny. If you're a freshman, you'll have a hard time getting into any. Bard does offer a lot of courses, as you may see in their course book, but the catch is that they're not all offered every semester. So one semester there may be a class you want to take but can't get into, but there's no guarantee that class will be there next semester. Plus, Bard has this thing called moderation. You can't just major in whatever you want, you have to take classes in it, and usually in your sophomore or junior year you are evaluated by a moderation panel and they decide whether or not you are "worthy" of that major. And no, I know they tell you you can make your own major but that's just not true. It's very difficult to make your own major and extremely rare. Even double majoring is difficult because there's not much time to moderate into both fields, and doing two different senior projects is hell. What most people end up doing is majoring in interdisciplinary studies so they can combine two different fields that they're interested in. Bard makes all first year students take a First Year Seminar class which is pretty much just an Intro to Philosophy class. You have to read works of Plato, Nietzsche, Mary Shelley, Blake, Rousseau, Locke, and pretty much any other philosopher you've ever heard of. The readings can be interesting but you're not given much time to read them since it's such a broad overview. And there are a few papers required for the course as well. There are two different sets of academic requirements: Those classes you need to graduate and those classes you need to moderate. For more information on distribution requirements go to http://www.bard.edu/academics/curriculum/

    Read all  27 answers
  6. What is the stereotype of students at your school?

    All Bard kids are hipsters who sit in their room doing coke while listening to old Pavement B-Sides and counting their parents' money.

    Read all  27 answers
  7. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    The best thing at Bard is the weekend breakfast. It's served till 2pm and they bring out the waffle maker! Although it's difficult to make a waffle because there's only one waffle maker and the line is usually very long. The reason breakfast is so wonderful is because, as most Bard students will tell you, food at Kline, the main dining hall, SUCKS. Most students try to go to Manor, the nicer dining hall, or eat off campus (which can get expensive really fast). Bard is really small. Very small. In fact, there's only one place on campus to go to socialize besides the dorms, and thats the Campus Center. The Campus Center has a game room which is pretty much just a tv and two arcade games next to a change machine. There's a computer lab, a vending machine, a pool table, and an on-campus eatery called Down The Road. On the weekends clubs rent out the dining halls for parties, and there are usually performances on the weekends, but beyond that there's not a huge social scene. Even at the parties and performances, one rarely ever socializes with people they don't already know. So even though there aren't many students, there are always people you haven't met. Also, Bard offers a lot of lectures, and open-mic night which is where students can pretty much just put on an improv talent show every week. When you tell someone you go to Bard, the reactions are pretty mixed depending on where the person is from. They either say "What's that?", "Oh, Barnard!", "I hear that school's full of creeps," or "Ooo! Bard! Congratulations!" The "college town" is called Red Hook which isn't actually the same town that Bard is in, but it's the closest town there is. It has a CVS, a couple diners, a cute little Bagel Shoppe, and Hannafords. If you go to Bard, you've gone on at least one late night trip to Hannafords which is the 24 hour grocery store near by. As for bigger stores like Target and WalMart, the closest place that has those is Kingston, which is impossible to get to without taking the shuttle or having a car. Bard is rural. They're not kidding about that. There are things that could possibly be walking distance but only if you feel like taking a VERY long walk. IT IS VERY USEFUL TO HAVE A CAR AT BARD. The campus is pretty spread out, and it's not likely that someone on south campus is going to feel like trekking up to north campus for class when the weather is really bad (and it will be really bad, and classes are rarely cancelled). Also, if you ever want to go to the city or out of town for the weekend, there aren't any shuttles to the train stations so you have to take a car. You won't be happy at Bard for very long without a car, or at least someone who has a car. There is no school spirit. People go to sporting events but usually just about a handful, and they're usually girlfriends of the players. Bard has it's own nude magazine called "The Moderator." Every year The Moderator has a party to celebrate it's release and these parties are clothing optional. I hear they used to get pretty crazy, but recently they changed the rules so that the party can't go passed 10, so this year it ended up as just kind of a scantilly clad cheese and crackers party.

    Read all  26 answers
  8. What are the most popular student activities/groups?

    Bard College Step performance at the Spring ASO Blowout 2007

    Read all  22 answers
  9. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    Bard doesn't encourage competition, but it provides opportunities to inspire yourself.

    Read all  19 answers
  10. Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

    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.

    Read all  14 answers
  11. Describe your favorite campus traditions.

    We house the American symphony and have the youngest person to become a college president

    Read all  10 answers
  12. What's unique about your campus?

    not competive, beatuiful campus

    Read all  10 answers
  13. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    not very diverse politically, ethnically, or socio-economically.

    Read all  10 answers
  14. What kind of person should not attend this school?

    Conservative Republicans

    Read all  8 answers
  15. What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

    People's inability to see beyond their own circumstances in order to better understand the ways in which another person was raised or grew up, or the situation that another person finds themself in that may differ from one's own. A lot of people are too wrapped up in their own lives and beliefs to begin to understand those of other people.

    Read all  7 answers
  16. What kind of person should attend this school?

    liberal crazies

    Read all  6 answers
  17. What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

    I wish I had known that it's ok not to know what you want to study right off the bat.

    Read all  5 answers
  18. What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?

    The small classes, the fantastic teachers, the exciting classes, the creativity and intelligence of all the students here, the beautiful campus, the wonderful academics, the great opportunities. It's a great school. X-men was created here and Steely Dan.

    Read all  5 answers
  19. What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

    Bard students are typically labeled as hipsters who smoke weed all the time. The two small towns arounds us (Redhook and Tivoli) like to call Bard students "Fairies in the forest" (not a compliment). The definition of a hipster is someone who follows trends. We wear clothes with holes, high waisted shorts, smoke cigarettes and drink out of mason jars. I don't see the rest of the world doing that. Another stereotype of Bard students is that we're known for being very intellectual. We like having thought provoking conversations outside of class. We take time to talk with our professors outside of class about current world events that relate to their discipline. I can promise you that you'll never have a dull conversation.

    Read all  1 answers

Student Body

Students

58%

female

42%

male

1,970

Total Undergrad Enrollment

334

Total Grad Students

58%

Out-Of-State

28%

In-State

14%

International

Organizations

150

Student Organizations

N/A

Fraternities

N/A

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

63%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
1%
% Asian/Pacific Islander
6%
% Black or African-American
8%
% Hispanic/Latino
3%
% White or Caucasian
59%

TUITION & AID

All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA. Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.

66% of students attending Bard College receive some sort of financial aid. 21% were awarded federal grants. While 48% received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$51,384

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$950

Books and Supplies

$14,540

Room and Board

66,874

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$21,568
$30 - $48K
$19,159
$48 - $75K
$29,038
$75 - $110K
$31,685
$110K & UP
$43,829

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

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