Bard College Top Questions

Describe the students at your school.

Kathleen

Bard students are known for being passionate, and very open-minded. There is a large population of hipsters smoking cigarettes, as well as many socially awkward and well-meaning nerds. One will also encounter plenty of vegans, vegetarians, paleo-dieters, and raw food advocates. There's a sense that everyone is unique, but in being that unique person, they end up finding a whole group of people unique in the same way as them.

Emily

Privileged white idealist hipsters.

Courtney

My classmates encompass a multitude of young intellects thinking within no boundaries.

Katelyn

Engaged, interested, intelligent, eager to pursure their interests and able to express their ideas.

Emily

Very into politics, helping others, but also social life

Samantha

Opinionated, self aware, relaxed

Tiago

Everyone at Bard has an abstract mind, a focus on passion, and a love of beauty and creativity; in short, they are hopeless romantics -- even though some go well out of their ways to hide it.

Patrick

Bard's student population consists of alot of liberal, artistically motivated individuals and international students but is afflicted by a sizeable quotient of ineffectual students from wealthy backgrounds, or students from whom Bard was a second choice to NYU.

corrie

Creative, connected, and inspiring individuals.

Caroline

Sometimes I feel they are pretentious, but mostly good-natured

jessie

They are interesting, creative people who want to learn.

KC

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

Sascha

My classmates are extremely intellectually intelligent (and at the same time, real-world airheads--totally naive and pollyanna-ish), creative, depressive, appearance-oriented, too idealistic, and often hypocritical.

Ryan

I've had some intermittent involvement with the Queer-Straight Alliance. It was a very valuable resource for me as a first-year, and to some extent still is. Bard has generally been very queer-friendly, but the place is a lot straighter than its reputation. If you're working-class or nonwhite, be aware that you're going to be around mostly people who don't have backgrounds like yours. People wear whatever to class, from pyjamas all the way up to the occasional business suit. Nobody cares what you wear to class. Trying to be fashion forward is a big thing here. (If you don't know what "fashion forward" means, you may also feel out of place.) Most Bard students are from the Northeast, but there's a lot of people from all ov..er the country, really. And at least 14{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of students are international. The overwhelming majority of our parents went to college and most make a lot more than the median income. It's rare to find someone who's apolitical, but it's not quite the hotbed of activism it's sometimes imagined to be. Bard was very strong Obama territory from early 2007--the faculty and administration more than the student body, if that's possible.

Rachel

new york hipster heaven

Travis

Bards student body is very eclectic. Strange is a relative term at Bard because everyone is at least a little weird. But the oddities tend to be a good thing. Most students are interesting well developed people with a broad range of interests and tastes.

Brian

Bard is great and frustrating for homosexuals. A majority of people here are "bisexual." This means they're ready for the pickin'... but at the same time it means there's the whole drama of "I'm just curious," or "well, I'm not really acting on it, but I'd like to stay openminded." Apart from hooking up, though. the LGBT community is extremely well recieved at Bard. The biggest dance party of the year is hosted by the Queer Alliance. Each student at Bard is completely unique and motivated. You are always surprised with the well of knowledge and interests all around you--you dont even need to go far. Everyone is motivated, smart, and good-humored; if the teachers dont inspire you, your fellow students will.

Abbie

Most of Bard consists of white, upper class students. There is a very large Jewish community, as well as a large agnostic/atheist community. There are students of all sexual orientations. There are also a fair bit of international students and a few racial minorities, but most students are white. Most Bard students are from the Northeast region, particularly New Jersey/New York//NYC/Connecticut, but there are also a lot from California as well. Almost all students are politically aware, and many are politically active as well. It's a REALLY liberal campus: Democrats, socialists, etc. Most kids joke about how little they'll make one day because of their lit/music/art/theatre major. It's probably true.

Jerry

-our diversity comes primarily from an international background rather than a racial background. Read: this campus is very white. -We have very, very, very few conservatives on campus; even these "conservatives" are probably more moderate than conservative. THAT is how liberal the student body is. -You will probably feel uncomfortable if you are a devout Christian, whether or not you consider yourself right-wing. I know several uncomfortable liberal Catholics on campus. -LGBT: you'll have no problem here, but there isn't quite as much of a community as there is a general acceptance of any gender orientation or sexual preference. In particular, while being transexual anywhere isn't 'easy', it may be less difficult at Bard simply because of the accepting atmosphere. Additionally, the Trans-Action initiative is in the process of pressuring the administration to create all unisex bathrooms and change freshman housing preferences to account for those people who physically project a different gender than they are, or who feel gender ambiguous. -Do not wear sweats and uggs to class on this campus. Everyone dresses up, even if we do like 1500 people who have been transplanted from the LES of NYC. -Yes, different types of students interact, although LARPers and students of common ethnic/racial identity tend to hang out with one another. -There are four tables of students in the dining hall. Two students at one table are furiously doing homework. Another table is having a loud conversation about Batman comics. A third table is gossiping about last night's party while playing a very animated game of cards. At the last table, a loud political debate is happening. Then, a member of the surrealist training surface runs into Kline in a costume, jumps on a table, juggles, then leaves. No one looks even moderately surprised.

Kelly

Because Bardians represent a small minority of the greater 18 to 22(ish) population of America and elsewhere, their outward appearance definitely reflects that as well. Fashion trends that are nonsensical to others can easily be found here. Examples of this include oversized and ugly glasses, thin and breathable apparel at unsuitable temperatures, ragged and worn out items for the sake of irony, and anything that was obviously obtained from a thrift store or secondhand in general. These choices have nothing to do with one's socio-economic situation; it all depends on the impression that one seeks to make. Speaking of financial status, Bard gives away a good amount of financial aid and scholarships to those who seek them, but it is fair to guess that most people come from fairly well-off families. You need to be, to afford the nearly $50,000 tuition fee each year. The majority of the college is Caucasian, and it is normal to see minorities exhibiting a fair amount of exclusivity, but there is a growing amount of racial sensitivity and awareness of potential problems that arise when race is ignored. There are some anarchists but you must look hard to spot them.

Harper

The Bard student is an awkward individual who eschews normal social conventions of politeness and etiquette- he will often snub acquaintances out of a paranoia of social interaction. He maintains the jaded deportment of one who has been there and done that although at the other end of the spectrum lies the student who is so young and idealistic that he actually thinks selling chocolate chip cookies at a bake sale is really going to have some impact on the slaughter in Darfur. The Bard student enjoys talking about world travel and its enlightening possibilities and often a conversation between two people about a foreign locale will grow competitive as they both attempt to "out-culture" each other. They will inwardly sneer at the other's experience, smug in their knowledge that they alone possessed the true, authentic taste of whatever wild, exotic culture they at that moment chose to fetishize. They are seeking "authenticity" which leads many to delude themselves into believeing that their own histories are either much more grandiose, romantic or tortuous than the bland reality from which they have actually emerged. No one wants to be thought of as soft or "over privileged" since that would surely undermine their liberal credibility. The Bard student is a condescending individual who is intent on showing you the error of your ways while he sits righteously on his high horse- a sunshine crusader who is willing to fight as long as it doesn't involve relinquishing material comforts or a dinner date for sushi. (Anyway, sushi is good because it's "cultural" and "sophisticated" and therefore must find resonance on the palate of any good liberal arts student.) The Bard student is a collegiate watchdog of liberal causes and if there is no villain to fight in the immediate vicinity, he will invent one regardless of who he is attacking or how egregiously he is misdirecting his energies. At the same time, the student cloaks his petty agendas under the mantle of noble, unassailable causes while proceeding to subvert real issues for his own ignoble ends. Although the students claim to resist trends that affect the rest of society, they are just as prone to being seduced by what is chic at the moment or what advertisers suggest will facilitate a certain image. Of course, these "rebellious" students would deny it vehemently that they had been subconsciously coerced into their fashion trends and tastes but their collective efforts to pursue lofty goals of individual expression are still chained to the social norm. White guilt runs rampant at Bard where a low level member of the administration has stated that the white student population is inherently racist. There is not so much a motion to understand other cultures as there is to flagellate oneself with other cultures. Somehow through the fetishization of non-caucasian cultural modes the students hope to be able to absolve themselves of their inter-racial dating phobias and other repressed social instincts that prevent them from truly sympathizing with the racial "other." By suffocating themselves in what they perceive to be alien, they are atoning for their genetic material and the wrongs of a degenerate society. The Bard student in short is taking drastic measures to reverse the decline of the world- one Girld Scout cookie at a time.

John

most students feel out of place at bard

Harper

The only box you can put all Bard students is just that; Bard is about the only thing that all 1700 of us have in common. Most of us have political beliefs that fall left of center, though there are exceptions, as there are exceptions to every rule here. As far as the make-up of the student body: more than 10{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of students have international backgrounds, we have students from almost every state, we represent every rung of the socio-economic ladder and the whole of the gender and sexuality spectrum. We could be doing better on racial and ethnic diversity on campus, but there are programs in place to work on this issue.

Lane

The students on campus are a bit dumpy or hipster. There is a relatively large divide ethnically.

Brett

Bard students are mainly destined for lives of poverty working as teachers, artists, writers, and thinkers. Not surprisingly, they align themselves almost exclusively to the left of the political spectrum and not a few students to the far left, studying revolutionary art, politics, and revolution in an attempt to bring on the new world revolution. Yet Bard kids also have a big range of interests, and the ease with which students maintain friendships outside of their departments is amazing. While Bard works hard to diversify its student body, we're a long way off. Most students are white and upper-middle class/middle class, although Bard does provide scholarhships for students from bad high schools and economic areas. We do have a very diverse queer community that makes up all the stripes of the rainbow (as it were).

Max

We are a bunch of atheists. We are extremely tolerant (for it's cool to be as liberal as possible here) but also tend to favor reason over faith. I feel as though I'm one of the few middle class students here. I work a job a few days a week and feel like I'm in the serious minority in doing so. There are a lot of young, affluent kids who seem to think the world is theirs for the taking, but an equal amount of rich kids who think that it's their job to save the world. It's a pretty funny mix of spoiled brats and activists, but it makes for an incredible educational experience, both socially and academically. No one talks about how much they'll earn unless they're trust fund babies. Most of us know that we're pursuing a liberal arts degree, which leads to either fame and fortune, or a starving artist kind of lifestyle. To be fair, most of the kids who choose to major in the arts have a rich daddy or mommy to fall back on. If that's you (and if your pride can take admitting it) then I encourage you to come here.

Tate

When going to Kline (dining hall), generally people might sit with different groups of friends every time. Students who would feel out-of-place at Bard: kids who are really only into sports/cars, that sort of thing. Also, girls here tend to be pretty low-maintenence: in GENERAL, but not neccessarily, no one straightens their hair and primps and puts on makeup all the time. There is a lot of unique style here. People make an effort to look "nice," but the standard of looking good here is really atypical. I would say that showering is not too important here.

Morgan

Liberal-minded college kids, mostly from Los Angeles, San Fransisco, or New York City. Enough said? I think so.

Bethany

A lot of students at Bard aren't initially that nice. Because Bard has a tendency to be so cliquey, people aren't exactly looking to make friends. Clearly, that's not the case with everyone here, but many have noticed that it's not the friendliest campus in the world. There are kids that are generally known as Hipsters, which are the extremely artsy students that have a bit of a haughty air about them. They're the kind of people that if you open a door for them, they'll open the other door themselves and walk by while glaring at you. You'll know one when you see one.

Kristin

The diversity on campus is very strange. There are a lot of intenational students and a visible number of LGBT students, but almost no socio-econmoic diversity, political, or relgious diversity as well. This makes things pretty boring, especially around election time. I feel like a lot of the people here have never had to actually defend their beliefs--they just sort of assume that no intelligent person believes in God or the Republican party. Don't get me wrong, people got very excited about the primary and the local election and there were shuttles to the voting booth and poll stations, it's just everyone votes the same.

Nico

people are snobby and pretentious hipsters. they don't make eye contact with you. ever. everyone is really cliquey. It's kinda hard to make friends and find a "group," especially if you're not friends with people in your dorm.

Becca

There is a lot of underground racism at Bard. Every once in a while it comes up, people print copies of articles called "The Jewsnake" and swastikas have been painted in bathrooms and on walls. Its really upsetting.

Mike

The students that feel most left out are those who don't want to engage themselves with other. All different types of students interact, there is only slight cliquing in the "LA hipster" kids. The four tables would all be similar. Kids come from all over the world, but I'd say most are upper-class. Predominantly left, but I've noticed that everyone is aware and active.

Quinn

A consevative student would feel out of place at Bard. Students dress in all different ways. There are a large number of normal college students but also a quite high population of "hipsters" whose fashion sense will always suprise you. Many students are wealthy, but not all are. Most students are from New York or LA. I have never heard a student talk about earning money.

Kendall

It'd be nice if the athletes meshed more with the hipsters. Like – everyone knows if you're an athlete or if you're a hipster. The athletes don't wear skinny jeans and dirty shirts, you know? The hipsters should try wearing a basketball jersey once in a while. Just for kicks. But, I think things are changing a little bit. The freshman class gets more diverse each year which is cool. I mean – I love my friends, but things are still very cliquey at Bard, probably moreso than most liberal arts schools.

Tristan

1) I don't have much firsthand experience with these issue-focused clubs, though the International Student Organization and Queer-Straight Alliance do throw some great parties. 2) Republicans. But, of the two or three I knew, all felt comfortable but one. 3) Asking me to describe what a Bard student wears to class is like asking me to describe what a typical New Yorker looks like. 4) Yes, different types of students interact, generally. There is a large group of Chinese students who attend Bard for its conservatory program. Many speak little to no English, so they tend to stick together. Otherwise, yeah. 5) Table 1: LA hipsters talking about that band that like, you like, so wouldn't know about. Table 2: Vegans discussing the merits of biodiesel fuel. Table 3: Preppy freshmen discussing their upcoming organic chemistry exam. Table 4: The LARPers (live action role-playing clique) rambling about the dark knight's sword. 6) Most Bard students are from the Northeast (New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts) or California. There is also a large population from Bulgaria. 7) Most students seem to be upper-middle-class, though there is some variety. 8) I don't think our generation is generally politically active or aware, but for those students who are interested in politics, there are a number of venues through which to explore it. 9) LEFT. 10) They only time students ever talk about how much they'll earn is when they're jovially complaining about their impending poverty as necessitated by their starving artist career paths.

Winnie

What a student body it is. It's my personal oppinion that this campus really is covered with 'hipsters', but then again, I barely understand what that term means, I'm too midwestern for my own good sometimes. The kids are either trendy or too care free to dress all the way. But it's rare you'll find someone in sweatpants and a ponytail, more likely leggings, boots and bed head. You might feel out of place here if you're used to homecomings, football games, and popped collars. I know I miss a good old super bowl party, personally. While there are distinct groups of friends who hang out with only people who can match their hardcore-ness, whatever that is, at Bard, your core group of friends will likely be a mismash of kids who are like you and people you avoided in high school. You couldn't likely pick out one group of kids from another in a lunch room, unless dressed in Bard athletic gear, they stick out like a sore black thumb (Bard's colors are deep red and black). Most kids are wealthy and have places to 'summer' but you wouldn't know it from how they act, it's just assumed, trust me. I'm not well off though, and I don't feel bad joking about having to run to financial aid every two minutes to afford books. Sporting events aren't highly attended by anyone else but other athletes (we kind of stick together here) but that's changing! The student body is starting to look more mixed, less the typical art student or starving writer. There are athletes and there are hippies and they all seem to mesh happily.

John

The bard community could be a little bit more diverse, it seems like every kid here is rich and white. But the minority population still has a very strong foundation and is very involved on campus. The campus is roughly 99.9999{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} democrat.

Megan

Our campus is for the most part extremely excepting of people of any race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. We have a decently sized International Program, though there isn't a huge amount of racial diversity. We have a fairly large number of LGBTQ students on campus, and many groups which are targeted to these students. Some of these clubs are more political, while some are more for throwing parties and having a good time. The Queer Alliance throws some of the biggest and best parties on Campus. You'd be hard pressed to find a republican here. We don’t have frats or sororities or even a football team. We do however have a rugby team.