Bard College Top Questions

What is your overall opinion of this school?

Ryan

I love the Political Studies department, and most of my friends have similarly positiva academic experiences. The people are great, too, but I have no reason to think they're worse other places. There's about 1800 people now. When I applied in 2005, it was more like 1400. Still growing. When I mention Bard to other people, they either haven't heard of it or (especially recently) are impressed. Our renown is still sort of building. I can't say there are any real hot spots of social activity--usually when I hang out with people it's in the dining hall or someone's dorm. There is no town of Annandale-on-Hudson. We. Are. Out. In. The. Middle. Of. The. Woods. There are some towns within a few miles, but I'm not crazy about any of them. New York City is two hours away one you get on the train (And the train station's not within walking distance), so keep that in mind. A lot of the lower-level people in the administration, but they can also be heavy-handed about "making sure you're OK"--i.e. breaking up parties and forcing people who show signs of depression to take semesters/years off (no refund). It's past time for Leon Botstein and most of the other high-level people to move on. There was some controversy last spring about the budget for student clubs, which leaders of some groups for students of color were dissatisfied with. The budgeting process has since been changed. There is no school spirit. If you are an athlete, be prepared to play before crowds of as few as five. I don't think Bard is nearly as unusual as it's made out to be. It has its quirks, but so does every other school. Students complain a lot about the food (expensive, inflexible meal plan) and housing (old, ill-maitained dorms and no real theme housing).

Rachel

too small students are not interested in studying

Travis

Bard is about doing what you want. If this means you want to study really hard and learn alot then that is what you will do. If you want to use the resources at Bard to raise money for orphans, then that is how you can spend your time. Most Bard students try to do multiple things, including music, sports, academics and social projects. Bard allows students to take control of their education. They get out exactly what they put in.(Please pardon the cliche it happens to apply).

Brian

What’s difficult about being a first year student is jumping into the white-water rapids of Bard. A lot of the requirements for particular majors are so involved you almost need to know exactly where you're going as soon as you get there. No room for idling around means more motivated and passionate students, however. A quirky event at Bard that I feel portrays the attitude of the institution well is class registration. A mass of people swamps the mailroom to get their registration card then take off to various classrooms around campus to be the first in line for a popular class, or to make sure you get all the classes you want before they're filled up. All while this is happening, we're meeting new people in the swarm of people and bursting into a few songs to lighten the mood. Bard's a great place.

Abbie

The best thing about Bard is it's intellectual stimulation, both in and outside of class. The professors are some of the best here. I'd change paying for laundry, making the shuttles run more frequently, making the food better, and put a study space on north campus. Bard's size is just right. People think I'm some free-wheeling liberal druggie hippie when I tell them I go to Bard. Even though I'm really not. I spend most of my time on campus, either in the library, the theatre building, the campus center, or my dorm. The surrounding towns close at like 7pm, but they're cute and fun and have what you need. The administration is fairly good, but there are some people who I don't think really do much of anything. They need better budget people. The most recent controversy on campus was when someone wrote anti-Semitic and homophobic remarks outside the dining hall, which offended the majority of the school. There's really not much school pride as far as sporting events go. I love the waterfalls on campus! I know that sounds really random, but just bear with me.

Jerry

There are three BEST THINGS about Bard: 1. The professors are incredible. Sure, many of them are relatively famous, but I've found that names and prestige don't always matter. I have a wonderful relationship with my academic adviser and the Dean of the college. I can drop into either one of their offices just to hang out for ten minutes and chat before my next class, and they're always there to help and support me. The largest class I've ever been in had 40 students in it. That kind of ratio is just wonderful -- professors know your name, you always have the chance to participate in class or ask questions, and you don't have to take classes with TAs. I know I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for the personalized attention I have received. 2. The campus is absolutely gorgeous. We've got a huge tract of land right on the Tivoli Bays and the Hudson River. Our campus extends right to the edge of the water. Just earlier today, now that the weather's nice, I decided to take the short walk from my dorm down to the water's edge, sit and do my homework. There are trails all over the woods you can hike, complete with cool ruins and old buildings. I love this place. 3. The people will never bore you. Bard is full of a lot of people with great enthusiasm for both fun and learning. It's not uncommon to walk through Kline (our dining hall) and hear people having debates about material they've been learning in class. It's just as common to have one of these said debates with someone while you're both wasted at a party on a Saturday night. I've found that most Bard students are very intelligent and free-thinking, but have some characteristic that makes them far less mainstream than any of the people I went to high school with. I can guarantee that you will have to work hard to find someone who bores you on this campus. When I tell people I go to Bard, they either say "Oh, Bard. Yeah. Um. Where's that?" or, "Oh my GOD, you go to BARD?!!?!?! That's such an amazing school! Do you know Leon Botstein? I just love the American Symphony Orchestra . . ." I spend most of my time in the following places: 1. My dorm. I live in a suite, so I sit on my couch with my suitemates doing work or playing videogames for hours every day. 2. In the woods / outside. As I mentioned previously, the campus is absolutely gorgeous. 3. Kline. Because we have only one dining hall on campus, you can "Kline it" (ie: sit in Kline all day) and see every single person you know in a space of six hours. 4. Olin Language Center. I'm taking Spanish right now, so I have class there four days a week. 5. Blum. Blum is the music building. As a viola player, sometimes I feel like I live there. Bard's administration is amusingly and sometimes frustratingly disorganized. To their credit, they're always trying to improve, and they're very approachable, even if they can't always get things done in an expedient fashion. The experience I will always remember is Spring Fling, the weekend after Senior Projects are due and the weekend before finals start for the rest of the college. It's a three-day-long celebration of beautiful weather, Bard, and friendship. A large tent is pitched in the campus center quad, people lie out on blankets, smoke pot and drink beer all day, vendors hock their thrift-store-craft-style wares, and Bard bands play 24/7. On Sunday, there are also lots of inflatable rides (so fun!).

Kelly

Bard's population is quite small compared to most colleges and universities, but somehow the size feels appropriate for the campus, which is pretty big for the number of students that live there. It's hard to imagine most Bardians going to a school that is much bigger. It is common to hear a lot of complaints about the lack of things to do or places to go or the endless winters that are common for New York State. These complaints aren't necessarily justified; there are always one or two events happening somewhere or another and after attending school in the Northeast, one would be expected to get accustomed to the seasons, so dissatisfaction usually stems from a lack of personal initiative to find activities or to accept the state of things. Sports at Bard seem to exist merely for the enjoyment of those who take part in them, as audiences never seem to surpass a couple dozen and many pervasive sports are obviously lacking, such as football, baseball, and lacrosse. Above all there seems to be some consensus that the food offered by the college is lacking in quality and preparation and it is smart to get used to cooking for yourself or heading to the two nearby towns of Red Hook and Tivoli for some better quality cuisine.

Harper

Bard has a lot to offer to the liberal arts student who is interested in music since the president, Leon Botstein has pushed the college in an increasingly musical direction by establishing a conservatory, constructing a performing arts center and putting on a music festival every summer. The student body has been expanding over the past several years creating housing shortages and swelling the once diminutive class sizes. Recently, tensions have been running high due to allegations of racism against the student government. During the budget allotment process this semester when the various student clubs received funds, the ethnic groups felt that they received less than they deserved. Their response was to hurl accusations of racism at the student planning committee responsible for the allotments. The crisis is being resolved now in talks between the administration and the student government.

Sara

Bard is a bit like an isolated utopia. This is bad in the sense that students do not always know how to directly relate thier studies to the rest of the world because they are isolated form resources one would find in the city. However, the environment is beautiful and relaxing and therefore conducive to self-exploration. Bard does not run in a very democratic way.There needs to be more open dialogue in decision making processes between staff and students. Our president, Botstein, has the final say for most policy designations and his opinion rules out over the objections of staff and students. He acts as a benevolent patrilineal figure who knows what's right for his children even if they disagree with his policies. For all the ideals of liberalism he promotes, he does not operate democratically.

John

bard is a small liberal arts school

Harper

Bard offers a unique experience: The faculty is top-notch and easily accessible, the campus is spread out (600 acres) but comfortable, and the people are great. Our academics give you a structure but encourage exploration, and our seminar-style classes (we don't offer lecture classes) encourage participation and critical thinking. I wish that smoking weren't as prevalent, but that's been my biggest complaint.

Lane

the best thing about bard are the classes and the teachers, all of mine have been excellent, I would change the location and the party scene on campus, there is relatively low school pride, it is hard to get off campus

Max

The school is small, but it's good. There are certainly "cliques", which some complain about, and people may seem anti social at first, but don't let this fool you. Your average Bard kid may be a shoe gazer, but ask a question, start a conversation, and you should be able to find a lot of cool kids around. There are a lot of good concerts, mostly bands you've never heard of, and these are excellent times to meet other people with your tastes, start a band, or just drink a beer and chat with a stranger. With a few notable exceptions, the College and its faculty are really chill. Security will let you drink a beer in the open, but they might take a handle of whiskey away. They'll bust you for smoking in your room, but if you want to smoke a joint outside, they won't say anything. So many people smoke, but there's very little pressure to do so. In terms of a college town, this is a bubble. Campus is sweet, but some of the local towns are rather unfriendly towards Bard kids. The most frequent complaints are probably the food (which really is terrible, despite its large offering of vegetarian and vegan foods) and the cold. California kids (of which we have an abundance of) are normally ecstatic with the first snow, and miserable by the second. The winter can be really depressing, but it always leads to stronger bonds within dorms. Which, incidentally, is the reason that spring and fall are so much fun. Those are the times when you walk around the beautiful campus (the forests around here are amazing) and try and make new friends. Those are good times.

Tate

People complain all the time here: about the other students, about the distribution of funding, most of all about the administration. But, I find that rarely do any of them actually want to leave. I think the kids here are really great, especially coming from a place where no one had even heard of this school. Bard is a great in that, in almost all cases, a hobby or interest or personality that may have been thought of as "weird" in high school is totally embraced here. People are more prone to finding other people's obscure interests exciting and interesting. There is generally a lot of work, but if you take classes you like it tends not to get too overwhelming. Also, people generally always find a lot of time to hang out. This is a place that can get boring, especially in the winter, but I have found the kids here to be much more willing to have an adventure or try something new than at other schools. Many people here compare Bard to summer camp, except with homework, because people really take advantage of the outdoors (when the weather is nice) and participating in activities that many kids at other schools might not embrace, like picnics, fort-making, embroidery...etc. People here are generally interested.

Blake

Best thing: The small class sizes I'd change: The food, and the meal plan rules. I'd also make first year seminar optional second semester. School size: Its quite small. And when you get in trouble, you feel like its too small. People's reactions: Generally positive. I spend the most time: In the science building. College town: Absolutely. Administration: I have a good opinion of them. They deans aren't solely disciplinarians. They are also social support. They behave like counselors too. Recent Controversy: Oh, Bard students love controversies. We make them. School pride: Not sure. Unusual: The breaks don't coincide with anyone elses. I'll remember: The waterfall. Student complaints: The food is terrible.

Morgan

Bard is an amazing place if you are properly suited for it. You need to have close to no inhibitions to be here, and you also have to be more intelligent than the average American. There isn't one "best thing about Bard". For me, it's the fact that I'm with a bunch of other people who can smoke pot all day and still be eloquent and function in and out of class (everything in moderation). For the person to the left of me, it could be something completely different. You don't have to do drugs to be at Bard, you don't have to be a hipster to be at Bard. But you do have to know what the hell you are talking about, and you have to be ready to speak your mind at every possible opportunity, otherwise you will be eaten alive by professors and students alike. We're very competitive, but in an extremely intricate and subtle way. It's a small school, but I was personally looking for that. The towns around Bard are all incredibly small, but none of them are "college towns". This is probably because they are all too afraid of us demon liberal hippie college kids. Also, Bard is mad awkward.

Bethany

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.

Kristin

Bard is GORGEOUS. Very little has been done to adapt nature to a campus, rather, the campus has truly adopted to the beautiful Hudson Valley scenery around it. Of course, this means we frequently walk through a swamp to get to class today, but five deer are also likely to leap across our path as we walk. The school is very small, which can be a great thing (you know everyone) and a bad thing (you know everything about everyone). There is NOTHING as far as a town goes, but a shuttle attempts to take students to the two nearest towns. The administration is frustrating, occasionally--mostly, the school just doesn't have the money for a lot of things that would make life easier. Registration is a bitch. Registration is a bitch. Registration is a bitch.

Nico

the administration/admissions makes the school seem what it is not.

Becca

Bard campus is pretty disgusting. Its beautiful during the spring and fall, but when the rain and snow starts coming, everything floods here. People drink 40's a lot but the party scene is dull, and can get very boring. Its hard to find things to do on weekends. Before I came to college, I didn't want to go to a school with a big frat scene, but now I wish there was at least one frat or sorority house where people could go on weekends to party. Its just so hard to find a place to go. The student run "SMOG" garage, where crappy bands come, really isn't very fun. Its just sweaty kids drinking bad beer. I spend most of my time in my dorm room or at my friends' dorms. Bard has no college town, theres nothing around and no place to go. The administration is very helpful and the faculty is great. There is no school pride, at all. My friends complain a lot about the food, its really awful. I've had college food at other places, but Bard's food is by far the worst. The meal plan is way too expensive for the quality of food you get. SMOKING is my greatest complaint. You can't go two feet without running into an environmentalist, smoking outside of a building. Nobody (security) enforces rules against smoking right outside of doors. Its horrible and I wish it would change. Come to Bard, get second hand smoke cancer.

Mike

The best thing about Bard is the style of education. I'd change the food. Its just the right size. Many peopl don't know about Bard, because it doesn't have DI sports. I spend most of my time in the lab or hanging out in the dorms. Inbetwen college town and "what college town". Bard is extremely intellectual. I'll always remember the LnT workshop for freshman.

Kendall

Bard is a great place for artists – pretty much everyone has aspirations to be in a band, and in terms of connecting people with similar ideas it's great. That being said, sometimes I just want to shoot some hoops. Why won't anyone shoot hoops with me? I scream that question quite often. But it's got a great campus and good alumni connections especially for people who move to New York after graduation.

Tristan

1) The best thing about Bard is the small class sizes. I have had classes with as few as three students in them. Professors are highly accessible. 2) The one thing I'd change would be the weather. The winters are dreadful. The administration cleverly arranges our semesters such that we are on break for the majority of January, but it still snows through March. 3) Academically speaking, Bard's size is ideal. By senior year, though, it can begin to feel a bit claustrophobic socially. There is no one to date because, inevitably, one of your closest friends has dated everyone else. I probably know the penis size of 40{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the males, just by word of mouth. 4) When I tell people I go to Bard, they usually think I mean Barnard and ask how I like going to a single-sex school. In the rare event that they have actually heard of Bard, they make some comment about our left-leaning reputation. Within my field of photography, though, Bard is highly respected. We arguably have the best undergraduate fine art photography program in the nation. 5) I am in my final semester, live off-campus, and am only attending Bard part-time. I therefore do not spend very much time on campus. 6) This is a little tricky to explain. The entirety of Annandale-on-Hudson IS Bard College. However, Annadale-on-Hudson is technically a village subsumed within Red Hook. Other "villages" of Red Hook, some of which function as separate towns, are Barrytown, Village of Red Hook, Village of Tivoli, Upper Red Hook, and Kerleys Corners. This is all explained clearly on Wikipedia. The two closest villages are Tivoli and Red Hook. Bard offers a free shuttle to and from these areas on the hour, and the distance is bike-able (perhaps even walkable; I've certainly done it once or twice). Tivoli is certainly a college town. Its residents are almost exclusively students and professors. There are a few bars and restaurants, a book store, a park, and a killer bakery. Red Hook caters to students, in that it has bookstores, coffee shops, etc, though it is mostly a rural/suburban town for farmers. Generally students party in Tivoli, but buy their groceries in Red Hook. 7) I generally feel supported by the school's administration. The big cheeses genuinely care about and stand by the students. The security, dining, and janitorial staffs are much loved. The offices that focus on paperwork, though, could be more student-friendly and organized (post office, student accounts, financial aid, etc). 8) Four years ago, the administration closed The Old Gym, our chief entertainment venue. They claimed that the building had been condemned, though its closure did too coincidentally fall after a scandalous, alcohol-fueled party held there. After much dialog, the administration has reopened the Old Gym as an alcohol-free performance space, and is currently in the process of opening up another facility (some random storage barn). 9) Of course there is a lot of school pride. At a school this small, there has to be. 10) Everything is unusual about Bard. 11) The photography department brought in Judith Joy Ross one year as a speaker. She was phenomenal. It was absolutely unforgettable. The one-hour lecture for which she was scheduled stretch through two and a half. 12) The most frequent student complaint is about the dining facilities. However, I would much rather be at a school with stellar professors and crappy food than one with crappy professors and stellar food.

Winnie

The best thing about Bard, it's beautiful. If you come to a school like this, bring rainboots, snow boots, and a smile. Summer to Fall will blow your mind with how pretty the campus is, but come winter, you'll curse those unpaved roads (save a Bard student, add drainage!!!). It's a small community where you do eventually know everyone. Be prepared for some cabin-fever, but it's nothing a dash to the nearest apple orchard/vineyard can't heal. For an isolated school, there are plenty of places within reach if you or a lucky friend have a car. Housing is pretty decent, the rooms are usually pretty spacious and there is space to spread out in common areas and kitchens. Bard works hard to have something going on all the time from trivia nights to movies in the student center theater. And if there isn't a band playing at smog (the student run concert 'hall'), then you must be the last kid on campus before a break! Bard's administration will probably leave you a little flustered if you are a rigid time monger, the popular phrase is 'bard time' and everyone seems to follow it. I've waited over an hour for a scheduled meeting with a dean of students more than once. They just get so involved with the student their with, all else leaves their mind. You could say they are really invested in making sure you're complaints/needs are heard, though it can sometimes be a drag if you aren't the one behind the closed door! Students have the most complaints across the board about food services and maintenance. Broken washers and dryers dot the sad land and eat quarters for breakfast. Heaters and air-conditioners are always on the fritz and the vending machines vend when they feel like it. But you live and you learn, Bard sure takes the high-maintenance out of a person.

John

Bard is in a nice location, very quiet and peaceful but only 10 minutes from a pretty big city. The school’s size could be a bit larger, since it gets kind of boring not meeting new people, but the college is planning to get bigger in the future.

Megan

At Bard, the food isn't great..but its ok. With the exception of classes, nothing starts on time, and many deadlines are flexible. There is almost always some type of construction going on. Some of the dorms are not as nice as the ones they show you on a tour, but none are too bad. Freshman go to school 3 weeks early for a program called Learning and Thinking, nobody likes it before they go, but everyone thinks it was a great introduction to the school afterwards Students and Townies for the most part, DO NOT interact. Bard is in sharp contrast to the nearest town