Bard College Top Questions

My best advice to parents and students is to look at all different types of schools and let the student pick which is best for them. Check out big schools, small schools, West Coast, and East Coast. Also, never be afriad to apply to more than one reach school and check out as many schools in person as you can. That way, you can truly get a sense of the campus and how the students live. And most importantly - Don't stress too much!!! The right school is out there! Check out those HUGE college books because you can discover amazing schools you might have never heard of otherwise!

Even though it may not seem like it is the right place for you in the beginning, once you come out of the shell and get to explore the college, you grow into the college and start loving the place and the people around you. It is important to try to meet many people on the campus because not only is college for education, but it is also to better your social and communication skills.

If you fall in love with a school you should try to go there, but if it's not financially feasible, you should find what it is you love about that school and make it possible at a more affordable institution. It's not wrong to be a big fish in a little pond. The quality of professors are very important to having a good college experience. Having small classes and excellent access to professors makes it much easier to truly engage with the subject. Small discussion based classes encourage students to think and engage rather than by passively receiving a lecture. I strongly recommend a liberal arts college. That doesn't have to be the most prestigious or expensive liberal arts college. Less known private small colleges tend to give a lot of scholarship to deserving students. Many states also have public liberal arts school. As for the social side of things, take college seriously, but not too seriously. Time management is key, if you manage your time well you can do all your school work and still make time for fun. Especially freshman year when the work load is relatively light, if not you may regret it later.

make sure you talk to people from the school you are thinking about enrolling in. i don't mean the guide on your campus tour. ask the admissions office if it would be possible for you to contact a student and exchange some emails so that you can discuss the things about the college that really interest or worry you.