Bard College is located on the Hudson River in the tiny village of Annandale-on-Hudson in New York.  This is a beautiful area, with lots of outdoor opportunities, and still close to New York City.

• Campus has varied architecture with an upper and lower campus.  The buildings are spread out with lots of green spaces in between.
• Impressive science building.
• The humanities buildings featured seminar classes, all discussion-based with engaged students sitting around a conference table.
• Students were friendly, seemed free to be themselves, artsy.
• Good music department.  Students do not need to audition for music or theater.
• No portfolio required.
• Students are interested in multiple things and tend to be unique.
• Social sciences are number 1.
• Students are opinionated, civic minded, like to do public service, and are politically active.
• When apply for early action, they make immediate decision.  Unique!
• Test scores are optional.
• 30 percent accepted.  Bard admissions is looking for students who are intellectual and independent and can handle the academics  and take advantage of the opportunities at Bard.
• Vassar,  Brown, Reed, NYU, Oberlin, and Carleton are overlaps.
• Students who have good relationships with teachers is what they are looking for
• They will take a look at students with high test scores and low GPAs if they see potential.

Blog update: October 3, 2013

Read about Bard’s unique admissions process reported in the New York Times September 28, 2013 article entitled Didn’t Ace SAT? Just Design Microbe Transplant Research