So I got into both Wesleyan and Bard, and those are the two I’m really between. I was really really sure about Wes, but now I’m having second thoughts. Bard gave me a good grant ($37k), and I haven’t heard back from Wes’s financial aid yet. I visited Wes and loved it, I loved the people and the atmosphere, and I’m visiting Bard this month (and also probably going to WesFest). I really want a good school with like interesting intellectual discussions and everything not all cookie-cutter academics. And I want to do writing, but it’s hard to get a sense of what the writing courses are like on paper without sitting in on one. Could anyone give information about just like the general vibe of the student body and what the writing courses are like? And any other little things? Bard’s pretty remote and I’m not sure I want that, and is also I think a little more alternative than Wes, though I’m not sure if I’d want more or less alternative to begin with. I just want to really love my school and love the learning that goes on there. Any thoughts?
So basically I want to know about English/Writing, the vibe of the student body (weird just for the sake of being weird? genuinely interested and excited people? I’d like some mix between hippie and nerd without crossing into disaffected hipster?), the intellectual quality, and also majors, I don’t know what I want to do aside from writing but definitely something humanities or humanitarian based, like education or activism or museum work, and just like general vibes I guess? I’m a pescetarian/ aspiring vegetarian so food’'s important, and I’d like a place where I can feel close to nature, but also where there’s a lot of like exciting things to do (not parties, just interesting things). Also wondering about study abroad options and grad school/job opportunities.
I know it’s a lot but I just want to have as much info as possible. Pretty please and thanks a bunch! (I’m posting the same thing in the Wes section to get a breadth of opinion).
I think they are very different in terms of distribution requirements. Bard has a lot and Wesleyan has an open curriculum. At least this was the case when my child was looking.
I also wonder about Bard’s low 4-year graduation rate. Anybody know anything about this?
@Joan2021 - Which statistics are you referring to about the low graduation rate? I’m not much good at evaluating the meaning of the grad rate numbers.I did find this from the CDS on the website: http://www.bard.edu/about/disclosures/students/ All of my son’s classmates graduated in the allotted time (my son took five years because it was required for a double degree) so I’m not much help there. You might ask that question of the admissions department - especially if you go to an accepted students’ night. It would be a good question to bring up. I’m sure they’ll have answers, if, indeed, it’s lower than comparable schools.
@jrmarvin - my son graduated from Bard, but his girlfriend throughout college was at Wesleyan so he visited there almost every month. He always thought the two schools were significantly different in tone. I think, from extrapolating some of the things he said, that he found Wesleyan to be much more of a traditional college experience - with senior balls and fraternities and college-type rituals. Both are great schools - but it’s probably true that you’ll feel that one or the other is a better fit for you. If Bard being remote and having disaffected hipsters is going to make a meaningful difference to you, you’d probably be happier at Wesleyan. But for a phenomenal writing program and unbelievably great professors, for being close to nature, and for being immersed in a community of passionate intellectual students - you’re not going to find anyplace better than Bard. Wesleyan might also be a better school for someone who isn’t sure what they want to study - even though Bard has wide distribution requirements. And that is because at Bard you’re required to moderate into a program for your major - which means defending your choice in front of a panel, having already met the requirements in terms of prerequisites, and submitting two papers. I think it’s probably easier to decide later at Wesleyan what you want to do. This is not to say, of course, that every student entering Bard knows what they’re going to major in! But it does show a seriousness of purpose required of the students there.
As for food - I think the food at Wes is probably better! But there is a Bard farm now…
(As for grad school placement - I think the two schools are probably equal there. There are probably more Wall Street I Bankers getting jobs out of Wes than Bard - but that may be a matter of ambitions, not the schools themselves.)
US News and World Report says that Bard has about a 60% four year graduation rate. But it gives a solid freshman retention rate. But those are just one type of statistic. My daughter really likes the idea of having to defend her major choice.
@Joan2021 I wouldn’t worry much about that reported.graduation rate. As I said, I’m not sure why it’s so low, but it is possible that a number of students choose not to finish school, or take longer to finish (as the CDS reported 6 year rate is much higher.) It’s not an issue of not being able to get in the required courses, as it can be at some large state school. I suspect that figure is more about the individual students which Bard attracts - students who may decide to take time off, to get a job in their field, to travel, or, sometimes, to transfer to a larger less rural institution. As I said earlier - it would be a good question for the admissions office. I hope you can get to an accepted students event and get a chance to ask them. Or you could email them your question. I guess one could say that Bard attracts what used to be called ‘freethinkers’ and ‘freethinkers’ don’t always follow a conventional path.
SpiritManager – thanks for all of the useful information. We are going thru different options, each of which offers a truly unique school experience. Haven’t gotten the financial aid package from Bard yet so not worrying too seriously about its fit. But I did talk with someone at the college last week and we might call someone else this coming week, just to ask various questions about support, etc.
Email some professors (after you look up some classes that you’d like to visit) and go visit. My D visited 7 classes at Bard over two days. It really made a huge difference and closed the deal for her. Also, Bard has a lot of MA programs and a lot of dual-degree folks so that might affect the 4 yr grad rate.
oh, as far as rural, yes, but you can easily get to Manhattan (shuttle to Amtrak or MetroNorth) so…