Bard vs Hampshire!

<p>Admitted student, visited both (Hampshire 3x), still can’t decide.
Interested in visual arts, creative writing/lit, psychology, sociology, and everything in between.</p>

<p>I know a lot of people would ask me why on earth I’d choose Hampshire over Bard based off general reputation of academics. I find the Hampshire atmosphere to be more open, warm, and genuine, and it seems to have a slightly more diverse student body socially speaking. (More truly quirky “weird” people, which I love.) It may sound funny but Bard might not be “weird” enough. While I like the idea of Bard’s requirements, they also seem a little stifling. However, I feel I’d need some structure, and Hampshire is lacking in that vein. I’m one of those high school slackers… not sure which one would be the best for me, as Bard’s academics seem intimidatingly rigorous. But it’s also unclear how much the average Hampshire student takes advantage of all that they have, and I want to be in an environment where people do. Bard has so much more going on in terms of infrastructure, and Leon Botstein impresses the heck out of me. But does the rest of the school (professors, etc) really reflect and engender his values?</p>

<p>Obviously I’m conflicted.</p>

<p>Thoughts?</p>

<p>My boss’ daughter is at Hampshire and loves it. I believe Bard was also on her list but she opted for Hampshire. She enjoys the eclectic students and faculty at Hampshire and has taken courses at the other colleges she is allowed to attend.</p>

<p>Another friend’s daughter started at Bard but hated it and is now at a large SUNY, thriving and having a great time.</p>

<p>We seriously considered both, and my daughter decided not to apply to Hampshire. My biggest problem with Hampshire was that there seemed to be no “there” there. The students we met were talking about always taking off to take classes at the other four colleges, and then other students would be showing up in their classes. I did not get the feeling of a Hampshire “bubble”, which is something I just love in a college.</p>

<p>As for the rigor of the Bard academics, I told my daughter they aren’t expecting her to be brilliant writer when she arrives. That’s what they are there to teach her.</p>

<p>Academics are rigorous, but the distribution requirements are not stifling, though sometimes hard to complete, especially if you are a double major in the same department. But like danceclass said, Bard accepts you and assumes you don’t know how to read and write. That’s why there’s L&T and First-Year Seminar (FYSEM). And if that isn’t enough to beat all that high school has taught you out of you, there are BARC (Bard Academic Resource Courses) that you can take that are INCREDIBLY helpful (I’m in a research essay writing one now).</p>

<p>As far as Botstein goes, the opinion of him and his values is divided among professors and students. Some think of him as an iron fist, others not so much. But I think what is truly impressive about the discourse over him is that those who are cynical to take everything he says as the end all be all are cynical because it almost seems like they want him to prove his worth to them instead of them just taking everything the papers and things we’ve heard about him on face value.</p>

<p>But really, he’s brilliant and blew me away when I took FYSEM with him my first semester here, though his FYSEM class is definitely not for everyone. It was like an intense mental grilling for an hour and 20 minutes.</p>

<p>We looked closely at Hampshire with our son and in the end were not convinced. It seemed stuck in time and agree with poster above who mentioned the lack of “there” there. No doubt many brilliant people and potential for great experience but didn’t end up comparing with the vision and opportunities some of the ore schools, including Bard, offered, in our view.</p>

<p>I just wanted to reply regarding the Hampshire “bubble.” As a current Hampshire student, I think I can safely say there most definitely IS a bubble, though the bubble isn’t for everyone. The 5 college consortium is entirely a benefit, not an escape. Most, if not all, of the people I know who take off-campus courses do so because they can’t find the type of class they want on Hampshire for that semester, but they still spend all of their free time and social life on campus. Each of the 5 colleges has its own unique “personality” and distinctions between the 5 definitely exist. Like I said, though, this isn’t for everyone. Hampshire is pretty well known for being somewhat quirkier than the other 4, and in my opinion (and why I like it here), this is a good thing.</p>

<p>There are 5 college students in our classes as well, yes. But I have no problem with this, and don’t think it takes away from our Hampshire community (or should I say Camp Hamp, the Shire… etc.) There are also several 5 college students who come here on weekends for events and activities. If you want to go to an intense party with alcohol, maybe you’ll want to seek one out here or go off-campus. Or if you want to run around with nerf guns and foam swords and watch sci-fi movies and have baking parties… you might want to stay at Hampshire over the weekend.</p>

<p>I was also deciding between Hampshire and Bard though the financial aid package at Bard (awesome scholarship) made my decision for me. I definitely feel like Hampshire is more alternative from visiting both places twice. I was also worried about the lack of structure at Hampshire. I’m pretty motivated but I need some structure. </p>

<p>One thing I thought was interesting was that I went to an animal behavior conference and of the younger speakers two were from Hampshire. </p>

<p>Not a very helpful reply but you’re not the only one making the choice.</p>

<p>I’m entering my Division III in Fall; provided the opportunity to transfer to any college in the US, or to receive a degree now without completing this mammoth-goddamn-project, I’d turn down both to stay at Hampshire. Hampshire’s epiphenomenological; there’s no other single word to describe it. Students have unbridled access to 5,000+ courses (which isn’t true in the other consortium schools), and most everyone I know takes advantage of that. I’ve had classes at every school in the consortium. Students also have utmost agency over their education (everyone has their own “thing”); these interests are harnessed until we’re able to fly solo. </p>

<p>Div III is exhilarating and a bit scary. I’m recording testimony from juveniles who’ve been locked up in post-industrial cities, and researching the juvie industry. The field work has taken my entire summer, and the finished product will be around 600 pages. I know people compiling more exciting research. It’s all a matter of what you’re into; that’s the beauty of it.</p>