<p>has anyone attended the admissions conference in prior years? We’ve already toured campus and wondering how valuable it would be for us to attend the full day conference on Oct 11th? It includes campus tours, finan aid seminar, Q&A with Leon Botstein and writing workshop. </p>
<p>thanks!</p>
<p>If it’s not too far away or too expensive, and Bard is a serious contender - I would go for the chance to participate in the writing workshop and get a taste of what Bard’s classes are like - and to hear the always entertaining Leon Botstein. I’m only guessing - we visited later in the year after acceptance and my son attended a number of classes in session. And I haven’t yet taken a tour!</p>
<p>My S did the IDP program where they had a seminar with a professor and other prospies. He came out of it saying it was amazing and it was the reason that Bard stayed in contention right up until the final moment in the decision-making process. Bard wasn’t that high up on his list after his initial visit, but taking part in the class changed that.</p>
<p>oops, forgot I posted… I think we’ll try to attend and also go for IDP. Seems like a great option for admissions. Thanks!</p>
<p>We are doing both. We have already toured, but they don’t visit the Performing Arts Center in the standard tour, so we are taking the special 3:00 tour. Bard is by far my d’s favorite school.</p>
<p>BTW danceclass, in case your D’s interest is in dance, my D who’s a freshman at Bard is a long-time ballet student (many years of classical ballet training). Bard does not offer the same caliber of ballet classes that you might find at a ballet-focused college program like U of Indiana, Butler U, Barnard College, Goucher College, etc. However, it seems that D has found a happy existence with their more, modern-focused program, and still is taking ballet 2 (or was it 3?) times a week. Also, she found it very easy to participate in several dance performances at the school thru their open audition. And she’s still able to pursue the many, wonderful academic classes & opportunities which exist at Bard, and not have to major in dance in order to take class or perform, like you might find at some of the more serious dance programs at other schools. (Apparently she’s not the only serious ballet student at Bard; she met a student who trained at SAB (School of American Ballet – affiliated with NY City Ballet).</p>
<p>But then again, my assumptions about your D’s interests could be 100% wrong, and you can simply ignore everything I typed here. :-)</p>
<p>Thanks Irvinemom. Yes, my D’s a dancer. She does ballet, but she finds modern more expressive, so I think she’ll fit right in. Bard seems to have everything she’s looking for. Depending on how IDP goes I may have more questions for you, but for now: Are there any boys in the dance classes? and Does your d still go en pointe?</p>
<p>Don’t know about boys in her ballet classes. She took several pairs of pointe shoes with her to Bard, and I recently asked if she took class en pointe. She said no but I think it’s because she chose not to and not bec. it wasn’t allowed, at least in the adv. ballet class. I went on to ask her about the dance performances and none are en pointe – it sounds like most are bare feet. :-)</p>
<p>One of the composers in the conservatory, also getting a 2nd performance degree in clarinet, is getting his BA (a 3rd degree!) in dance. So one boy, at least. The American Symphony Orchestra is about to premiere a clarinet concerto of his, too. He loves the dance department.</p>
<p>Thanks irvinemom and SpiritManger. My d loves pointe, but will probably be willing to let it go. That’s something you have to do consistently or else it hurts too much to go back. Glad to hear there’s at least one boy! It would be good for the girls to get to do some partnering. They dance with each other of course, and even do lifts and so forth, but it would be nice to have boys in the class. And, wow, the boy you’re referring to sounds really talented.</p>