<p>I just discovered Vassar today. I was looking over LACs because I've lost faith in the big universities, couldn't picture myself at any of them. Then I hit on Vassar on collegeboard, saw some pictures on the official site, and I'm hooked. I was hugging the computer screen for joy at the sight of it: the farm, the library, the ampitheater...I'm in love! No Ivy could induce that warm, fuzzy, this-is-destiny feeling. Now I'm determined to get in.</p>
<p>I know it's really liberal, which is fine though I'm moderate Dem myself. I'm into Biology and Music, and the different sources gave terrific accounts of both departments. Is there anything I should know before I make my decision, though?</p>
<p>Also, how important is it that one applies ED? My parents don't want me to because of finances, I might get a big scholarship to a different school and I wouldn't want to turn it down. And I don't know what it means by "Your Page." Does that mean another essay? Poetry? Artwork? Would a piece of music work?</p>
<p>I'd like to hear from anyone who <3s Vassar as well. :)</p>
<p>Go with Vassar, you wont be sorry. My son Class of 2005. Recruited by an
alum in May for an entry level position in Chicago at a excellent salary. All of his friends either employed in excellent positions or onto grad work. The Vassar name and alum network are wonderful. So, your parents will see return on investment from an excellent liberal arts school. </p>
<p>Yes it is liberal, but my son was moderate to conservative and had very little problems. His first weekend on campus followed 9-11 here in New York, so
politics etc came to the surface very quickly.</p>
<p>Profs are excellent and classes small. Some visiting profs from Yale from time to time. Vassar and Yale considered merge some years ago. </p>
<p>Dorm life is excellent. All except one (women only) are coed. Shocking and little known fact, the BATHROOMS are coed.........Not to worry the showers are very private. Whenever we moved my son in, I used to joke, the only place on earth I could go to the bathroom with my daughter (who is a Smith College 09 frosh this month)</p>
<p>My son also had scholarship to another school. Vassar very good on Fin aid.
I think stat was 66% receive some based on need. The only friend of my son who paid full was the daughter of Tom Hanks (actor). </p>
<p>Grad schools and law schools love Vassar grads. They know how to research and write.....communicate. </p>
<p>A lot of students who applied to Ivy league schools find their way to Vassar.
Admissions competitive. As I recall for my son's class, 5,300 apps for 736 spots. They select from all 50 states and 20% of each class from international. My son brought home some friends last summer for a 4th of July party. We had Bulgaria, Great Britain, Pakistan, India, Egpyt, California
and Vermont. </p>
<p>i didnt know that the bathrooms were coed...i thought that the floors were coed, not wings, which would give women and men separate bathrooms.</p>
<p>i know that there are no designated fresham dorms, so do they house them by floor, or do they just kinda throw everyone together? i feel that i would be more comfortable with a floor full of freshman, just as clueless as i am.</p>
<p>Everyone is together. One dorm is open all year to accomodate international kids who post 9-11 tend to stay in the US. They have a number of floors, 24 hour quiet...etc....All frosh are required to live on campus......Coed bathrooms are great. Very very clean and no problems from a sex harassment standpoint...........Please note that gay/lesbian population is twice the average at Vassar. My son's RA first year was Bill and he was gay......</p>
<p>There is no greek life at Vassar. Frosh are not looked at as lower forms of humans.......It is one community....which is diverse.....So if you embrace diversity and appreciate uniqueness in individuals Vassar is a wonderful place to learn, explore and grow.</p>
<p>I'm an 08 girl. The bathrooms and halls are coed and freshmen and upperclassmen are also mixed. I thought it was one of the best parts of the dorm life. The upperclassmen are so helpful and nice and living next to boys was always interesting. Don't let the bathrooms scare you. It's actually fun to hang out brushing your teeth and the stalls have big marble partitions and wooden doors. The Your Page can be pretty much anything you want, but it's not mandatory. Also don't worry about the liberal stuff becuase the entire student body is so accepting, you'll never really feel discriminated against or left out. One of my best friends was the biggest conservatives you've ever met and it made for extremely interesting conversation. The gay ratio is also really inconsequential, even though it seems to have built a reputation. There's no separate community, everyone is just mixed. In a random group of friends, you'll find gays, straights, boys, girls, conservatives, liberals, and everything in between. Again, it's just a very, very warm, communal and accepting environment. Financial Aid is great as well and willing to work with you to a certain extent. All in all, Vassar is absolutely wonderful. I can't say enough good things about it. I adore it and couldn't have gone to a better school.</p>
<p>Vassar!! I know the I love this school feeling. I visited and fell head over heels in love. For the my space, you can do anything you want. I'd say it's a good place to show the committee some sort of special talent, or tell them something about you. Just think of what your best at, that wasnt shown on the app, and find a way to show it. It can be an essay, drawing, collage, picture, anything. You decide. Oh, and btw, I got a nice scholarship from another school, but chose vassar instead. It will end up only costing my rents a little more.</p>
<p>hey-
yes, i fell in love with vassar from going to the website and reading about it. in fact, it was my #1 choice. but when i went to go look at it, i was so turned off by the info session, i dunno i just did not get a good vibe at all. so make sure to look at it before applying ED. its weird how being at a certian school makes you feel- i know that sounds corny but it's true. you may love vassar just as much as when you saw it on your computer screen. i still think its an amazing school, it just didn't feel right to me. good luck :)</p>
<p>i second claire's reply...I loved Vassar before I visited two days ago, but after the visit...it just didn't feel right. I'm sure this is different for many people. </p>
<p>ParisKM: To answer your question too, I didn't like the students. I dunno I just didn't feel like I would fit in. If you don't do theater, are interested in being a part of an orchestra, or sing...then I don't think you'd fit in at Vassar. There were a million questions about the fine arts during the info session. And like Claire I just didn't get a good vibe from the trip. Also it seemed extremely science oriented and that's not me either.</p>
<p>parisKM:
see my post about the SAT emphasis at vassar (basically i'm very anti-sats, because they simply are not a good predictor of a students success at a college. and it annoys me when a college holds such a subjective test in such high esteem). but i second shiningstar's post that i just couldn't picture myself there. but PLEASE do not take my opinion too seriously because...
1) im anti-SATs. unless you're like me, than you will probably not get so annoyed with addmissions processes at Vassar as i did. lol. they seemed like nice admissions officers, but that is my #1 pet peeve.
2) i looked at vassar during the summer, and i didn't get a feel for the student body. *however, i loved my tour guide, he was hilarious, honest, and very informative. actually, i would say he's the best tour guide i have ever had on a college visit. (not that i've had that many)
3) i didn't get to meet any of the professors.</p>
<p>so who knows, i might get a different view on Vassar if i went back to spend an overnight there or something.</p>
<p>my grandmother, my great aunt, and two of my cousins all went to vassar and loved it. so who knows why i didn't like it from that one visit?</p>
<p>Thank you so much. From what both of you say, it actually sounds like I WOULD fit in pretty well, although I'm more of a humanities/social science person than natural/physical science. But anyway, that's just me. I really do appreciate the info, though.</p>