<p>Is there anything you dont like about vassar?
i visited absolutely fell in love with it.
i literally couldnt not find anything that made me hesitate about applying ED. i have to be missing something....right?</p>
<p>Well, it is certainly a nice place :). That being said, there are things that could be better....</p>
<p>First off, is Poughkeepsie. Now, don't get me wrong... it's not THAT bad. It's just not that interesting either. There's a mall, a movie theatre complex, some nice cafes, restaurants, the Culinary Institute, Franklin D. Roosevelt's home and library, and a few small places that feature live music, but it's certainly not Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, or New York (although the Hudson Valley is quite pretty). That being said, New York is accessible by train and there's plenty going on on-campus to keep you busy, so unless you have your heart set on being in a major city, it's not bad at all.</p>
<p>Also, if you were looking for a school with a large sports component to it, Vassar isn't your best choice. There are plenty of Division III sports and student-athletes, but the campus isn't all that into the sports scene (and there's no football, if that matters to you). It really feels like, most of the time at least, that the arts come before sports, if you were going to rank them on some sort of extracurricular hierarchy. Basically, if you're looking for a school which takes their sports very seriously (ie, packing the gym to see games), Vassar might not be right for you.</p>
<p>Lastly, the campus is quite liberal, politically-speaking. There are conservatives on campus, however, their voices are often drowned out in the liberal majority (although people are usually polite about it... I wouldn't say that conservatives would feel threatened). If you're a conservative and are looking for a place where you'll meet plenty of people who share your political sentiments, Vassar isn't the best option.</p>
<p>all of the above, with the exception of poughkeepsie can be considered positive qualities... i see them as possitive.</p>
<p>Just off the top of my head, the meal plan could use some improvements, although I think they're working that out.</p>
<p>I have to think about this one. After 3 weeks, there still isn't much I don't like...although it is getting cold mighty quickly.</p>
<p>"Lastly, the campus is quite liberal, politically-speaking."</p>
<p>Certainly a positive for me.</p>
<p>Thanks!!! Thats all really helpful =)
I just thought of this...do you need a car or not really? like does it get claustrophobic if you cant manage to get off campus whenever you want / are all the usual places one might go within walking/biking distance of the campus or well connected by a shuttle or something... (im pretty sure our guide said freshman are allowed to have cars on campus...?)</p>
<p>Freshmen can have a car on-campus, however, it's certainly not necessary. There are several cafes/restaurants and a diner within walking distance, as well as a bank and a few stores. There's also a shuttle to various places in Poughkeepsie that runs during the week and a weekend shuttle to the train station and mall-movie theatre complex. I was car-less first semester last year, and didn't feel claustrophobic in the least thanks to the shuttle services and the things right around campus.</p>
<p>Vassar is one of the most beautiful campuses, and it is an excellent school. My D did not apply, though, because it did not have much in the way of the program that she wanted to study. So, I would look carefully at the course offerings and areas of study to be certain that you will have what you are looking for.</p>
<p>Sports at vassar are getting better and better. New fields, stronger teams. Don't underestimate the BREWERS!</p>
<p>I loved my years at Vassar. We used to refer to Poughkeepsie as "the armpit of Dutchess county" and it sounds like not a lot has changed, but there is plenty to do on and near campus. No worries there.</p>
<p>I hear Poughkeepsie is a big concert venue too.</p>
<p>someone told me that the male pop. is full of gay men and stuff?
I dont have anyhting against them (tho same cannot be said for parents)
I really want to apply there but want to some extent a heterogenous class of studetns.</p>
<p>There is certainly a visible LGBT population on-campus, thanks to the fact that students (generally speaking) feel very comfortable with being and expressing themselves here at Vassar. That being said, you will find PLENTY of straight men at Vassar: the idea that Vassar is a school for straight women and gay men only is a massive misconception. The majority of men at Vassar are straight... it just happens that the minority of individuals who aren't are more open than they might happen to be at other schools because of the campus's atmosphere. As long as you are tolerant of others, you should have no trouble fitting in at Vassar.</p>
<p>going back to the shuttle service before: is there one that runs up to the FDR home and the Culinary Institute of America? or do you have to manage your own rides there?</p>
<p>What is the party scene like? Is there much of a party scene given the fact that there are no frats/sororities?</p>
<p>There is no shuttle to FDR or CIA, you have to get your own ride. The shuttle's loop stays pretty close to campus. </p>
<p>There are a lot of parties. Not quite the same kind of parties you see at schools with Greek scenes, but you won't be bored on weekends. There's a lot of drinking, etc., but the nice thing about Vassar is that if you don't drink, you aren't going to get pressured into it, and you can just occupy yourself on weekends by going to parties and laughing at your drunk friends. Not that I ever do that or anything. :-)</p>
<p>There certainly is a fair amount of partying that goes on at Vassar... on weekends. Weeknights (ie, Monday through Wednesday for sure, and Sunday and Thursday to a lesser degree) are pretty quiet thanks to homework. As my bf commented: "People work hard during the week and play on the weekends."</p>
<p>That being said, there are also plenty of things to do on campus (and people to do them with) if you're not much of a partier (or don't drink). The all-campus parties, for example, are not drinking parties (although people do drink before/after them), but rather dance parties with themes such as Moulin Rouge, semi-formal (Harvest Ball), Halloween, Seven Sins, Day Glow Toga, Anything But Cloth, and the Four Elements. In addition, there are movie nights every weekend, theatrical productions, live music shows (both students and off-campus groups), comedic performances, lectures, and dances in the Mug (the on-campus "club"). Basically, there's really something for everyone.</p>