Just how rigorous is the curriculum in Bard College?

    I'm a junior in high school (confident, yet a little giddy, about college applications), and I'm very curious as to how challenging Bard's curriculum is. I've know of its prestige, and through some one-on-one chats, as well as online research, it seems that the opinions on the college's level of difficulty are varied. Some say that the classes are far easier than expected, while others say you have to be a real genius to make it through the courses. Of course, there's a level of personal bias and perspective that goes into that, but hearing more from students who are actually enrolled in the classes I'd be taking would greatly help.

    I want to major in Chemistry, although, depending on how my studies go, I may switch to a major in physics. I don't think I'll have a problem learning the things I need to for my major because it's something that I'm passionate about, and I don't doubt my own potential. Although, part of me is a bit nervous because it's my future, and a massive stepping stone into the real world. I'm already rather independent, and I love learning, although I like to be prepared and well informed for what I'm about to do. Being able to know more about how much homework there is (on average), how easy it is to balance a job, campus life, and any other specific and/or general knwoledge about the curriculum would really help narrow down my options, as well as my opinion on the school in relation to my own strengths and weaknesses.

    If anyone could tell me more about Bard, especially the curriculum in sciences (or just in general), I'd really appreciate it. Thank you :)

@searram - The rigor of Bard will depend a lot on you as a student - as is true of many colleges. If you want to do all the work, the reading, put your heart and soul into the papers, go to all the office hours, join study groups, do all the optional readings and projects -it will definitely be rigorous! But, could you skate through if you tried? It depends on how accomplished you are as a student, of course. However it is certain to be less easy than it would be in a larger more anonymous setting where the professors might not know you as well. Also, the rigor of the courses will vary with the subject and with the professors. My pure guess, my son not having taken physics or chemistry courses at Bard, is that the baseline expectation of the students might be lower than it would be at a college like MIT or Harvey Mudd. But, if you ask more of yourself, and of the professor, there is probably little limit on how far you could take it because of the level of personal attention, and the great professors that Bard hires.

Are you also looking at larger research institutions? Will you already be advanced in the sciences and need upper level courses from the beginning? If so, you may find you’ll need to create your own curriculum at Bard - which is entirely doable through tutorials.

No info on Chem in particular, but as the parent of an alum, Bard is especially one of those “you get out what you putt into it” places. D found that there were people whose senior project was “acceptable” and those whose work was the equivalent of a master’s thesis or published work. It is a place that values independent thinking, good writing, and creative approaches.

Although I never took a science course before I left Bard, my impression was that it requires much more work to get an A in a science course than in a humanities course. There doesn’t seem to be as much grade inflation.

There were people way smarter than me majoring in bio or chem that spent way more time studying and had lower GPAs.

As far as non-science classes, there’s normally a lot of reading, but the level at which you’re expected to understand it at in order to get a good grade is very reasonable. I once had a professor tell me I’d never be challenged if I viewed getting an A as fully understanding the material.