<p>I was looking at the Vassar website and it said it was in the Hudson Valley.
I looked it up and it seemed like Vassar was in the middle of a very beautiful area of nature - but only nature. Are there any other sites around Vassar? Or is it a very isolated, kind of country-like college?</p>
<p>Also, do many kids travel down to New York for fun?</p>
<p>We are going to visit Vassar this week. I'll let you know what I see when we return.</p>
<p>Vassar is an absolutely beautiful campus.</p>
<p>It's located just outside of Poughkeepsie. From what we saw this a suburban area with beautiful views of the Hudson river. Rt 9 dotted with Home Depot, Applebees and Best Buy etc....shopping strips that look alike everywhere.</p>
<p>Main Street is small town. Overall not so exciting area but pretty and the campus was wonderful.</p>
<p>I think it may be too much of a reach for our daughter but she loved it, and we will keep it in mind as fall aproaches and we see what her application total package looks like.</p>
<p>Good luck to you too!</p>
<p>Hey...I applied to Vassar last year and didn't get in, but I still feel I can attest to this question. Poughkeepsie is not a hoppin' town, but there is so much to do on campus at Vassar that you don't have to worry about getting bored. There're athletic events, concerts, play groups, coffeehouses, theatre galore, guest speakers, and of course, PARTYING!</p>
<p>Hi, I'm a fairly recent VC alum who has been a little BORED lately and decided to see what people are sayin about my old school these days...</p>
<p>Ah, yes, Vassar social life...
Everyone's impressions about Poughkeepsie are pretty accurate- in general it's a crappy little town with insanely high crime rates. But there are excellent restaurants/pool hall/bars/cafes right across the street from campus and a couple in the town itself (El Bracero, Mill House Panda my old faves!) I NEVER felt unsafe in Poughkeepsie, just a little grossed out by the urban decay- but who knows, they might have revitalized a bit since I was last there!</p>
<p>There is ONE "club" in Poughkeepsie that Vassar kids sometimes go to but once they get to know the sleazy "townies" they usually never go back. So The Mug (on-campus bar) is basically it for dancing/carousing. Good times.</p>
<p>I also have fond memories of the all-night diners (one right near campus and another on Rt 9 near FDR house), no better way to bond with your dorm-mates!</p>
<p>Ummm, what else... People do make trips to NYC occasionally, but it gets to be expensive and timeconsuming. It's fun to make a day trip to the city or go down to see a concert or something, but commuting from Poughkeepsie is not practical at all!</p>
<p>Oh yeah, the immediate area surrounding Poughkeepsie is a little isolated, but there are hidden treasures abound... orchards, a honey farm (or whatever it's called), the town of New Paltz (quaint, eccentric, good food & shopping), plenty of spots for hiking...</p>
<p>Needless to say my time at Vassar was special indeed- even if you/your kids don't fit in to the artsy-hipster mold that is associated with Vassar, there is such diversity there that they will almost certainly find their social niche... if i did, anyone can!!!
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT VASSAR AT ALL, post 'em and i'll do my best!!!!</p>
<p>Hmm... busybee-</p>
<p>What do you think was the best part about your experience at Vassar?</p>
<p>What do you think is the biggest problem at the college?</p>
<p>I don't really know much about the college. It was never on my list of schools and I never really gave a second glance to any material they sent me, but one of the coaches called and talked to me about its great academics and what a great fit he thought it was for me, so hmm... then I checked it out on Princeton Review and some other books, and yeah, it definitely seems like a very excellent college! I'm wondering what your impressions of it were.</p>
<p>The most important thing I'm looking for is genuine academic interest in the students. Are the kids at Vassar passionate about learning, do they enjoy it, do they look forward to it? Do people talk about what they learned outside of the classroom? That's the most important part, I want to be surrounded by people who are passionate about their studies. People who are truly there to learn, but also have a little fun.</p>
<p>wraider, i'll try to be succinct! YEAH RIGHT!</p>
<p>Best part of Vassar- hands down, academics. i just wrote a post on another thread here about academic freedom at Vassar, q.v. </p>
<p>Because the school is so small, most classes are small enough that you really get to know your classmates, your prof., and you have plenty of chances to share your ideas. The faculy is really welcoming, though they expect a lot from you!!! (there's not much grade inflation in my experience.) The potential is there for nurturing, productive relationships with your teachers- they are open, accessible, and committed to YOU and helping you see your projects through! </p>
<p>The environment at Vassar was open-minded and mellow enough for me to HAVE FUN with my academics- I really enjoyed study abroad, my major, an internship, campus jobs, the chance to take interesting electives. If you're motivated to seize those kinds of opportunities, Vassar has so much to offer!</p>
<p>I am convinced to this day that I received a better academic experience than I would have had at an Ivy!!!</p>
<p>Bad thing(s) about Vassar- The small size/ location limits social life. Poughkeepsie is pretty dead once you venture outside campus and the surrounding couple blocks. If you can appreciate the beauty of nature, Hudson Valley's the place to be. But if you thrive on hustle and bustle, Vassar will seem deathly quiet in comparison. It really depends on your personality, but I gor a bit claustrophobic at times- seeing the SAME people ALL the time drove me a little nuts, gossip travels fast, and going out somewhere to meet non-Vassar people is close to impossible! I got thru that by hopping a train to the city every once in a while to be alone. (oops, the secret's out.)</p>
<p>Another thing that bothered me when I was there was the cliquey-ness of the art/music/drama/film scene. In the end, some of my best friends were (GASP!) involved in theater, film, and music, but at times it felt like high school all over again. Performing arts kids are the most visible on campus, and some of them walk around like they KNOW they're on top! At the same time, athletes kind of get the short end, the student body in general does not come out to support the Vassar teams the way that they come out the see A Cappella concerts or plays! Are you thinking of playing a sport?</p>
<p>I could seriously write forever about the ups and downs of Vassar. I clearly have nothing else to do during summer.</p>
<p>But I will say one last thing- there is such a mix of kids at Vassar, as at all schools I guess. For instance I had friends who were so academically driven (I spent practically the whole night in the chemistry building with one friend while she explained her research to me...) But I also had friends who played video games literally all day, and put in just enough effort to pass their classes. There is no ONE type of student at Vassar, and I expect it's grown even more diverse in the past couple years. If you come, you will undoubtedly make friends in all quarters.</p>
<p>GOOD LUCK- I hope I could help!</p>
<p>For what it's worth, Vassar is about 2 minutes away from Marist College, and SUNY-New Paltz also nearby. You'd be near other college students if you wanted to socialize off-campus.</p>
<p>Busybee:</p>
<p>I grew up in the City of Poughkeepsie, and your comment about "sleazy townies" is obnoxious. I think you lend creedence to the perception many of the natives have about Vassar kids: underneath a righteous exterior, you're just as snobby as any other rich kids.</p>
<p>Despite their political sympathies (and I'm a liberal myself -- so don't take this as some sort of ad-hominem attack), most Vassar kids won't venture outside the immediate two blocks around campus. They preach about poverty and inequality, but few have done anything to get involved with the impoverished community right outside the school's gates. I think it's more about ****ing off their parents than actually trying to make a difference. Very hypocritical.</p>
<p>Poughkeepsie isn't the most happening city. Hell, I got out as soon as I could. But it is a real community with a lot of character, unlike the suburban drone towns that have become the American archetype. If you had ventured into town more than once or twice, you might have discovered this during your time at Vassar. Instead, you turned your nose up.</p>
<p>-A Sleazy Poughkeepsian</p>
<p>I Claudius, I'm from 3 minutes east of Hartford, and the Trinity kids are no better. It happens anywhere you go, unfortunately.</p>
<p>Sorry to offend, Claudius, it was not a fair comment for me to make- but neither are your statements about rich Vassar brats!</p>
<p>I was only recalling how I felt when I started Vassar at 17, and was disgusted by the "attention" my friends and I received when we tried to go out. Not to mention the older men who came to campus dances seemingly to prey on Vassar girls. Maybe at that age I needed to feel sheltered and so I simply preferred to stay on campus. I came across very few college-age kids when I went out, and my friends and I were fed up with being hit on by middle aged people.</p>
<p>Don't direct your fury at me personally- I had some great experiences in the town of Poughkeepsie (worked in an elem. school and physical therapy clinic), but I obviously did not enjoy the social experience off campus.</p>
<p>How is the rugby team there? How do students treat athletes at Vassar? </p>
<p>How big are the rugby players? I'm 6 feet- 6'1, 215 pounds, is that small, average, or big for a player? What do kids think of Coach Brown(the rugby coach)? Are they good, dedicated athletes?</p>
<p>Basically, tell me everything you know about rugby, and athletics in general at Vassar. How are the athletic facilities? Do people there care about sports? I filled out their questionnaire about a month ago, never ever thinking I'd seriously want to play rugby in college. but after hearing what the coach has had to say and reading the material he has sent, I'm actually really interested and it is a definite possibility. </p>
<p>BTW- another question- Vassar is 60% women, 40% men... can anyone tell me how this affects the campus atmosphere, social life, etc.? Are the girls there good looking? How is the campus food? I've heard the library sucks, is that true? </p>
<p>The Princeton Review book says that "the College actively seeks minorities and males". How true is that statement?</p>
<p>Lol, I've got so many questions, I can't wait till I visit.</p>
<p>Wraider, I think I wrote earlier that athletes do not have a huge presence on campus- there is a much higher turnout for concerts and plays than for athletic events. In general people don't get pumped up about sports at Vassar and seldom go to an event unless they have friends on the team that's playing. (I graduated a couple yrs. ago, but I can't imagine anything's changed too radically!)</p>
<p>On the other hand, the sports teams are very close-knit and my friends who did athletics (swim, basketball, X-C, squash, rugby) had an absolute blast. They practiced hard, had tons of fun, and made great friends doing it. </p>
<p>You mentioned rugby- I think all the guys I knew on the rugby team had never played before college, but they were pretty dedicated and stayed involved with the team for all four years. They seemed not to have any trouble balancing sports and schoolwork- I can't recall how demanding their practice schedule was. The men's rugby wasn't all that terrific from the conference rankings standpoint (women's rugby actually did very well,) but they were great guys and loved to have fun.</p>
<p>Sooo, it really depends on your purpose in playing sports- if you want to enjoy yourself and meet other kids who also enjoy the game, then Vassar's perfect. But most teams there are not nationally competitive, and the facilities, although brand new, are not as extensive as at schools with "elite" sports programs.</p>
<p>Hope this helps!</p>
<p>Vassar is my for sure, definite, number one choice- just to get that out of the way.</p>
<p>I'm so glad I found this thread! Busybee, you're really helpful! (and you've already answered most of the questions I would've asked)</p>
<p>Anyways, I guess I have a few more...
1) Do you know anything about the Vassar Equestrian Team?
2) You mentioned Study Abroad- where did you go?
3) This is probably really stupid, but I've heard that Vassar tends to look at the "whole picture" of an applicant (more so than other small, selective, liberal arts colleges), and I was just wondering if you found that to be true or not. (ie I heard that grades aren't AS important- even though they ARE- sorry, it's really hard to word that question)
4) Oh, and how is the 40/60 male/female split? Is it even that noticeable?</p>
<p>Ahhhh thanks so much in advance. I might not be able to visit, so I'm trying to get all the info that I can.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>To answer my own quesiton earlier, I think that the 40/60 percentage isn't that big a deal. In fact liberal arts colleges in general have more women than men, I think 55% women and 45% men is the average. You check that on the Vassar website, it's somewhere on their admissions FAQ.</p>
<p>You guys are sure keeping me busy!</p>
<p>I'll try to address your questions, gin:
1) I'm not sure about the equestrian team, from what I remember it was small and had more of a "club" feel than anything else, I would contact someone who's currently involved if you're interested.</p>
<p>2) I studied abroad in Scotland, which is a fairly common destination, but other kids went to some really far-out places- rural Mexico, Vietnam, Morocco, Moscow... Vassar makes it a really simple process as far as applying to go and transferring credits. They also do travel/study courses- when I was there they did one on Cuba, you take a semester-long course on Cuban history, then you travel to Cuba during break! </p>
<p>3) You're right that they look at the "whole" applicant- character is pretty important, try to find something about yourself that is unique and really play it up when you apply. Don't guess about what you think they want to hear, just be yourself, be confident and be daring. Because the student body is so small, they try to create as much diversity as possible, so show them how you can contribute to that!</p>
<p>I'll leave "The Ratio" for another time (the 60/40, that is). </p>
<p>In the meantime, I'm glad you're doing some research... I chose Vassar without even visiting the campus (to "defy" my parents, who were pushing a little too hard for an Ivy.) But I probably would've chosen Vassar anyways...</p>
<p>yay! thanks!</p>
<p>I found this site when searching for Vassar Equestrian team gear. When I was there, we were just starting the riding club, I have been watching as it develops into a recognized sport.</p>
<p>Anyway, I loved my years at Vassar. Classes were VERY small, including lots of seminars with just a handful of students and a prof. Academics were challenging, but manageable. My roommate was from NYC, so we visited with some regularity. </p>
<p>As for social life, I had plenty. We ventured out a bit, and had pleasant times. I remember one irish named pub where we met some "townies". I even "gasp" dated one.</p>
<p>Another alum here... I just wanted to add that while Poughkeepsie isn't the best college town, it's not as bad as some people would lead you to believe. I worked in the admissions office for a time and that was the number one question the parents asked. The truth is that Poughkeepsie is a bit run down in certain areas, but it has great things to offer too. There are plenty of terrific little restaurants and interesting places to go, especially if you enjoy the outdoors. I live in NYC now, but there are actually some aspects of Po-town that I honestly miss. There are also some really charming little towns nearby, like Rhinebeck, Tivoli, New Paltz and more, plus other colleges too. It definitely helps to have a car, or friends with cars, to take advantage of the area. If that's not your scene, NYC is really accessible. </p>
<p>That said, you can easily entertain yourself without stepping off campus. Every weekend you'll be compelled to see a friend in a play or a comedy show or a cappella concert. There are always plenty of parties and events, and of course, the mug. There's some sort of scene for everyone.</p>
<p>Could any of you comment about drugs on campus. I love Vassar, but this turns me off a bit. It's raned 17 on PR's list of top drug use campuses. And please don't say that there are drugs on every campus blah blah blah. Just be honest. Are there a lot of drugs at Vassar? Would someone who has never use drugs and does not intend to do so be uncomfortable or feel out of place? Thanks so much for any insight any of you can give me!!</p>