Son's Chances at Bard?

<p>Looking for feedback from CC participants . My son is applying to Bard under the Immediate Decision Program. He is interested in liberal arts and/or performing arts as major.</p>

<p>S attends a small independent school with no class ranking and an innovative curriculum. He has a 3.5 average (unweighted). No AP classes offered. He is very interested in theatre and has done 3 plays a year for four years, at his school and at a local college. This takes about 12-15 hours per week for about 30-35 weeks annually. His other major EC, at school, is student government and he has a major leadership role this year. S will receive strong support from college counselor and teachers.</p>

<p>Last spring S had SAT-I scores of 640-M, 720-CR and 710-W, and SAT II score of 740-US History. He’s waiting for scores on SAT II Literature and Biology. He took the SAT I’s once, and choose to stay with those scores. Any reaction? What are his chances at Bard?</p>

<p>hey... i am a frosh at bard, and applied under Immediate Decision last november. apparently they give immediate decision a lot of priority because you're showing so much interest. as long as he writes a really good essay and has something to say with passion during the interview, i'd say he's in. it's really an incredibly amazing place here. good luck to him =]</p>

<p>Be sure to visit Bard, and spend a day or two there, including an admissions session and a tour, before you apply, especially for a binding admission option. On a recent visit, I found it to be very different from the place described in the online materials and brochures. Also check out the living facilities -- some of the dorms were in trailers that looked rather iffy -- and the food service.</p>

<p>The IDP is not binding. The student participates in a seminar with a Bard professor, then has a one-on-one interview with an admissions officer. The Monday after the IDP weekend a letter of decision is mailed. The student does not need to accept until May 1. My son got in under IDP and is a freshman there now. My husband & I just returned from Parents' Weekend and the dorms are not palaces and the food is adequate. Nothing fancy, but nothing horrible, either. </p>

<p>Bard is opening up a new Sciences & Computer building in January which looks fantastic. They are trying to build up the science department, so if your child has any interest in science, you should emphasize that. </p>

<p>Bard is a great school for the right type of student. They encourage the students to taken classes in a variety of topics. It is the perfect place for a student who doesn't really know for sure what they want to major in and who wants to explore different intellectual topics.</p>

<p>"My husband & I just returned from Parents' Weekend and the dorms are not palaces and the food is adequate."</p>

<p>The food service does pull out all the stops during Parents' Weekend (especially at lunch on Saturday — though I have no idea why that meal should be any more special than the others that weekend). But even in a normal week, the food isn't as bad as many students make it out to be. They do have good stuff at times.</p>

<p>I'm not in the theater program, but I know from my active involvement in the musical theater company that we have an extraordinary pool of talent here.</p>

<p>Bard doesn't require SATs — they do look at scores if you send them, but their SAT-optional policy probably says something about how important the scores are (though strong scores are never a bad thing).</p>