Welcome New College Rep, BardAdmissions, from Bard College

Colleges and Universities A-Z Bard College
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<p>Please join me in welcoming our newest College Rep, BardAdmissions from Bard College!</p>

<p>As a reminder, our College Reps are individuals that we have taken reasonable steps to verify as being from the school they represent. (If you find a CC member claiming to be an admissions person at a college and that member isn’t flagged as a College Rep, please let us know so that we can verify his/her status.)</p>

<p>As an matter of courtesy to our College Reps (who have real-world jobs and are incredibly busy during the admissions season!), please don’t post pleas for help naming the individual (e.g., “Hey BardAdmissions - Need Answer ASAP!!!” is what NOT to do - ask your question in a new thread with a clear and specific title, and you’ll get input from CC members and, perhaps, from the resident College Rep if he/she has something to contribute.)</p>

<p>Say hello if you like, but please don’t ask questions in this thread - start a new one with a relevant title. Thanks!</p>

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<p>Welcome, BardAdmissions. I’m new enough to CC to wonder how the college reps see their roles on these CC lists. Any comment from Roger or BA or the list is welcome. Thanks.</p>

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<p>Welcome. Looking forward to you joining the conversation!</p>

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<p>These are discussion forums, jkeil911 (not to get technical!), and the overall objective is free exchange of information between our members. Our college reps are members who have been checked out via reasonable steps to confirm they represent the institution they claim to. They don’t have moderator or other powers, but they come here to answer questions and offer advice. We appreciate their participation!</p>

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<p>Hi BardAdmissions:</p>

<p>I’d like to know what advice you have for students and families that are interested in the dual degree program with the conservatory. We’re holding off on visiting Bard – and Oberlin – until we see whether or not our child gets an audition. THat would likely be our first official visit to the college. Our son, however, was invited to an open campus at Oberlin. </p>

<p>We’re concerned that our failure to visit either school prior to the auditions might be perceived as lack of interest, or something by admissions people. Do admissions people understand that our kids will not see the campus until auditions because of the expense?
We’re concerned because in essays that ask the student to specify “why Bard” or “why Oberlin”, they are possibly at a disadvantage compared to kids who have actually visited, and can go on about the great history class they sat in on or the quality of the waffles in the dining hall, the beauty of the architecture, etc.</p>

<p>Thoughts?</p>

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<p>Welcome to cc</p>

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<p>Momzie - My son is in the conservatory and we did not visit until after he was admitted. (He actually interviewed/auditioned in California because the composition professor was out here for a residency.) However, there were lots and lots and lots of emails between my son and various professors at the college and the conservatory before he ever applied, as well as after, so he was quite clear why he was applying before he wrote the application. Somehow I don’t think your child will be writing "Why Bard’ because of the quality of the waffles :)</p>

<p>I would think if your child is applying to double degree programs that right there gives an answer to “Why Oberlin” and “Why Bard.”</p>

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<p>Welcome to CC, BardAdmissions! As a parent of a '12 alum, I’m delighted to see you here.</p>

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<p>Hello Momzie, </p>

<pre><code>I’m sorry that my response is so tardy. I’m new to the college confidential community, as you know, and I was facing some technical difficulties.
</code></pre>

<p>So now that I’ve apologized profusely lets get down to business! </p>

<p>We admissions people (at Bard at least) do understand that our perspective students are not always able to come and visit us before they apply. Your son will not be at a disadvantage if he doesn’t visit our campus.</p>

<p>Having said that, there are all sorts of ways for your son to figure out whether Bard is a good fit for him from a distance. I would advice your family to scan our website and;</p>

<ol>
<li>see what majors we offer ([Bard</a> College | Undergraduate Academics](<a href=“http://www.bard.edu/undergraduate/]Bard”>Bard Redirect Page))</li>
</ol>

<p>2.look at the conservatory programs web page ([Bard</a> College Conservatory of Music](<a href=“http://www.bard.edu/conservatory/]Bard”>Bard Conservatory)) </p>

<ol>
<li>contact some of our professors through email ([Bard</a> College | Staff & Faculty Directory](<a href=“http://www.bard.edu/about/directory/]Bard”>Bard Staff))</li>
</ol>

<p>4.research the graduation requirements that all our students do ([Bard</a> College | Undergraduate Requirements](<a href=“http://www.bard.edu/undergraduate/requirements/]Bard”>http://www.bard.edu/undergraduate/requirements/))</p>

<p>and… </p>

<p>5.look over our course list ([Bard</a> College Course List–Fall 2013](<a href=“http://inside.bard.edu/academic/courses/current/]Bard”>http://inside.bard.edu/academic/courses/current/))</p>

<p>We also welcome calls from our perspective students. Everyone in our office would be happy to answer any questions you might have, and if you’d like to get a current students perspective we have three ways in which you can be in touch with them. You can call our office and speak to one of our tour guides, you can sign up for one of our online talk sessions with students, or you can email students questions at this link ([Bard</a> College | Ask a Bard Student](<a href=“http://www.bard.edu/admission/contact/student/]Bard”>http://www.bard.edu/admission/contact/student/)). </p>

<p>We do enjoy having students on our campus but we understand that students are busy with school work and/or have monetary and time constraints. We just want students who are considering Bard to have a good feel for what it is, so that if they do come they’re happy with the choice they’ve made. And I think if students make use of all the resources offered above then they’ll have an accurate representation of what Bard is. </p>

<p>I hope this is helpful. </p>

<p>looking forward to more questions.</p>

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<p>Stradmom</p>

<p>Thank you! I’m excited to be here and I’m glad to have someone else who is a part of our community on CC. </p>

<p>(P.S I’m a '12 alum :wink: )</p>

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<p>Thanks for the welcome SpiritManager and kypdurron.</p>

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<p>I’m a big fan of Bard’s and its rigorous academics…but please be true to the school with a quick edit before you post, if you are an official rep. Prospective not perspective.</p>

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<p>Hello Everyone, </p>

<pre><code>Please forgive my spelling errors. I meant to type prospective instead of perspective and advise instead of advice. I’ll be sure to be more careful in the future.
</code></pre>

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<p>One of the things I’ve been really pleased with when my daughter describes her classes is how serious her teachers are about good writing. And it shows. Always a talented writer, both her academic and creative writing have blossomed at Bard under the demands of her very conscientious teachers. It’s a special place.</p>

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<p>Hello Bard! We visited 2 years ago for D, who is currently at another college, and more recently with our S. D’s stats were not up to par for admissions, but S’s are. He plans to double major in Math and Studio Art, focus on painting and sculpture. </p>

<p>Surprisingly we have been let down by the art programs – even at schools supposedly known for art. For example, an otherwise wonderful school we visited gives studio space only to seniors. There is literally no space to store work in process, since one room serves multiple classes… When S asked where he would paint / sculpt for the first three years, the tour guide (an art major!) said kids liked to paint “outside.”</p>

<p>It is difficult to get a sense of the department without talking to profs and seeing the studio space. Can we visit an art class and/or talk to someone from the dept?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>momcino - we found when my son was applying that the professors were great about writing back to him. Have you tried emailing Judy Pfaff and Ellen Driscoll, the co-chairs of the program with your questions? Or any of the particular faculty your son would be most interested in working with - such as in sculpture?</p>

<p>Just from a cursory glance it looks like studio space is assigned for seniors - but I can’t imagine they make everyone else create art out in the snow! Is it just that it’s not a private studio, but a communal space that’s available at most of these schools? </p>

<p>Ok - I read through a bit more - seems to me from this paragraph that my assumption is probably correct - there’s studio space for all, just not private studios until senior year:
The Fisher Studio Arts Building, which includes the Procter Art Center, houses large studios for painting and drawing, printmaking, cybergraphics, woodworking, and sculpture. It also contains a welding shop, individual studios for students working on their Senior Projects, a large exhibition area for student shows, and meeting areas.</p>

<p>I’m sure you’ve already read through this website but for the sake of others who might read this thread here’s the url for the Studio Arts program: [Studio</a> Arts at Bard College | About Studio Arts](<a href=“http://studioarts.bard.edu/about/]Studio”>http://studioarts.bard.edu/about/)</p>

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<p>Hello Momcinco, </p>

<p>I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to reply to your question. </p>

<p>It is possible for you to talk with one of our art professors. The best thing to do is go to the website for our art program ([Studio</a> Arts at Bard College | Faculty](<a href=“http://studioarts.bard.edu/faculty/]Studio”>Faculty and Staff of the Studio Arts Program)) and email the professor who interests you the most. Our professors are happy to answer those with inquires, and I’m sure they wouldn’t mind speaking with you on the phone once you’ve made your initial contact through email.
Sitting in on an art class might be more difficult because you’d have to arrange that with an art professor on your own. However, it is possible to see the facilities we have for our art students if you come and visit Bard again. </p>

<p>I hope this was helpful.</p>

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<p>yes, let me reiterate that the Bard profs have been surprisingly generous with their time as D and I work thru this process.</p>

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<p>I have to agree that Bard profs are generous with their time and easily accessible. My interested-in-science-D was at Bard yesterday for IDP seminar and interview. During a tour, a fellow IDP candidate-interested-in-art asked her why on earth she would consider Bard if she’s into science. Of course, my d was able to respond easily about Bard’s investment in the sciences, the new(ish) Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science, and the research being done in cognitive neuroscience and in the Mind, Brain, and Behavior Program, but the question unsettled her. </p>

<p>She then walked around Preston to see if she could “accidentally run into” a professor in the sciences who might have a little time for one-on-one. She did and without an appointment !!! After almost an hour of talking about the sciences at Bard, discussing ongoing experiments, research opportunities and seeing his lab, she walked out of there feeling more confident than ever that Bard not only promotes and advances the arts, but invests tremendous energy and resources in their science and math programs.</p>

<p>So thank you, Bard, for taking that extra step to help my math/science D (who is also a slam poet) feel at home (when she is so far from home) and for revealing that both sides of her brain can flourish on your campus.</p>

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<p>and thank you, portlandiaparent, for taking the time to post so that I and my daughter might know that we’re not crazy for thinking Bard is a place where science is important. D too is interested in neuro and attracted to the possibilities of the M-B-B program. UMD’s neuro, for instance, is so bio-based that I wonder if she’ll stick to it. so we’re looking at bard and washu. I know the bio and chem and physics are important to neuro and want her to have a strong grounding in them, but to her so too is, for example, linguistics, aesthetics, economics, or philosophy of mind. is your D looking at washu or some other broader program?</p>