I am an international student accepted to Mount Holyoke and Vassar Colleges. I intend to go to Law School after graduating. Can anyone share their experience with Vassar college? (Vibes,traditions, academics,food,dorm,etc) What’s so special and unique about Vassar? Why Vassar? What made you choose Vassar and not any other college? Also, how is the community engaged learning program like at Vassar?
It will help me decide. Thanks!
Vassar is a great school. Students are passionate and smart, but not competitive. Professors are accessible and supportive. The research opportunities are marvelous - google URSI and Ford programs at Vassar and you will see all of the wonderful opportunities that students have to get paid to do original research with professors. The JYA program is strong, too- you can google it. The dorms are centers of activities for their students - study breaks, frisbee competitions with other dorms, dorm parents etc. The dining hall and catering have just been revamped; the food is now fabulous. There is a great outing club if you like to hike, bike, climb and kayak. Films are shown on campus every weekend. There is no core curriculum (you can study whatever you want) and Vassar is strong in all departments. Vassar has excellent acceptance rates to top PhD programs, Law school and Med school and Vassar is known for theater and film. NYC is an hour and a half away by train and lots of students have internships in the city. I would scroll through the Vassar College Facebook postings and you will see how much is going on. Look at the Vassar 1861 Instagram and you will see how beautiful the campus is. Of course, Vassar has men, so that is probably the biggest difference between MH and Vassar; Vassar clearly has a long history of supporting women, though. Vassar is a warm community. My son wanted a school that stressed academics, but not stress. As a parent, I have been thrilled with the support he has received (studying sessions in the dorm, meals at professors’ homes, Junior and Senior Majors offering extra tutoring sessions if students need help, summer opportunities for research, even as a freshman). You have two great choices- well done.
My D would answer:
"Because there are lots of cute guys, it’s not in the middle of nowhere, it has many artsy students, it’s not cut-throat competitive, it doesn’t have strict core curriculum, and during the campus visit, a cute guy talked to me randomly thinking I was a Vassar student.
Too bad, as an international student, you cannot visit before making decision? The biggest difference between MH and Vassar is women’s college vs co-ed college and rural location vs fairly easy access to NYC.
Good luck!
President Elizabeth Bradley who just finished her first year and came to Vassar from Yale is absolutely terrific. She is focused on residential life and bringing great and varied speakers to campus. I agree with all of the previous comments. The food greatly improved this year when they changed the provider. Academics are top notch and the campus is stunning with the most beautiful library in the country as well as a golf course. Which country are you from?