<p>Actually, oddly enough I applied on a whim also and got accepted, and am now attending. I figured that it would be a good choice, since the school seemed supportive of individuals and it sported a good academic program. </p>
<p>Ultimately though, I’m transferring out for a number of reasons that you might want to consider before committing:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Size/Ethnic Diversity - Bard is small. That can be both a good and bad thing, but for me, it mostly turned out to be bad. I decided to pursue pre-med and econ, and since the number of courses offered are limited by the size of the school, I’ve found it difficult to accommodate required courses into my schedule. I’ve also found the ethnic diversity to be a bit lacking here, though that might really be a matter of personal preferences and interpretations. </p></li>
<li><p>Rural locale - Yes, you can take a train to New York City, but the trip one way (bus+train) will take you at least 2 hours, and I personally can’t find that much time off. I’ve been raised in Southern California, so I can’t quite understand the purported beauty of the mid-Hudson river valley. Granted, Stone Row can look kind of cool, but the architectural cacophony of the surroundings tends to ruin the vibe a bit. </p></li>
<li><p>Homogeneity of the student body - Bardians can be (roughly/crudely) split into five types of students: the East Asian international students, the European international students, the other international students, a small sprinkling of non-international minorities, and the Caucasian middle class students. By far, this last category is the largest and most prevalent on campus. lilygraces is right in saying that there are a variety of interests here, but that’s just a few steps away from stating that “everyone is unique”. Though some (or many) will deny it, there’s definitely a Bard stereotype, and you should try to form an idea of how well you’ll be able to fit in here. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Overall, I would say that Bard is a great place for studying literature, art, or something along those lines. However, I feel that the sciences, though growing, are still vastly underrepresented in the student body. Bard’s CP report is generally pretty accurate, and you should give that a quick read if you get the chance. The social scene is a bit cliquish, the people can be dressed rather oddly, the food at Kline is subpar, and despite the denials by others, I can tell you that yes, hipsters tend to be drawn to Bard.</p>