Alright guys, it would really help if I could get some input here.
I was accepted to Bard this year, and after NESCAC and Kenyon rejections it’s looking like it might be where I’m going, but I still have a few schools to wait for.
I have heard many more stories of people transferring out of Bard than other schools- measurably so. I know that I could feasibly get a lot out of Bard, as it’s a good school, but I don’t want to feel isolated here. I’m creative and liberal, yet not super quirky as I feel a lot of people are, and I’m worried about feeling isolated as I’ve seen some complain about.
I’m not going to comfort you, only tell you the facts, and let you make a judgment therein.
You’re right, the retention rate of Bard is really poor, and stories of student - first years especially - transferring out are common. I also suspect, from the general disaffected attitude of so many students, that the retention rate would be even lower if the hurdles to transferring to another college weren’t so significant (Bard may be the only school offering substantial aid to some kids).
The isolation is inescapable, it’s up to you how you deal with that. If, like many prospective students, you’re used to LA, NYC, or Boston (or any decent sized city for that matter), there’s no getting around the fact that the campus is extremely spread out, rural, often freezing, and bang in the middle of two villages of a few thousand people each. Add to that the ‘eclectic’ nature of the student body, it’s no surprise that a lot of people quickly find out that Bard is not their cup of tea. Moreover, the horrid levels of alumni donations demonstrate that very few students ever develop a connection to the college such that they care about its long term prosperity.
However, if you are truly intellectually curious, don’t mind seeing the same faces every day, and want to live in an extremely beautiful part of the country, then you may find Bard is a great fit. It works for me; I adore nature and my department is really fantastic. Even on a small campus, there are like-minds for everybody, and opportunities to engage in the local and global community are endless.
Good luck in making a decision, and I advise you that wherever you end up, focus on making the absolute most of that institution before considering a way out.
I’m one of those students who transferred out. The main reasons were the fact that it’s located in a pretty remote area as well as the almost complete disinterest of anybody in the arts about learning anything that can possibly lead to a career.
However, the classes and facility were amazing and the campus is beautiful. I’m honestly happy I went there for my first two years to get a strong liberal arts education and then went to a more career-focused school in an urban area for my final two years. Just because you transfer doesn’t mean the time you spent is a waste.
child was accepted to Bard via IDP program in November. It was first choice and loved it, unfortunately they provided no FA at all…Child was crushed as was i. Applied to about 12 schools and got into a good number with both merit and need aid. Knowing Bard doesn’t provide Merit, went back to them with an appeal to further illustrate our complicated financial situation and share need-based (not merit) offers we received from other like-schools just to illustrate the massive difference (again in NEED based, not merit between other schools and Bard. They replied in less than 24 hours with a brief “times are tough everywhere, including at Bard so we offer no change in your aid package.”…not surprising result, but off-putting response considering i went through this process with other schools and every other one was kind, considerate, receptive, understanding and several did increase their offers. I also cc’d our Bard AO on these emails hoping she would chime in—nothing from her either. Even reached out to her directly since my child would still love to go–asking for any ideas/thoughts–still nothing. Take from this experience what you will.
Not surprising Bard provided no aid - we were in a similar position a couple of years ago and received the full COA as a bill. There are some articles out there that called Bard’s finances and long-term viability into question. That may have stabilized over the last couple of years, but Bard’s alumni comprised of actors, photographers and artists do not necessarily translate to a significant endowment so being able to improve FA is not likely. We loved the campus there and believed my D would be intellectually challenged but she decided on a different LAC. There is another current thread someplace on CC regarding a current student who is pretty miserable - feeling isolated and not at all happy. I think that could be at any campus, however, but the transfer rate does seem to be a bit higher at Bard. OP is wise to be asking these types of questions; are you going to an admitted student day?
I got pretty solid financial aid from Bard, fortunately. I saw that other thread as well. I am going to both Oberlin and Bard’s admitted student days, so I hope that it will help. I feel like Oberlin’s being ranked way higher makes me feel a little more pressured to go there- I know that prestige isn’t a good sole factor to go off of, but I think that it is important in some respect.
@henrywinter - the difference in rankings/prestige between Oberlin and Bard is negligible. If I were you I wouldn’t let that be your reason to go to one or the other. I recommend that you email the head of the department(s) you’re interested in at each school with questions - it might give you a feel for the differences between the two. Also, the proximity of NYC to Bard - even though it’s 2+ hours away does make a difference between the two schools. Many of the professors are very connected to what is going on in New York City and the city itself is available as a resource for students. You could also compare course lists - look to see what classes you would have chosen last fall if you were putting together your schedule - as well as what the graduation requirements are. In addition, if you can, try corresponding with some current students - particularly in your fields of interest. I’m sure the admissions departments will put you in touch with them. Students tend to be very honest!
I am more than with you on not basing a choice on the prestige of a school, and I have been always been an advocate of fit over prestige. It’s funny, though, when I find myself in the situation of having to choose, I am definitely weighing prestige. I wouldn’t call the difference negligible- Bard is #43 on US News, while Oberlin is #26- but that’s only part of the “prestige” in my opinion. I have heard scary things, as aforementioned, about the retention rates at Bard, and I feel that the higher selectivity of Oberlin will result in a better student body overall.
However, I know that my previous comments are irrelevant in some sense. Since I visited my sophomore year, I have loved Bard, and I have seen you on this forum a lot. I agree with your past statements- Bard’s ranking is way below what it should be, the students, while some may be disaffected, are really smart and unique, and the professors/education is on par with other, higher ranked LAC’s. The proximity to NYC is making the choice hard as well. Oberlin and Bard are two great and very similar institutions, in many ways, and I know that the programs at both of these schools will serve me well as I do not know what I want to do yet but have many interests, and the programs that I would be interested at both Oberlin and Bard are solid at both.