liz6298

I feel like this has been asked a few times, but haven't been able to find a good answer.

I have heard here and there that Bard students tend to be very quirky, creative, intellectual, and artsy, but in a more pretentious and clique-y sense.

I am definitely kinda weird and quirky myself, but also very friendly and positive and like being around open, happy people.

Bard seems amazing, but one of the only things I'm worried about is that I will transfer there and have trouble finding people I really connect to and end up in a more negative environment. Can any Bard transfer students speak to this, and their experience with getting involved and connected in the community?

If I get accepted, I will definitely visit and hopefully that will give me a much better idea of the "feel" of the whole environment, whether it is positive and friendly and motivating, or more secluded, and moody-intellectual-ish, but would love a current student's input.

Thanks!

dntw8up

You're asking for generalizations about a large group of people who are quite diverse, but I wouldn't characterize Bard students as "happy people." Bard students are proponents of endless numbers of causes, with outcomes that frequently fall short of their desires, which doesn't tend to generate a lot of happiness. Some prospective students find the environment at Bard too negative, but many others do not, so you will probably have to spend time there to determine whether Bard is suitable for you. My son had Bard on his list for awhile and removed it precisely because the vibe was too "secluded and moody" for him.

liz6298

Thanks. This helps. Haha and I definitely understand that it is somewhat ridiculous to ask for a generalization of all Bard students. Which is why I'm still applying... It seems like a wonderful school, and the generalizations certainly aren't true for everyone, and I might have a different view. Still, it seems pretty true that different college campuses do have different "feels" to them.

(z)

Lying in bed at night, I often wonder whether or not I'm "moody and secluded" enough for Bard.

liz6298

Because humor/sarcasm/honesty is so difficult to get across on the internet, and I'm terrible at it in person anyway, I am really not sure what you mean. But I thought it was funny.

(z)

I found it a little strange to say one's son removed Bard because it's too "moody and secluded".

Then again, it does have an eccentric reputation. Supposedly a small community of brilliant, quasi-pretentious, politically active (and fiercely liberal) students.

Which is precisely why I plan on applying next year.

Moody and secluded, here I come!

dntw8up

I used the words "moody and secluded" because they were part of the OPs characterization of Bard. People add and remove colleges from their list for lots of reasons and in the case of Bard, the student body seemed to down/depressed/negative for my son. As to your characterization of Bard as, "brilliant, quasi-pretentious, politically active (and fiercely liberal) students," I would agree wholeheartedly with the latter three and allow that there are some of the former but per capita, no more so than many, many other schools. Since you're applying next year and would like to attend, I hope you are able to do so.

antonuccia

I am hoping to get in as a transfer.I currently go to Bard College at Simon's Rock basically just a different campus and when I visisted everyone seemed nice

Mdawg

I'm currently a freshman at Bard who is transferring next year.

I wouldn't say that Bard is "moody" (like any school, there are fair shares of both cheery people and mopey people), but "secluded" is the perfect word. The main reason I am transferring - and I want to underscore that this is not necessarily a bad thing, but simply not what I am looking for - is my perceived lack of a cohesive campus community.

Bard is very much a place where people do their own thing; compared to the schools I've visited my friends at, Bard has very little in the way of student clubs/activities, sporting events (to be expected), large parties, et cetera. It is of course not true of EVERYONE, but on the whole people do tend to be cliquey and pretentious - it really boils down to the hipster subculture that permeates campus and the high value placed on the ideal of non-conformity.

In my experience, the social scene is very much what you make of it. Once you find your intimate group of friends, you have to find your own stuff to do rather than assume there will be ample activities to occupy your time. This is amplified by the fact that there is very little to do in the surrounding area (the exception being that NYC is an hour and a half away by train)

I would imagine that this might make things difficult as a transfer student if you are not particularly pro-active in making friends. I have been trying for a semester and half to get involved and connected with the community without any success (of course, you'll just have to take my word that I'm not a complete nutjob and I have at least rudimentary social skills). On the other hand, one of my friends is a transfer student and he seems to have acclimated just fine.

jenslekman

What about the Gawker column? It kind of makes everyone seem elitist and, for lack of a better word, "frontin'". I feel like, once you're out of high school, you shouldn't have to worry about being cool enough anymore.

applicantsmom

What is Gawker's column?

Phedre

One of my good friends is a freshman at Bard and she loves it. She is also a very outgoing, happy-go-lucky person, who is not elitist, obsessed with being cool or any of that stuff. She is just a girl genuinely interested in learning and having fun; I assume she's found a good group of people similar to her. So by this information, I definitely wouldn't characterize the entire campus as moody, elitist, whatever.

applicantsmom

I am glad to hear that! We have to remember to consider that everyone has different personalities so their perception may not necessarily be ours. You have to trust your gut! My husband and son LOVED it whenthey visited. I haven't been there as of it, but will be visiting soon!

ctParent2006

My son is a Sophomore transfer and likes Bard very much. While I may think Bard students prize being "different" a bit more than at some other schools I also don't think that is a bad thing. It seems like a friendly place.