Visit Report by littleathiest (Member since December 09 2006 with 753 posts) Visit Date - June 2006
Visit to Vassar College in June 2006 by littleathiest (Student, HS Class of 2007)
Visit Activities:
Admissions Interview:
No - Offered, but off-campus only. Information Session:
Yes - The Admissions Officer was very good; a bit dry, but very knowledgable and informative. A very good experience overall. Campus Tour:
Yes - The student who gave the tour (junior) was informative, friendly, and seemed like a very "normal" guy. The tour was very comprehensive and gave a good sense of what it would be like to live
Vassar College Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 4 - Very Good -
A summer visit, so there were few students around. The tour guide was, however, very friendly and knowledgable--he seemed like an all-around good guy and bright individual.
Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 4 - Very Good -
The Admissions Officers were friendly. The officer who gave the information session was a bit stiff and formal, however, was very knowledgable about the school and made the experience positive.
Appearance of Campus: 5 - Excellent -
It's a beautiful campus: the buildings are fantastic (some are historic) and the theatre (in particular) is lovely.
Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 4 - Very Good -
Overall pretty good (it was the summer). The grass looked to be in need of cutting and there was a lot of construction going on, but all of it was slated to be completed by the 2006-2007 school year.
Dormitories: 3 - Good -
The common sitting area is fanastic: all dorms boast a flatscreen TV and Steinway piano. The dorms were a bit on the small side, but not terrible. Bathrooms were co-ed, except in the all-girls dorm.
Security/Safety: 5 - Excellent -
The campus feels pretty separate from Poughkeepsie, nevertheless, has a blue light system and access to dorms only occurs through student IDs.
Overall Campus Impression: 4 - Very Good
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 2 - Fair -
Poughkeepsie seemed like an okay place to be; it was a basic middle class city. There were a few local restaurants and stores directly around the campus along with a couple of nicer restaurants.
City/Town/Community: 2 - Fair -
A lot of strip malls and fast food restuarants. Nothing to write home about. The college did, however, offer daily shuttles to a mall and movie theatre and the train can be taken into NYC on weekends.
Campus Visit Notes for Vassar College:
Visit Description:
My trip to Vassar was a day trip which I took in June. My first impression of the campus was that there was a fair amount of construction going on; however, the tour guide ensured that all that was "just summer work" and would be completed by the 2006-2007 school year. The campus itself was quite attractive; lots of trees and fields (that could have used cutting... but then again, it was the summer).
The first half of my trip consisted of a tour of the campus given by a rising junior. He was a quirky "typical" college student who really seemed to be enjoying his experience at Vassar. In fact, on a side not, he was one of the few guides that I've had who was wearing Vassar gear. He was very knowledgable and gave a good sense of what it would be like to live on the campus. He was also entertaining with the commentary he provided and included a brief history of the college on the tour. The tour was also very comprehensive from a visiting standpoint: I saw a classroom, several academic buildings, the library, the theatre, a student center, and one of the dorms.
Following the tour was an information session. It was very informative (though a bit dry) and was particularly helpful to parents (according to my mother). If you look at the Vassar website before visiting the campus, the information session is probably unnecessary unless you really feel that hearing the information directly from an admissions officer is beneficial.
Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:
If food is a concern to you in your college experience, have lunch at the campus... it was offered free to all visiting students and was only $5 or so for parents.
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A summer visit, so there were few students around. The tour guide was, however, very friendly and knowledgable--he seemed like an all-around good guy and bright individual.
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It's a beautiful campus: the buildings are fantastic (some are historic) and the theatre (in particular) is lovely.
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The common sitting area is fanastic: all dorms boast a flatscreen TV and Steinway piano. The dorms were a bit on the small side, but not terrible. Bathrooms were co-ed, except in the all-girls dorm.
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Poughkeepsie seemed like an okay place to be; it was a basic middle class city. There were a few local restaurants and stores directly around the campus along with a couple of nicer restaurants.