<p>I agree with many of the above messages except that admission to Bard is definitely easier than admission to Vassar. Bard is probably an excellent safety school for a student for whom Vassar is a moderate reach. Colgate and Brandeis are also good likely or safety schools. But if you are looking for a “hipster” school as a backup to Vassar, Bard is probably it. Play up the Latina angle and emphasize the upward trend in your GPA. Think carefully about which teachers you want to ask to write your letters of recommendation, because a stand-out letter always helps. The relationships between colleges and high schools vary from one school to the next. If you have a Naviance account with your high school and students have applied to Vassar in the past, how do compare with previous applicants from your school?</p>