Hi, everyone. I’m hoping to stay in the Hudson Valley for college and am looking at Vassar, Bard, and Marist specifically. I know Vassar is the most prestigious, followed by Bard. But what are some other things to consider? What is the “vibe” like at each?
My biggest concern with Vassar and Bard is that I’m politically moderate. I like to examine each specific issue before I make up my mind. I also don’t align with one party or the other, and my opinions run the gamut. I think it’s absurd that we’ve created this paradigm of “if you think X, you must also think Y and Z”. For example, if you say you think X about gun laws, that means you must also think Y about abortion and Z about Israel/Gaza.
Basically, I hate political extremism/radicalism on both sides, and I’ve hard that Vassar and especially Bard can be toxic environments for someone like me. How true is this?
Marist has a lovely campus right on the river - my kid really liked the view and setting. I think it is pretty moderate, from what I observed. I thought it was a nice blend of liberal arts + pre-professional IMO. Lots of study-abroad if your thing. I have an friend who went (a long time ago) and is a super-fan alum. Agree it isn’t as prestigious as Vassar, for sure. I actually don’t think acceptance rate is much different than Bard at this point, FWIW.
I am not sure if Union counts for hudson valley, but that might also work.
Bard is unique school, not a school you pick based on geography. Vassar is hard to get into. Marist is a good school, beautiful views of the Hudson, a lot of investment into their campus. Push a little further north in the valley, you have SUNY-Albany, Siena, RPI, Union. Siena suburban, the others urban.
The only school closer to the river than Marist is West Point.
As a general suggestion, choose courses in college from which you can develop a foundation for understanding specific issues. The study of political theory — such as by studying the Enlightenment as well as counter-Enlightenment thought, for example — could be especially helpful to you in forming such a foundation.
Manhattan University, which is actually in Riverdale and not in Manhattan, is also in the Hudson Valley and is moderate. Mike Lawler, Congressional Representative from Suffern & Rockland County, for example, is a political moderate and is a Manhattan alum.
Other things to consider? What you want to study should first & foremost be what you look at to decide if a college meets your needs and can help you achieve your goals.
I am sitting next to my D23 who is home after having just completed her 2nd year at Bard (she’s a double-degree conservatory student). I read her your questions. She said that you would probably receive pushback on any non-liberal views (Bard is extraordinarily liberal). She personally knows students who hold more moderate views. In fact, my daughter’s personal and political beliefs sometimes differ from those espoused by other students, but she just doesn’t spend a lot of time talking about them. She also said that your beliefs shouldn’t prevent you from making friends, but that this would depend on how you navigate this very liberal environment. My daughter has made some wonderful friends who are supportive and kind. During finals week, she came down with a horrible virus. Her friends and dorm neighbors constantly came by to check on her and bring her food and electrolyte drinks until she felt better. I hope this helps! Good luck!
I completely agree with you that Bard is a fit school and would second the advice about visiting the school before applying. That being said, going somewhere that also expands your worldview can be a valuable experience. Before college, my D23 never even drank alcohol. We live in a fairly affluent, exurban area. In high school, she was a musical theatre-loving kid with a lovely like-minded friend group who socialized at sleepovers, coffee shops, local musical performances and sushi restaurants. I worried about whether she would fit in at Bard, but her world has truly broadened and she has really blossomed there! She has met folks from all walks of life and is good friends with folks who hail from all over the US and the world. I totally get that Bard will be a bridge too far for many people, but it has turned out to be a good decision for my kid. It is a very special place.
My son applied to all three schools; I think you could find your people at any of them. Definitely visit for the vibe. I agree with other posters above that Union and SUNY-New Paltz should be considered as well. My guess is that Union might be a strong match for what you are looking for—strong academics and closer to moderate political leanings.
I’m not sure what this means. Riverdale sits right on the Hudson River.
In this thread we’ve had Union College suggested which is in the Mohawk Valley, not the Hudson, along with several other schools from the Capital Region, and you’re singling out one from Riverdale as not belonging? It’s certainly closer to the OP’s area of focus, which is the Poughkeepsie area, than schools up in Albany and beyond. What gives???
Manhattan College is in the Bronx. The Bronx is not part of the Hudson Valley region. Poughkeepsie (Dutchess) and Albany (Albany County) are part of the Hudson Valley region. I wrote what I did because I didn’t know if being in a borough of NYC was ok.
I am not suggesting that the student should not apply- I think they should if it is of interest. Riverdale is very nice.
I didn’t read all of the suggestions. I am just going by the title and am not trying to single anybody out. That’s all- nothing more was intended and I apologize if I came across that way.
@appleciderdonut are you open to colleges outside of the 10 counties that make up the three regions of the Hudson Valley? You have gotten some good suggestions that are not too far.
First of all, what is defined as “the Hudson Valley Region” varies depending on who’s doing the defining and for what purpose. Albany County is NOT part of the Hudson Valley Region on many maps.
Westchester County is part of the Hudson Valley Region on many of the maps. Riverdale itself sits right on the border of Westchester County and Manhattan University itself is a little over a mile from the border. Riverdale is nothing like what people think of when they think “Bronx” or “New York City”. I didn’t think it was a big stretch to go a mile beyond the border of Westchester to pull in a school which otherwise fits the OP’s description and which draws a lot of students from the Hudson Valley to the north of its campus.
Manhattan University is less than 70 miles from Poughkeepsie. Skidmore, which is hardly politically moderate, is almost 120 miles from Poughkeepsie. Union is almost 100 miles. To me, Manhattan is a better fit with what the OP is asking for than either of those. But that’s just me. What’s the harm in throwing out one more for the list, which the OP can easily reject if s/he’s not interested? His/her frustration is that the options are limited in the region of interest, which is why s/he is reaching out in the first place. I’m just saying that if you stretch the boundary a little bit, you just might find something you’re interested in. Same kind of thinking that led some posters to reach north to SUNY Albany, Siena, Union, and Skidmore, stretching both geographic and political limits.
Just my 2 cents. I understand that you see it differently, so I just want to explain my thinking on this one.
I appreciate and respect your thoughts….and I do think Manhattan College is a good option. I also agree with much of what you are saying.
However….the Hudson Valley consists of 10 counties that make up three regions…..lower, mid, and upper. Rockland, Westchester (lower), Orange, Putnam, Ulster, Dutchess (mid), Columbia, Greene, Albany, Rensselaer (upper). This is factual information that is on official Hudson Valley websites.
That’s all. People are free to do or think what they want with this information- it’s fine. I won’t post about it anymore .
As a school-to-school perspective, Manhattan University resides five miles from Sarah Lawrence College, which has been defined through its county (Westchester) as belonging in the Hudson Valley. However, in that Riverdale borders the Hudson River, I might invert this interpretation.
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