- AcademicsA
- ValueB+
- DiversityA
- CampusC-
- AthleticsC
- Party SceneC+
- ProfessorsA
- LocationC-
- DormsD
- Campus FoodC-
- Student LifeC+
- SafetyB
Bard College is ...
Private not-for-profit
Athletic Division
NCAA Division III (without football)
Athletic Conference
Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association
Bard College Rankings
Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.
Admissions
Acceptance Rate
56%
SAT Range
—
ACT Range
—
Application Fee
$50
SAT/ACT
Neither required nor recommended
High School GPA
Recommended
Early Decision/Early Action
—
Application Website
Students also applied to ...
Will You Get In?
Test Scores and GPA for Bard CollegeSee Other Colleges
Cost
Net Price
$29,356/ year
National
$15,523Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Academics
Professors
A
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
10:1
Evening Degree Programs
No
- 86%
- of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.42 responses
- 44%
- of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.45 responses
- 56%
- of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.45 responses
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Majors
Students
Full-Time Enrollment
1,897Undergrads
Undergrads Over 25
1%
Pell Grant
21%
Varsity Athletes
13%
Campus Life
Freshmen Live On-Campus
100%
Poll
- 100%
- of students say they don't have Greek life.26 responses
Poll
- 70%
- of students say no one pays attention to varsity sports.54 responses
After College
Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$35,900/ year
National
$33,028Graduation Rate
78%
National
49%Employed 2 Years After Graduation
88%
National
83%- 57%
- of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.21 responses
Bard College Reviews
520 reviews
All Categories
Most of the negative reviews on here are from athletes or people who are unsatisfied with the living arrangments. I hated the dorm I was placed in freshman year, and I was a member of the cross country team, but I still made plenty of friends/pleasant memories. It's ridiculous to rate an entire institution badly for one aspect. I've learned and grown so much at Bard. I often feel connected to my professors (who are usually extremely accomplished/connected/intelligent). Bard offers AMAZING abroad opportunities. I've lived in Costa Rica and Nicaragua through abroad programs and clubs through Bard. You'll academically work hard here, but it's absolutely worth it. Bard is also very generous with financial aid. The people here can be fascinating if you're willing to engage with them. As with anything else in life, the experience is what you make of it. I'm extremely grateful that I was able to go here.
Bard College is a weird place; this will never change nor should it. 95% of the students are outsiders in some capacity, whether they were outsiders in High School or totally in society. This is what makes Bard weird and wonderful, but it is the also what makes Bard terrible because most students cannot accept this about themselves. A large amount will recreate how they were treated in high school: they will create cliques and shun people not in their clique. They will be attentive on a social hierarchy and make fun of everyone outside it. The absolute worst worst thing about Bard is- because these students are outsiders and used to the world being cold to them- will be aggressively cold to everyone else. Try walking through campus and making eye contact/smiling with everyone you see. One in 50 will smile back. They can't let go of the coldness the world has given them. Some do, and you will find these to be the most mature students on campus.
Bard College is a beautiful, quirky liberal arts school. It emphasizes uniqueness in person and once you get used to the vibe it's a wonderful place to study and grow as a person. You easily feel comfortable with yourself here, and people appreciate that. The academics are wonderful, often approaching subjects in ways that help you think about them differently. There's an emphasis on keeping class sizes small because Bard really emphasizes discussion based learning. Not only will you learn to articulate your thoughts clearly, you'll also learn how to write them. The professors are friendly and easy to talk to. The social scene is different, for sure, but if you get used to it it can be really incredible. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else for my undergraduate studies.