Overview of Bard College

Situated in Annandale-on-Hudson, Bard College is a liberal arts college. Bard prides itself on its 9 to 1 student/faculty ratio. The total class size is 16 in the Lower College and 12 in the Upper College. The faculty is comprised of 5 MacArthur Fellows, and the university has produced four Nobel Prize recipients. For a small college, the institution is remarkably international, with 22 percent of students representing 51 countries other than the U.S. Outside of the classroom, students will find plenty of opportunities to engage with the campus community via the university’s many clubs and organizations. The Raptors play in the NCAA Division III, within the Liberty League.

Enrollment

• Total Enrollment: 2,218 (1,893 undergraduates)
• Gender Breakdown: 40% Male/60% Female
• 97% Full-time

Cost of Attendance Information

• Tuition and Fees: $56,036
• Books: $1,000
• Room and Board: $15,876
• Other Expenses: $1,750
• Total Cost: $74,662

Financial Aid Information

• Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 72%
• Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid
  • Grants: 70%
  • Loans: 51%
• Mean Amount of Aid
  • Grants: $40,383
  • Loans: $6,424

Academic Programs Offered

• The most popular majors are Social Sciences; Visual and Performing Arts; English Language and Literature/Letters; and Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies

Retention and Graduation

• First-Year Student Retention (full-time students): 85%
• Transfer-out Rate: – %
• 4-year Graduation Rate: 69%
• 6-year Graduation Rate: 78%

NCAA Athletic Programs

• Men’s Sports: Soccer, Lacrosse, Baseball, Volleyball, Cross Country, Basketball, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, Squash
• Women’s Sports: Swimming, Volleyball, Cross Country, Track & Field, Soccer, Lacrosse, Basketball, Tennis

Overview of Bard College Admissions

With an acceptance rate of 65%, Bard College is considered a somewhat selective school. The institution is test-optional, meaning that students can choose whether to submit scores from the SAT or ACT. This institution has a robust admissions process that involves a multitude of academic measures. A persuasive essay and glowing recommendation letters can bolster your application, along with being involved with student organizations and attempting a challenging course load. Students with unique talents and accomplishments can still receive strong consideration even if their GPAs are outside of the admissions offices mean range. After applying, students will receive a message from an admissions counselor about the next steps of the application process. Interested students should check out the university’s website, which has helpful tips and contact information for the admissions offices.

Admissions Data

• Bard College Acceptance Rate: 65%
• Test Scores
  • SAT Critical Reading: 680 mean
  • SAT Math: 650 mean
  • ACT Overall: 29 mean
  • Note: Bard is a test-optional college

Safety Net Schools: Easy to Gain Admission

If past admission data predicts that you would be a competitive candidate for Bard College, then it should be easy for you to gain admissions to the schools below. If Bard College is currently out of your reach, then you are sure to be a competitive candidate for the schools below.

Syracuse University, Drexel University, University of Cincinnati, Penn State University Park, United States Military Academy, Hofstra University, Temple University

Same Tier: Just As Hard to Gain Admission

If you’re a competitive candidate for Bard College, then you should have an equal chance of gaining admissions at these schools.

University of Washington, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Stony Brook University, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Connecticut, University of California, Irvine, Rochester Institute of Technology

Reach Institutions: Gaining Admissions Will Be More of a Challenge

These schools are more challenging to gain admission into than Bard College. If you improve your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, then you’ll be a competitive candidate for these schools.

University of Michigan, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York University, Boston University, Boston College, Villanova University, Binghamton University  

Applying to Bard College

Application Deadline: January 1

Undergraduate Admissions Website: https://www.bard.edu/admission/firstyear/

Undergraduate Application Link(s): https://www.bard.edu/admission/applying/

Graduate Admissions Website: https://www.bard.edu/graduate/

Graduate Application Link(s): https://www.bard.edu/graduate/deadlines/