Bard College
Founded 1860
President Leon Botstein (President)
Fees USD 58,850
Acceptance Rate Selective (20–50%)
Campus Setting Rural
Bard College is a prestigious private liberal arts college founded in 1860 in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, in the scenic Hudson Valley. Known for its unconventional, intellectually rigorous approach to education, Bard emphasizes the arts, humanities, and social sciences alongside strong programs in the natural sciences. Bard is celebrated for its Bard College Conservatory of Music, the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts, the Hannah Arendt Center, and the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts. The college enrolls approximately 2,000 students.
Academic Programs
- Bard Conservatory of Music — Dual-degree conservatory programs
- Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts — Top MFA programs
- Division of Languages and Literature — Creative writing, literature, and languages
- Division of Arts — Visual arts, film and electronic arts, theatre
- Division of Social Studies — Politics, economics, sociology, and psychology
- Division of Science, Mathematics and Computing — Sciences and mathematics
How to Apply
- Application: Common App or Bard QuestBridge Application
- Application Fee: $50
- Test Scores: Test-optional; middle 50% SAT 1280–1490, ACT 30–34
- Acceptance Rate: ~40%
Key Deadlines
- Early Action: November 1
- Regular Decision: January 1