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| Not so bright |
People who complain about Vassar College obviously are just not meant to be here. Yes Vassar kids can be "pretentious" and "snooty", but they are also incredibly friendly and if you can get around the idea that just because there are fashionable young people around you who you perceive to be judgemental because they care about how they look, you'll realize that they are in fact not judging you just because you wear american Eagle that happens to not be Fair Trade. Then you will love it here. I have friends from all walks of society. Punks, Jocks, Stoners, Hipsters, and Hippies. As long as you are comfortable with who you are and make yourself approachable and understand the idea of social diversity (not many people here are "Joe College" types) you will have a great time socially.
The thing is that Vassar is not for that single-minded kid who wants to major in business and is just coming to Vassar because it was the best school he or she got into. Vassar is for people who are still wondering where to go with their lives and it is a wonderful place to find out. I am taking classes in the English, History and Geography departments and find my professors to be both challenging and boundary-breaking. Liberal bias does seep through nearly everywhere on campus, but it should be expected, as the school has its own Anarchist zine and other leftist orgs.
The work load is not intense at all. other than a lot of reading (which you don't really need to do all of anyway), there are probably 3 to 4 papers per class. However, despite there not being a lot of work, the papers you do write should grant you a lot of freedom in choosing what to write about and allow you to express yourself in a way that you believes tailors towards what you want to get out of college. Moreover, these assignments are actually challenging and stimulating, not just generic essays.
Vassar has a beautiful campus that is just breath-taking in autumn and spring. The architecture, while predominantly Victorian, is beautiful and surprisingly varied. The biggest irony of Vassar is that while it looks like a preppy east-coast institution, the vibe is more counter cultural than it originally appears. I feel like at least half of the kids who go to Vassar move to Brooklyn to be artsy and businesslike simultaneously in a young hip neighborhood, while at another, similar looking school like Williams, kids move to Manhattan and work in business firms or something.
There are a lot of drugs on campus, and a lot of them go unnoticed by the administration, but you can avoid them easily if you want to. However, if you are into "getting fucked up" or reliving your parent's hippie adventures, if you know the right people, you can find just about anything.
This campus is politically involved and people seem to actually care about issues. People in the dorms tend to talk about lots of random things, but every so often, a really intellectual thought provoking discussion arises. To the person who said that Vassar students love the sound of their own voice, they obviously just do not understand the idea of stimulating oneself intellectually through engaging in discussion about the topics at hand. You will find yourself having a lot of discussions in class, and if you really love your classes, you should find yourself contributing, unless you're introverted in which case you should take pleasure in listening.
I love Vassar and feel like anyone independent-minded unique and free-spirited individual should love it as well. Apply if you are interested in social sciences/politics/the arts (especially drama)/and english. | Education Quality: A+, Surrounding City: C |  | | |
| | Nov 30 2008 | 1st Year Male --
Class 2012 | | Blog it!Blog about this comment from your webpage or Blog, or MySpace account:
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| Quite Bright |
I really believe that Vassar is one of the best places I could have gone.
All of my professors have known my name, and all of them have stressed their availability for one on one consulation. They all seem to genuinely enjoy teaching. The class offerings are diverse and interesting, and the academic atmosphere is very conducive to exploration and learning for learning's sake.
The campus is gorgeous year-round, and the library is fantastic.
The students that I've met are hilarious, open-minded, smart, and creative. I think the reputation for crazy liberal weirdness is kind of unfounded, although there is definitely more of that here than your average college campus.
Poughkeepsie, while not a thriving college town, is really not that bad. There are plenty of cool restaurants and if you make an effort, you will find things to do. This usually unnecessary though, as there's always so much to do on campus: lectures, plays, concerts, parties, dances, etc.
My only complaints:
1) Popular classes fill up fast, and its easy to start panicking and fretting that you won't be able to take everything you want. However I think that if you absolutely need a class for you major or something you can get in.
2) My peers are fantastic for the most part, but there's slight tension between the tragically self-aware artsy hipsters and everybody else. Nothing too major, though.
The only people who are usually unhappy at Vassar are the ones who didn't consider fit when they decided to come, and chose Vassar because it was the best school they got into. If you are close-minded, judgemental, unaccepting of unique or quirky people, or dull, you will not fit in at Vassar. Other than that, everyone can find a place here. | Campus Aesthetics: A+, Surrounding City: B- | | | |
| | Aug 20 2008 | 1st Year Female --
Class 2011 | | Blog it!Blog about this comment from your webpage or Blog, or MySpace account:
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| Not so bright | If you are willing to risk trying new classes, VC is the place. Take the time to know your professors. Introduce yourself to as many people as possible. Join at least two extra curricular. Freshman year is hard anywhere, but it has been worth every minute. Do a year abroad! | Education Quality: A+, Surrounding City: B | | | |
| | Aug 20 2008 | 3rd Year Female --
Class 2009 | | Blog it!Blog about this comment from your webpage or Blog, or MySpace account:
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| Quite Bright | Wonderful school to develope who you are. No frats, they are fluid cliques, always a place to fit in. Professors are excellent, make sure you get to know them. Vassar is definitely a place that you get multiple back, by what you put in. Students are creative and fun. | Starting Job: Research Engineer, Preparedness: A+, Reputation: A+ | | |
| | Aug 20 2008 | Alumna Female --
Class 2000 | | Blog it!Blog about this comment from your webpage or Blog, or MySpace account:
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