Bard College Simon's Rock

Date: Feb 18 2004
Major: Biology (This Major's Salary over time)
One of the most amazing qualities of Simon’s Rock is its small size, which breeds a wonderful familiarity among the members of the campus. There, everyone is on a first name basis. The professors are very accessible and always willing to lend a hand. They really care about teaching, the subjects they taught, and their students. In that close-knit community, everyone got to know each other extremely well. I think the student-faculty relationship is what I miss most about the Rock. I can honestly say that at Simon's Rock, I only had one professor I didn't like (and he left). All of the other professors I've ever had the pleasure of knowing were extremely nice, accomodating, open-minded, and approchable. I didn't even think of most of them as professors; they were friends.

After receiving my Associate of Arts degree from Simon's Rock, I transferred in the fall of 2003 to a large "big-name" research university, and here I just feel so distant from the faculty. I found myself sitting in huge classes with more than 300 other students (no courses in my major ever have fewer than 80-or-so people, even the advanced graduate-level electives), and I never got to know my peers or the professors very well. And of course, the professors here are so busy with their own research that they can't pay that much attention to teaching undergraduate students. I transferred because, as a biology major focusing on molecular and cell biology, my current university has many more advanced courses to choose from than Simon's Rock, and it definitely possesses the state of the art research facilities I was looking for, but I feel there's no better place to get a broad liberal arts foundation than at the Rock.

At Simon’s Rock, I met students from around the world who had vastly different backgrounds, beliefs, and lifestyles but who nonetheless were exciting to meet and to interact with. I made long-lasting friendships and discovered

interests that I had never before recognized. At Simon’s Rock, I found the freedom to explore different fields and undertake new pursuits, and I was never far from intellectual stimulation. In classes, which have an average of twelve students, a wide range of remarkable discussions took place between students and professors on a regular basis. And even if a particular class wasn't offered, one could always design an independent study with one of the professors, who are generally very willing to undertake such projects, even with freshmen, which is quite rare at other institutions. Most people are very accepting of all points of view and new ideas, especially the professors.

Classes at Simon's Rock were definitely more challening than high school classes, but certainly manageable.

Some points (of caution) one might want to consider in deciding whether Simon's Rock is the right school:

Since most students enter Simon's Rock when they're 16, it can be a difficult transition. Personally, I wasn't very apprehensive about going someplace totally new because my family had moved so much that I found myself at a new school nearly every year. So I guess I wasn't really

attached to my school or place of residence, so it might have made it easier for me to leave. However, I can understand that leaving home can be difficult for many. In addition, students at Simon's Rock find themselves endowed with much more freedom than they're accustomed to at home, albeit still less than at most universities. One must be certain that he/she can handle this kind of independence, and the responsibilities that come with it. In essence, Simon's Rock is not just a place to go to escape from high school or home. One must be mature and willing to take on the challenges attending college early will bring. Those who aren't ready often find a miserable experience at Simon's Rock.

Of course, the small size of the school can also be stifling. And it's a valid concern. That's why I think the best and worst characteristics of Simon's Rock are both its size. Because it is kind of isolated, it can be inconvenient at times, such as for shopping or mailing packages. And the winters are very long and very cold. :)

I would definitely recommend visiting the school and talking to students to get a feel for life at the Rock. And I can almost guarantee that current students will probably have more complaints than alumni. Many don't realize how unique the institution really is until they leave and have other schools with which to compare it. That's why so many members of my class who transferred last year returned this semester.

In conclusion, I consider going to Simon's Rock the best educational decision I have made thus far in life. I fondly look back on my time there, and often wish I could relive those two memorable years.