Bard College Simon's Rock

Date: Feb 04 2001
Major: History/Histories (art history/etc.) (This Major's Salary over time)
Simon's Rock is unusual for a couple of reasons. First, all the students have left high school early and are generally 16 or 17 as incoming freshman. The college's educational philosophy is based on the idea that many students are ready for both the academic and social challenges of college after their sophomore or junior year in high school. This idea attracts a wide variety of students: those who hated high school, those who wanted to "get ahead," those who were looking for a more challenging intellectual experience than their high schools could provide, and sometimes a combination of all three.

I came for two basic reasons. First, I spent the majority of my two years in high school doing loads of busywork in classes that were supposed to make you think, but instead just forced you to memorize. Second, I was offerred a full scholarship. Granted, this is not an admirable reason for choosing a college, but it is a practical one. However, after spending three semesters here I know it was one of the best decisions I've made, even if I didn't make it for great reasons. The academic experience has been amazing, and the fact that conversation is one the few forms of entertainment means that you get to know people incredibly well.

Along this line, though, it's important to note that the college is tiny; there about 370 students. This can be, and often is, both a good thing and a bad thing. On the up side, Simon's Rock has a real feeling of community. It's not roses and sunshine all the time, of course, but in general students are friendly and get along well. However, along with this familiarity, there come several disadvantages—you rarely see a new face and you know everybody else's business.

The size bothers some people more than others. For this reason, as well as others, a lot of students transfer after two years (often to schools that are widely recognized for academic excellence) and some choose to stay for another two years to complete a B.A. Both options are good ones, and I'm in the process of making that decision right now. Looking back on the time I've spent here, though, I can say with relative authority that while this isn't the right place for everyone, to a large extent it is what you make it. While this may sound straight out of a college viewbook, coming to Simon's Rock has been the most challenging and rewarding thing I've done.