87 days until your Bard journey begins!

L&T 2008

As you know, new Bard students arrive on campus on Saturday, August 9, in preparation for a three-week program beginning on August 11 called the Workshop in Language and Thinking (L&T), which consists essentially of two components: the academic workshops and the nonacademic opening weekend activities. L&T is an intensive, three-week writing program exclusively for first-year students. You will read extensively in several genres, work on many different kinds of writing projects, and meet in small groups to discuss the texts you have read and your own writing. Through these activities, you will learn to read and listen more thoughtfully, to articulate ideas, to review your own work critically, and, most basically, to recognize the link between thought and expression.

Bard is a continually evolving place where each individual has a direct impact on the campus and community. What do you want to give to this community? What do you want to get from this experience? How do you see yourself developing over the next four years? What is community? We encourage you to take some time to think about what it means to be a student at Bard.

When you're not in class you will find a wide variety of activities planned to provide you and your classmates with opportunities to get to know one another, to get to know the campus, and to think about these questions. We encourage you to get involved and make the most of this experience.

Deferred Matriculation

Accepted students may ask to defer matriculation for one year; this request must be made in writing to the director of admission, accompanied by a short paragraph outlining the plan for the coming year. Please note that spring admission is not allowed for incoming first-year students, due to Bard's comprehensive first-year program (Language and Thinking Workshop, First-Year Seminar). Deferred students may enroll in college classes as nonmatriculants and still retain their first-year status at Bard. Credits accrued may be transferable for work completed with a grade of "C" or better in courses appropriate to the Bard academic program. A student who matriculates at another college must reapply to Bard as a transfer candidate.

Welcome and good luck!