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Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Advanced Achievement Scholars

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Unique Opportunity for High School Juniors Living Within a 120-mile radius from Bard
Bard's Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Advanced Achievement Scholars will earn college credits and, if they desire, may complete high school diploma requirements to the greatest extent possible. 

This program is named for Bard's neighbors, the Roosevelts of Hyde Park. Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt frequented the campus and Franklin D. Roosevelt was a trustee of the College. It was at the urging of the Roosevelts that Bard (then St. Stephen's College) became part of Columbia University, a relationship that only ended when Bard advocated for the admission of women in 1944 (Columbia followed suit four decades later in 1983).

The Bard Entrance Exam for Early Admission invites applicants to write two five-page essays in response to their choice of two out of four questions. The exam is available now (see link below). Workshops taught by Bard faculty introducing students to the primary materials referenced in each of the questions will be offered to Entrance Exam applicants throughout April. Along with submitting the Entrance Exam, applicants must also submit a personal statement, letter of nomination from a guidance counselor or teacher, and a high school transcript. Applications are due on April 30.

LINK TO THE ENTRANCE EXAM! 
(Students can go in out of the exam and the work will be saved.)

Bard faculty will grade the essays in early May. Students pass the exam by achieving a B+ average or higher across the two papers, and pending review of supplemental materials, will be admitted to the College. Those who are not offered admission based on their essays are invited to apply next cycle through the Common Application. 

Applicants will be notified of our admission decisions by mid-May. Admitted students must reply to our offer of admission by June 1.

Who can apply?

The Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Advanced Achievement Scholars Program is open to high school juniors who live within a 120-mile radius of Bard’s Annandale-on-Hudson, NY campus. Though we are happy to be in touch about supporting students and families from farther away on a traditional timeline, it’s important that family proximity and support is available for students pursuing a traditional residential college experience at a younger age. Students and families from outside the radius can contact bardexam_juniors@bard.edu for further information.

How do I apply and what is required?

Students apply via a specialized entrance exam which is open now. The exam requires written responses to two out of four exam questions, a personal essay, a high school transcripts and a letter of nomination from a teacher or high school official.

NOTE: Workshops taught by Bard faculty introducing students to the primary materials referenced in each of the questions will be offered to Entrance Exam applicants throughout the month of April. Any questions, please email bardexam_juniors@bard.edu.

When will I need to apply?

The application is now open until April 30, 2021. The deadline to apply is April 30, 2021. 

How do I learn more about Bard in general?

Explore our website! We also invite you to join one of our Live Virtual Tours, offered twice a day, Monday through Friday. 

For more about our different academic programs of study and our five academic traditions, the Center for Civic Engagement or the Bard Network, please visit our website at the links provided. Also on our website, you'll find our virtual campus tour and residence hall tours, via our Office of Residence Life.

How is the exam evaluated? 

Bard faculty will grade the essays in early May. 

How do I check on the status of my application? 

Students can check the status of their application including their admissions decision via their Bard portal.
 

What if I don't pass the exam? 

Students who do not receive a B+ average grade will not be offered admission but will be invited to apply to Bard in the next admission cycle through their choice of the Common Application or the Bard Entrance Exam.

Has Bard done this before? 

Bard has always offered particularly ambitious high school juniors the option to apply to our college program early. Last year, in response to COVID-19, we created the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Advanced Achievement Scholars Program, anticipating that more high school students would be seeking greater stability and return on investment following their junior year.

The Bard Network has a history of dedication and tremendous success in providing college education on an earlier timeline, and is uniquely suited to provide educational alternatives during this unprecedented moment.
 

Will I be able to earn a high school diploma?
 

Bard's Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Advanced Achievement Scholars will earn college credits and, if they desire, may complete high school diploma requirements to the greatest extent possible. Bard has a long history and a strong track record of offering dual degree programs and will work with each student so that courses they take at Bard College allow them to fulfill high school diploma requirements should they seek to obtain that diploma. Since they will be on the pathway to completing a college degree, students may also choose to forego earning a high school diploma or may opt to earn a GED.

Please note that Bard does not confer high school diplomas and it is at the discretion of individual high schools to decide whether or not they will accept Bard classes towards high school diploma requirements. 

Will I be eligible to receive financial aid?
 

Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Advanced Achievement Scholars will be eligible to apply for need-based financial aid from Bard, and should complete the FAFSA and the College Board (CSS) Profile by April 30, if they wish to be considered for funding.

NOTE: scholars who opt to earn their high school diploma concurrently with college credits will not be eligible to receive federal or state grants, loans or work study, though they will be eligible to receive Bard institutional scholarships. Students for whom federal and state funding will be essential in meeting their financial need may choose to forego the earning of a high school diploma.
 

I’ve been offered admission as a Roosevelt Scholar, what is the deadline to reply?
 

Admission decisions will be released in mid-May. Students must reply to Bard's offer of admission by June 1. Students are to reply to our offer of admission via their Bard applicant portal, and more information about the portal process can be found here. 
 

Am I required to live on campus?
 

Scholars may live on campus, though they may also choose to live at home. 

If scholars want to live on campus, they may apply for on-campus housing, and requests will be reviewed by Admissions, Residence Life and the Dean of Students Office. Please email bardexam_juniors@bard.edu with your request. 
 

Will I be able to stay at Bard to earn my BA degree?
 

Students admitted to the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Advanced Achievement Scholars Program will be admitted to Bard’s four year Bachelor of Arts degree program and will matriculate to Bard as full time students. We do understand that students may choose to pursue other opportunities after their first year of the program, but we welcome students to spend all of four years of their college experience at Bard.
 

I’m a High School Counselor, how do I support my students interested in pursuing this option?
 

We’ve designed the application itself to be something that students can complete autonomously, but we recognize that applicants will likely need your assistance with the supporting documents including the transcript and the letter of nomination. 
 

Can a student defer?
 

The expectation is that students admitted to Bard as Roosevelt Scholars will matriculate in the Fall of 2021. Students admitted as Roosevelt Scholars who ultimately wish to delay matriculation until Fall 2022 will need to ask for special permission from the Office of Admission and will be expected to submit supplemental application materials documenting their 2021-2022 academic experience.
 

Workshops Offered Introducing Students to Primary Materials Referenced in Entrance Exam Questions


These Workshops Are Taught by Bard Faculty Throughout the Month of April

There will be four online workshops, and each one will be cover one of the four questions on the Bard Entrance Exam. When you register for one of the workshops, you will be notified of the required reading, listening or observing that you will need to do prior to the workshop. 

These workshops are offered on a first-come-first-served basis. 

Workshop 1 with Professor Simon Gilhooley
Tuesday, April 13
4:00 – 5:00 pm ET
Register here
Required reading before the workshop corresponds to Question 1 on the Bard Entrance Exam
(Links to the sources will be emailed to you when you register.)


Workshop 2 with Professor Erica Kaufman
Wednesday, April 14
4:00 - 5:00 pm ET 
Register here
Required reading/listening before the workshop corresponds to Question 2 in the Bard Entrance Exam.
(Links to the sources will be emailed to you when you register.)


Workshop 3 with Professor David Shein
Monday, April 19
4:00 - 5:00 pm ET
Register here  
Required reading before the workshop corresponds to Question 3 in the Bard Entrance Exam.
(Links to the sources will be emailed to you when you register.)


Workshop 4 with Professor Celia Bland
Wednesday, April 28 
4:00 - 5:00 pm ET
Register here
Required observing before the workshop is an excerpt in Question 4 in the Bard Entrance Exam.
(Links to the sources will be emailed to you when you register.)

 

Bard is Uniquely Positioned to Support High School-Aged Students Who Enter College Early

Bard is Uniquely Positioned to Support High School-Aged Students Who Enter College Early

As a pioneer in early college programs, Bard believes in the ability of younger students to engage with rigorous college coursework and currently enrolls 3,000 early college students in a network of eight Bard High School Early Colleges across the United States. Research has demonstrated that taking college courses during high school, and participating in an early college high school specifically, significantly increases students’ likelihood of enrolling in postsecondary education and completing degrees.

Note About COVID-19 and Remote Learning

The first Roosevelt Scholars entered Bard College in Fall 2021, where they joined the other members of the class of 2024. While the College conducted some classes on-line, the vast majority were held in person. Through the diligent efforts of our COVID Response Team and the cooperation of the entire Bard community, the 2020-2021 academic year has been a great success with very few cases of COVID-19 on campus. For more information on our efforts during the pandemic, see our COVID-19 Response website.

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