The Bard Entrance Examination

The Bard Entrance Examination offers a new way to apply to Bard that bypasses existing standardized tests and admission processes, leveling the playing field among applicants worldwide.
The examination enables motivated students to gain admission through an essay test, engaging applicants in a process that more closely mirrors actual college coursework. The examination is composed of 16 essay questions in four categories: Social Studies; Languages and Literature; Arts; and Science, Mathematics, and Computing. Applicants are required to complete three 2,500-word essays; each must be in answer to a question from a separate category, thereby covering three of the four categories.

The College's traditional admission options remain unchanged and, if they're the most suitable for you, we hope you'll use them to apply to Bard. There are no negative consequences for choosing these traditional application processes.

If you are applying via the Bard Entrance Exam, you cannot participate in the Bard Immediate Decision Plan.

Entrance Exam Application

The 2024 Entrance Exam is now closed
About the Entrance Examination
Photo by China Jorrin '86

About the Entrance Examination

The Bard Entrance Examination is an online essay test open only to high school juniors and seniors. Completion of the test is equivalent to an application for admission. Candidates who score B+ or higher will receive an offer of admission. The deadline for submitting a completed examination is November 1, with notification of the results by mid-December. There is no fee for this examination.

Learn More

  • How Does It Work?
    The Bard Entrance Exam is open only to high school juniors and seniors. Candidates must write three essays. The questions are organized into four categories. One question must be answered from three of the four categories. The suggested length for each of the three essays is 2,500 words. 
  • Exam Evaluation
    The examination will be graded by members of the Bard faculty. Each of the three essays will be evaluated separately. There will also be a composite grade. Candidates scoring a composite grade of B+ or higher will receive notification of passing the exam by the end of December.
  • Completing the Application
    Students who pass the essay examination must complete their file by submitting two documents: an official high school transcript and a general reference letter from the high school counselor or another appropriate school official. Homeschooled students may submit documentation of their curriculum in lieu of a transcript. 

Financial Aid and the Bard Exam

If applying for financial aid
Domestic students: The College Board's College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile) must be filed by December 1 in order for eligible students to receive a financial aid package alongside their admission decision. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be completed once the FAFSA opens in December.
International students: The Bard International Student Financial Aid application, which can be found here, must be submitted by November 1. 

What Students say about the Bard Entrance Exam 

“The Bard Entrance Examination was incredibly challenging. Additionally it prepared me for the rigors of advanced academic work. After having completed the application, I feel confident in my awareness of my strengths and weaknesses in scholarly writing. My greatest struggle was effectively organizing my thoughts and perceptions into a concise, clear narrative. I believe I was able to have an in depth, thorough understanding of the material fairly quickly. However, employing judgment as to what details and perceptions to emphasize or include in my own material work, my essays, was a tremendous ordeal for me. I believe that over my high school career I have tended to miss the forest for the trees.  . . .”
—Jeremy Waldinger-White '21

"The Bard Entrance Exam was certainly a challenge for me. During the writing process, there were a few peak creativity moments where the words seemed to pour out of me as if the essays were writing themselves. There were probably more times where I experienced feelings of deep insecurity, and felt that my essay was not doing the topic justice. Or maybe my writing was even worse than I imagined, and I wouldn't get into Bard. I was relieved when I read an interview with the artist Cindy Sherman as I prepared to write about her photo Untitled Film Still 10. (I had never heard of Sherman before, but I absolutely fell in love with her photographs. I want to study film, and even though Sherman is a photographer, her film stills excited and inspired me. I remember thinking, "Wow! That's the kind of art I want to make.") The interviewer asked Sherman if the high prices her photos were fetching made her feel better about her work, to which she replied: "No, my self-esteem still fluctuates." This made me feel much better. Sherman's photographs are incredible, and if even she doubts her work, then there is certainly hope for me. Even so, it was difficult at first to power through my low moments. Eventually, I found that identifying the insufficiencies in my essay and tackling them head-on instead of anxiously avoiding them gave me a firmer grasp of the point it was trying to make. Whether I am accepted or not, I am extremely proud of myself for finishing the BEE, and am grateful for this opportunity. It was the hardest assignment I have ever been given, but I feel that it taught me how to buckle down and finish what I started, no matter how difficult that may be."
—Lyra Johnson '23
The Bard Entrance Exam in the Press
Photo by Chris Kendall '82

The Bard Entrance Exam in the Press