Who Is the Class of 2026?
Class of 2026
Bard College’s Class of 2026 was selected from a large and competitive applicant pool, indicating their extraordinary promise. They are a high-achieving group, with wide-ranging interests and varied backgrounds. Our first-year students come to Annandale-on-Hudson from 37 states and 26 countries, bringing with them their passion, creativity, and intellectual engagement.
Our Students
Academic Snapshot: Time and Credits at Bard
The academic year is divided into two 15-week semesters.
Most classes are 4 semester hours of academic credit.
128 credits are required for the bachelor's degree.
The average semester course load is 16 credits.
Bard by the Numbers
About Campus: Rachel Explores Ward Manor
Rachel is a Bard College student in the Psychology Program. She visits one of the landmarks of Bard's campus: Ward Manor, often called simply "Manor." The porch behind Manor is a prime spot to study, enjoy a meal from the Manor Cafe, or connect with friends. The porch boasts a view of the iconic Stargon sculpture (affectionately called "The Bunny Ears"), the Bard Farm, and the Catskill Mountains in the background.
Why I Chose Bard
Why choose Bard College? The unique and rigorous curriculum, stunning campus, and close relationships with faculty are a few of the reasons our students decided to make Bard their home. Hear them talk about what drew them to the college in the beginning and the scholarly, creative community they've found on campus since.
Student News
Writing for the UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, Bard College Berlin student Aisha Khurram asked “global actors to take a stand for Afghan girls’ right to education” on International Women’s Day. After the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, Khurram fled to Germany, where she enrolled at Bard College Berlin. She was relieved to continue her education, but her attention quickly turned toward her fellow Afghan women and girls.
Bard College student Ariha Shahed ’26 has won a Davis Projects for Peace prize for her proposal, “Train Track to Right Track: Supporting Bangladeshis Who Call the Railway Tracks Their Home.” Ariha, a first-year economics and politics major from Bangladesh, will receive $10,000 to work with Bangladeshi families living in extreme poverty along the country’s railway tracks, communities which often go unnoticed. Partnering with NGO initiative BRAC Bangladesh, Ariha will help families connect with essential social protection programmes, access healthcare, keep their children in school, and improve their economic situations by sustainable and continual support.
Bard MFA student Camonghne Felix writes about how childhood trauma affected her cognition, disrupting her education and her sense of self. After seeking treatment for ADHD and bipolar disorder as an adult, she finally found her way back to her love of mathematics. “Losing my ability to learn and understand math represented the frailty of the human mind,” she writes, “but my ability to relearn it represents the mind’s innate resiliency.” The essay is adapted from Felix’s new memoir, Dyscalculia: A Love Story of Epic Miscalculation, published this month by Penguin Random House.
Life After Bard
Bardians Are Everywhere
Whether working in Annandale or Berlin, in sustainable agriculture or in a tech startup, Bard alumni/ae make a difference. Bardians are changing the way the world works, taking Bard's commitment to innovation and engagement worldwide. Being a Bardian means having an impact, wherever you may be and whatever type of work you're called to do. Look for members of the Bard community. You'll find us in your favorite films, your most ambitious business ventures, and your most innovative educational institutions.
Staying Connected After Graduation
Bardians take great pride in their alma mater and support Bard in any way they can, whether by recommending new students, making a gift to the College, or offering professional mentoring to current students and young alums. There are lots of ways to stay connected to Bard after graduation:
Career Development On Campus and Beyond
Bard supports students' professional development during their years in Annandale and after graduation. The Career Development Office offers a range of internship and job resources, and hosts events that connect students with various professions, alumni/ae, and employers. Bard Works is an intensive, weeklong program for juniors and seniors at Bard College that prepares them for work after graduation. The Center for Civic Engagement helps students secure internships, find service-learning opportunities, and design their own projects.