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Vassar College
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Vassar College - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler1.54

Local Atmosphere

D+
Where does this grade come from?View all Local Atmosphere rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Local Atmosphere Grades:

Quick Stats

Points of Interest
  • Bardavon Opera House
  • The Chance Theater
  • Culinary Institute of America
  • The Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
  • Hudson River
  • Mohonk Preserve
  • New Paltz
  • Shawangunks
  • Storm King Art Center
  • Vanderbilt Mansion

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Even though Poughkeepsie houses a number of schools, there can be no mistaking it as a “college town.” Vassar’s campus is in a residential area of about three miles from the city center and a 10-minute drive from the Hudson River. The streets immediately surrounding Vassar tend to cater to and rely upon students for business. Vassar is somewhat disconnected from the main hub of the city; most students don’t venture far beyond those streets except to go to the supermarket, the mall, or the movies. Much of Vassar’s social life is focused on the school’s campus. Surprisingly, there isn’t even a lot of interaction between the Vassar students and the students at other local colleges, though some student groups occasionally work with organizations on other campuses.

As a student, it is easy to utilize Poughkeepsie and the surrounding area, but it is also easy not to. Tree-hugging environmentalists and rugged outdoors people have plenty to explore in the Hudson River Valley. There are a variety of settings, from a rural countryside to a small metropolis. Though Poughkeepsie may not be New York City, it is still a city. Everything you need can be found on campus and in the surrounding areas. Poughkeepsie might not be the greatest place for a college, but it definitely suffices.

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Vassar Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Local Atmosphere at Vassar College

etengelvassar

'09

Religion

2.3
C

Po-Town

Do NOT go into Poughkeepsie. Only reason the grade isn't lower than a C is that it's relatively easy to catch a train out to the City.

Dec 26, 2011

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Local Atmosphere at Vassar College

sushitime

'15

Political Science and Government

5.0
A+

So Close to NYC

Recently, we went with my religion class to go see an event at a famous mosque in nyc. Vassar's close proximity with NYC and easily accessibility to NYC (easy direct train ride) is vastly undervalued. It is amazing.

Also, although Poughkeepsie itself isn't too shabby, it is still a legitimate city with malls, stores, and bars for going out.

Dec 16, 2011

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Local Atmosphere at Vassar College

dreamswithwings

'15

Sociology

3.5
B

Scary Poughkeepsie?

Vassar kids hardly go into Poughkeepsie. We stay around the Arlington area, which is a nice suburb right outside Poughkeepsie. A lot of Poughkeepsie residents seem antagonistic towards the school and see us as rich brats (which is hardly true, nowadays). But for those that want to, Poughkeepsie is definitely available- either for field work, exploring, etc.

Oct 21, 2011

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Page 1 of 9

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers
  • Poughkeepsie Galleria
  • Route 44 Plaza
  • South Hills Mall
  • Strip malls on Route 9
Major Sports Teams Hudson Valley Renegade: minor league baseball
City Web Sites
Distances to Nearest Major Cities
  • Albany: NY: 1 hour, 15 minutes
  • New York City: NY: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Did You Know?

5 Fun Facts about Poughkeepsie:
• The former mayor of nearby village New Paltz,, 26-year-old Jason West, was the second mayor in the country to perform marriages of same-sex couples. While his actions resulted in a media and legal uproar, they were a major victory for the gay rights movement.

• The name “Poughkeepsie” is from the Indian word Apo-keep-sinck, meaning safe harbor. There is an Indian legend of when a beautiful young Pequod Indian woman was captured by Delaware warriors, her fiancé, the young Pequod chief, devised a plan for her escape. As the two lovers fled at nightfall, the Pequod chief paddled his beloved to the mouth of the Minnakee, where he concealed her. This sheltered nook was a “safe harbor” for her, while her fiancé single-handedly fought the Delawares and finally drove them off.

• The Vassar Class of 1951 Observatory houses a 32-inch telescope, one of the two largest in New York State, for advanced courses and faculty-student research. On clear Wednesday nights during the school year, the observatory hosts “open nights” for the local community.

• The Courthouse on Market Street in the center of downtown Poughkeepsie is where New York ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1788. It was ratified with the provision that certain amendments (which were later incorporated into the Bill of Rights) were needed to insure personal liberty.

• The Bardavon Theatre located in Poughkeepsie opened its doors in 1869; it is now the oldest continuously operating theater in New York State.

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

Hyde Park Drive-In
510 Albany Post Rd.
Hyde Park
(845) 229-4738

Overlook Drive-In
126 DeGarmo Rd.
Wappingers Falls
(845) 452-3445

Regal (Hoyts) Cinemas Galleria Mall 12
2001 South Rd.
Poughkeepsie
(845) 297-1161

Silver Cinemas South Hills
1895 South Rd.
Poughkeepsie
(845) 297-5516

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Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at Vassar

Name: Sam Murray

Hometown: Bend, IN

Major: Philosophy/Economics

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