Vassar College - Overall Experience

College Prowler Take

Perhaps it’s all the marijuana on campus, but Vassar students, for the most part, seem happy. As a matter of fact, Vassar students were ranked the second happiest student body in the country in 2002. And what’s not to be happy about? Vassar students are spoiled with brilliant professors who spend most waking hours teaching and mentoring their students. Among breathtaking campus facilities and endless acres of greenery to play on, you’ll find academic freedom and a highly-intellectual and interesting student body. There are an infinite number of activities with which to busy yourself, and a social environment as open as a Colorado sky.

Probably the biggest complaint among students is the small size and “bubble-like” quality of Vassar living, which at times can be limiting. But few schools have a community this small and as liberating and far from the social hierarchies of high school as Vassar’s. At Vassar, it’s not about fitting in; it’s not even about fitting. The school is full of independent-minded individuals, some of whom are athletes, performers, comedians, musicians, artists, tree-hugging hippies, political and social activists, and some whom are all or none of the above. You won’t be pigeonholed into a particular identity; you can be a flip-flopper at Vassar. Vassar is not necessarily “real life,” but it is a place that affords the opportunity for students to develop close relationships with their professors and each other, to try things they have never done before, and to create a large impact on a small community. You will learn a lot at Vassar, as academics are demanding and spill over into every facet of student life. You will bounce around ideas with other students and your professors all day and night long. You will be supported, while at the same time, be given a great deal of freedom. After four years at Vassar, you will be ready to go, while at the same time, never wanting to leave.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

I love Vassar. There’s something... I love Vassar. There’s something about it that breeds cynicism toward it, but it’s rooted in affection. There’s no school in the U.S. where I’d rather be, but there are things about Vassar that could stand to improve. Academics are fulfilling, though after a while, its small size and the consequently limited number of courses can get frustrating. It’s pretty great socially, as long as you fit a certain archetype. 12345 Overall Experience Report

Anonymous says:

Vassar has been the best decision... Vassar has been the best decision of my life. It has challenged me, appreciated me, and inspired me. I hope to know the people I’ve met here for the rest of my life. I’ve never wanted to be somewhere else. In fact, I don’t really want to leave. 12345 Overall Experience Report

Anonymous says:

Vassar is the most... Vassar is the most inefficiently-run institution ever. If it weren’t for our large endowment, Vassar’s administration would choke on its own incompetence. With that said, the people that you surround yourself with make your college experience. And frankly, the best people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting are Vassar students. 12345 Overall Experience Report

Anonymous says:

I cannot picture myself anywhere... I cannot picture myself anywhere else. I have no doubt that Vassar students are more friendly, open-minded, witty, and sincere than any others. 12345 Overall Experience Report

Anonymous says:

My number one recommendation is to... My number one recommendation is to enjoy Vassar but also get out sometimes in order to keep a perspective. Enjoy not just Vassar, but the area around it; take trains North and go hiking in the many mountains less than half an hour away. When you come back to Vassar, you’ll appreciate it even more. 12345 Overall Experience Report

Most Recent Contributing Author

Name: Sam Murray
Hometown: Bend, IN
Major: Philosophy/Economics

Sam once got slimed on a Nickelodeon TV show as a kid.

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