Bard College at Simon's Rock

It is a diverse community of students. This school is mainly focused on liberal arts and is best for those interested in politics, history, English, arts, etc. While there are science and math courses, they are not as abundant as the others.

I did not benefit from the social life, but that is just me. Many of the teachers and students are very outspoken, opinionated, and strongly political-minded. If they do not agree with another's personal choices, some can make it uncomfortable for the other person.

My favorite aspect of the school is how it's a community. It can seem daunting at first, going to college before you were prepared to, but every student there started college 1-2 years early. The staff and everyone around you understand how stressful it can be, and they offer countless resources to help you along the way. The teachers are forgiving and growth-oriented, and the courses are diverse and engaging. Mental and physical health resources are always openly available to anyone who needs it, and the dining hall staff makes it their business to know everyone by first name after 1 week. The food is separated and labeled well by allergy and diet.

I expected the courses themselves to be harder, with more homework. I came out of each class knowing much more, but I did think there would be more student obligations.