palmtreefig

Here is my post from last year. With some updates to things that have changed (Some for the better) The program is broke so funding is shit for new students (I've heard students getting anywhere from zero dollars in scholarships to the most being $10k after some tough bargaining). The director has said many times that the program has no money. One international student went to the administration to ask for more money as they can't legally work in the US and the admin told them to "move back home" lol. PS Bard does not sponsor student visas. This is still true. The college lost a lot of donors when they pissed alums off in 2020 and it hasn't rebuilt since then. Additionally, over my time there tuition increased by 3k. I had an incredible aid package but I had to beg every year for additional money to cover the tuition increase. Painting is especially a mess. With Painting having some absolute tyrants as co-chairs last year who tried to kick out two students just for asking for critique of student works within their discipline. A faculty member who would follow students around arguing with them and poking them lol. Many of the painting faculty will not be returning. So if you are planning on working with Firelei, I have bad news for you. Painting is better now. The faculty were great. The co-chairs were awesome. Caucus was interesting. However, I don't know any recent painting grads who have had shows at galleries. The college simply doesn't do anything to bring galleries to the thesis. And they would not even pay for a photographer to document the show. They told us as artists we have to get used to documenting our work ourselves. lol. Meanwhile, tuition is increasingly expensive. Last year the curator told me zero people showed up to the walk-through for art world people. Photo has had a constantly revolving door of co-chairs and faculty so I would triple-check on the faculty before accepting a spot and don't go by past years' faculty. This is still true. Photo has new co-chairs for the third summer in a row. Photo also has like 4 students. It is a mess. Who knows who the photo faculty will be because when the cochairs change all those relationships get broken. What is wild is that right now writing has zero cochairs. I have no idea what writing is going to do this summer. If anyone on this forum interviewed in writing, I am very curious who interviewed you. Sculpture is still in good shape. I have only positive things to say about sculpture. Engaged faculty, strong work, high enrollment. The other unfortunate thing about Bard is like so many schools' the administration truly does not give a shit about students. During the thesis last year, 24 hours before opening day, there was a giant flood . A student's work was destroyed. The college wouldn't hire adequate cleaners so all the students were in the space swiffering and sweeping for hours. Mind you this is disgusting flood water. Unacceptable. Especially because students had been asking for sandbags around the space for months before this happened. This year they did move the thesis but to a venue that has a wedding planned on opening weekend so they have to close the show the Saturday of the opening. Just so inept. I do not recommend Bard maybe unless you are in painting or sculpture and your financial aid is amazing or you are independently wealthy.

I know someone who got in from the waitlist at Yale sculpture but didn't get the call until late July

Hey ! Just wanted to send some ???about Bard MFA. The program is pretty broke so funding is shit for new students (I've heard students getting anywhere from zero dollars in scholarships to the most being $10k after some very hard bargaining). One international student went to administration to ask for more money as they can't legally work in the US and the admin told them to "move back home" lol. PS Bard does not sponsor student visas. Painting is especially a mess. With Painting having some absolute tyrants as co-chairs last year who tried to kick out two students just for asking for critique of student works within their discipline. A faculty member who would follow students around arguing with them and poking them lol. Many of the painting faculty will not be returning. So if you are planning on working with Firelei, I have bad news for you. Photo has had a constantly revolving door of co-chairs and faculty so I would triple check on the faculty before accepting a spot and don't go by past years' faculty. With Bard....I just wouldn't plan on getting substantial aid or having the faculty that they list on the website. However sculpture is still in pretty good shape. Hope the situation gets better for the other disciplines.