Summary: Bard Academy is the best fit for intellectually engaged young scholars who don’t want to wait to ask questions–and have a deep desire to be taken seriously as original thinkers. Students enter an in-depth program of the humanities, world languages, mathematics and science, social sciences, and visual and performing arts. Writing is the hallmark of our approach, and students are asked to write in nearly every class. In doing so, they build strong skills as writers and discover the deep connections between different subjects, themes, and concepts. Our students learn to think for themselves—not simply how to memorize or adopt someone else’s ideas. In dialogue with professors and classmates, students explore a vibrant liberal arts program together. Each student undertakes a series of core requirements with opportunities for more advanced inquiry in certain subjects. Academy courses are designed and taught by PhD faculty of Bard College at Simon’s Rock who teach students the skills they need to succeed in college. After two years of Academy classes which establish a strong foundation on which to build, students enter Early College with the opportunity to explore hundreds of courses in over 35 majors. A partial list of Academy and Early College courses is below.

Department Director Kristy McMorris

Student/Teacher Ratio: 8:1

Average Class Size: 15

Summer Programs: Offered

Full Time Teachers: 50

Number of AP Courses Offered: 0

Teachers Holding Advanced Degrees: 95%

Number of IB Courses Offered: 0

English

• Creative Writing
• Playwriting
• Poetry

Foreign Languages

Religion / Philosophy

• World Religions

Humanities / Social Sciences

• Anthropology
• Economics
• Psychology
• Sociology

Sciences

• Chemistry

Computer Studies

• Computer Science

Performing / Visual Arts

Special Programs

• Study Abroad
• Community Service
• Independent Study
• Internships
• Leadership

Dorm Life

Number of Dorms: 2

Average Students Per Dorm: 0

Number of Girls Dorms: 1

Number of Boys Dorms: 1

Dorm Amenities

• Laundry Facilities
• Lounge
• Vending Machines
• Wireless Internet

Other Dorm Amenities

Facilities

• All-Weather Track
• Fitness Center
• Indoor Basketball Court
• Indoor Climbing Wall
• Indoor Pool

Other Facilities

Clubs & Organizations

• Chess Club
• Community Service
• Diversity Club
• Investment Club
• Literary Magazine
• Model UN
• Student Government
• Student Publications
• Theater Club
• Weightlifting Club
• Yoga Club

Summary: THE ARTS At Bard Academy, we believe the arts give us different and nuanced ways to perceive and understand the world and our experience of it. Our courses combine a deep study of theory and committed practice, supplemented by regular encounters with the best visual and performing arts in the Berkshire region. The campus offers an exceptional arts facility, the Daniel Art Center, with two state-of-the-art performance spaces, an active ceramics studio with multiple kilns, multiple music practice and performance venues, a dance studio, both analog and digital photography studios, an extensive drawing and painting studio, and multiple gallery or display venues. Students choose from a selection of courses, in topics such as music, drawing and painting, ceramics, dance, photography, film, and theater., working closely with faculty and visiting artists to hone studio and performance skills. ATHLETICS Our competitive teams include: Men’s and Women’s soccer, Men’s and Women’s Swimming, and Men’s and Women’s Basketball, and our mascot is a llama!. Whether or not you’re on the team, the Kilpatrick is your athletic center. The Kilpatrick Athletic Center (KAC for short) invites ALL students to participate in wellness activities, which help to relieve and reduce stress, increase awareness and provide for a balance of mind, body, and spirit. You’ll have access to facilities, fields and courts, as well as classes in aerobics, lifeguard training, Pilates, racquetball, rock climbing, squash, swim lessons, Swim America instructor training, tennis, weight training, and yoga.

Arts Department Director: Ben Krupka

Athletics Department Director: Bill Meier

Arts

Interscholastic Sports

• Basketball
• Soccer
• Swimming

Recreational Sports

• Aerobics
• Racquetball
• Rock Climbing
• Squash
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Volleyball
• Weight Lifting

Summary: LEARNING LIBERATED Simon’s Rock is the first and only educational institution in the United States carrying students from the beginning of high school to the completion of a bachelor’s degree in six years rather than the usual eight. Immediately following the 10th grade in Bard Academy, you’ll enter Bard College at Simon’s Rock as a first-year student. Two years later, you will receive an Associate of Arts degree, then either continue at Simon’s Rock for your Bachelor of Arts degree or transfer to another college or university. 90% of Bard Academy students attend college. BARD COLLEGE AT SIMON'S ROCK: THE EARLY COLLEGE OUTCOMES: Top 17 Our ranking among all US colleges/universities in terms of percentage of alumni who complete their PhD 9 Number of Fulbright Fellows since 2010 78% Recent Simon’s Rock graduates who have gone on to graduate study at institutions that include: Boston University Columbia University Georgetown University Harvard University London School of Economics M.I.T. The New School New York University Oxford University Queen’s University University of California, Berkeley University of Chicago University of Michigan University of Washington Washington University Yale University Top 10% Where Simon’s Rock ranked in the most recent National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) for academic challenge, student-faculty interaction, and enriching educational experience Top Transfer Schools Fifty percent of our students receive an associate's degree at Simon's Rock and go on to complete their college education at nationally ranked colleges and universities, including: Bard College Brown University Columbia University Cornell University Hampshire College Hunter College The New School New York University Rutgers University Smith College Stanford University SUNY—Purchase SUNY—Stony Brook Swarthmore College UMass Amherst University of Chicago University of Michigan University of Wisconsin Warren Wilson College Wesleyan University

College Information

Percentage of graduates who attend college: 90%