Microcollege students are motivated, curious, and intellectually ambitious people who never finished college or never got the chance to go. They come from all walks of life, range in age from late teens to late 60s, and are passionate about many different things. The one thing they have in common is the desire to be part of a vibrant intellectual community and advance their individual goals.
Microcollege students include undocumented people, people in loan default, people who had experience with college in the past that was difficult or disappointing, and people who assumed college could never be a part of their lives.
What is a day in the life of a Microcollege student like?
Microcollege classes are held during the day, between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Classes don’t take up all of the time between 9:00 and 3:00, but school days also include tutoring, individual faculty advising, continuing education sessions, and time spent studying or working on group projects.
Yet almost all Microcollege students hold jobs, keep up with demanding family obligations, and juggle multiple responsibilities to their communities. There is no part-time enrollment option, so Microcollege students are all expert time managers, fitting in full-time coursework (three classes, 12 credits per semester) into their busy lives.
The Microcolleges are not online schools, and there is no distance-learning option. Students attend class in person.
Where are Bard Microcolleges located?
There are three Bard Microcolleges, one in Holyoke, Massachusetts, one in Brooklyn, and one in Harlem. At all three locations, students pursue the same rigorous Bard College curriculum, but each Microcollege has its own culture and traditions, influenced by the community that surrounds it and the students who enroll there.
