Vassar College

About Vassar College
Quick Vassar Facts: Founded in 1861, Vassar College is a highly selective, residential, coeducational liberal arts college. Consistently ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the country, Vassar is renowned for pioneering achievements in education, for its long history of curricular innovation, and for the beauty of its campus. See more in the Virtual Campus Tour!

Location In the scenic Hudson Valley, 75 miles north of New York City, in Poughkeepsie (area population about 100,000). Vassar is in a residential area three miles from the city center.

Students 2,400 students; approximately 60% come from public high schools, 40% from private schools (both independent and religious). In recent freshman classes, students of color have comprised up to 21-26% of matriculants. International students from over 45 countries comprise 8% of the student body (for more information specific to international students, see the International FAQ).

Faculty More than 260 faculty members, virtually all holding the doctorate or its equivalent. All classes are taught by faculty members. The student-faculty ratio is 9:1, average class size, 17. More than 70% of the faculty live on campus or nearby; one or two faculty families live in each residence hall as House Fellows.

Curriculum Students may concentrate in a single discipline, an interdepartmental or multidisciplinary program, or they may design an independent major. There is no "core curriculum." Students must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language, successfully complete at least one quantitative course, and, in the first year, successfully complete a writing-intensive course (chosen from about 20 options).

Campus 1,000 picturesque acres ranging from the manicured lawns and formal gardens of the main campus to the meadows and woodlands of the Vassar Farm. Over 100 academic and residential buildings ranging in style from collegiate gothic to modernist, including two National Historic Landmarks. Most recent addition: the Vogelstein Center for Drama and Film, with state-of-the-art screening rooms, studios, and productions facilities, and Kenyon Hall, with a dedicated dance theater.

Campus Life 98% of students live on campus (housing is guaranteed). Over 100 student-run organizations and clubs, including WVKR-FM radio; debate; a volunteer network; dance, theater, and comedy troupes; classical, jazz, gospel, a cappella, and rock groups; nearly a dozen student publications; and a broad spectrum of ethnic, religious, and political groups. About 1,650 campus-wide events annually, including guest lecturers, visiting artists, performers, workshops, athletic events, and concerts.

Athletics 23 varsity teams (N.C.A.A. Division III), club sports, and intramural leagues. Extensively expanded athletic facilities, including new wood-floor gymnasium, elevated running track, 5,000-square-foot fitness facility.

Libraries (main, art, music, and special collections): over a million print volumes; nearly 3,000 serial titles; 715,000 pieces of microform; multiple electronic resources and databases.

Computing and Information Services Fully wired and wireless (including every residence hall room) and connected via Ethernet to the Internet and the Web. Computer clusters in every residence hall as well as in the library, academic buildings, the College Center, and the Computer Center.

Study Away Programs Students (usually juniors) may apply for a year or a semester away either in the U.S. or abroad. Vassar sponsors programs in China, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Morocco and Spain; students may also join preapproved programs offered by other colleges. Students may also apply for approved programs at various U.S. institutions, including the historically Black colleges and members of the Twelve College Exchange.

Field Work, Internships, and Research About 500 students each year do field work for academic credit in organizations and agencies in the local community or in New York City. Over 300 students each year work one-on-one with faculty as paid research assistants or academic interns in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities.

After Vassar 75-80% of Vassar graduates plan to pursue advanced study within 5 years of graduation. Graduates are accepted regularly at top-ranking schools of law, medicine, business, and education. Vassar is a leader in producing Ph.D. candidates. The Office of Career Development provides counseling and connections with hundreds of top employers nationwide.

Admission Highly selective. The primary criterion is academic ability as demonstrated by superior performance in high school; about 90% of matriculated students ranked in the top 20% of their high school classes. Standardized test results are also considered. The SAT mid-50% range for the most recent first year class was 2020-2210. Personal strengths, motivations, and potential -- as evidenced in essays, recommendations, and out-of-class involvements -- are also weighed.

Financial Aid Vassar adheres to a need-blind admission policy. Financial aid is awarded to about 55% of Vassar students, exclusively on the basis of need, as determined by Vassar’s own preliminary aid application, the PROFILE form of the College Scholarship Service, and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (F.A.F.S.A.). The college aims to meet the full need of all domestic matriculants, although its ability to do so depends on the number and needs of students admitted.

Costs 2006/2007 Tuition $35,520, Room and Board $8,130, Fees $510, Total $44,160.

Departments Anthropology; Art; Biology; Chemistry; Chinese and Japanese; Classics; Computer Science; Drama and Film; Dance; Earth Science and Geography; Economics; Education; English; French; German Studies; Hispanic Studies; History; Italian; Mathematics; Music; Philosophy; Physical Education; Physics and Astronomy; Political Science; Psychology; Religion; Russian Studies; Sociology.

Interdepartmental Programs Biochemistry; Earth Science and Society; Geography-Anthropology; Medieval and Renaissance Studies; Neuroscience and Behavior; Victorian Studies

Multidisciplinary Programs Africana Studies; American Culture; Asian Studies; Cognitive Science; Environmental Studies; The Independent Program; International Studies; Jewish Studies; Latin American Studies; Media Studies; Science, Technology and Society; Urban Studies; Women’s Studies

Other Self-Instructional Language Program; College Courses; Interdepartmental Courses

The Office of Pre-Professional Advising provides extensive information and support for students applying to professional schools in law, medicine, and business.

The Office of Career Development extensive career counseling, information and placement services, including career-mentoring network of 8,000 alumnae/i.
enter the site : http://www.vassar.edu