You’ll be signing up for courses over the summer at the same time as the rest of the incoming class (Freshmen & Transfers all together), which, if memory serves, happens sometime between mid-May and June. The actual date is a mystery and is somewhat predicated upon factoring in who’s all actually coming as part of the class, which classes have openings, etc. (work with us here)

As far as spots saved for transfers in 4000-levels, I think that has a little bit more to do with the individual professors. While I’m not 100% sure if they are required by the school to save a certain number of spots (if any), what I can tell you with certainty is that the entirety of 4000-level registration is based around conversation with the faculty whose classes you’re interested in. If there’s a particular class that looks enticing to you, it never hurts to shoot the professor an email explaining your interest/background in the topic at hand, and once you arrive on campus you can just march straight to their office in person and explain why you think you should be in their classes. They love hearing from students who are interested, can bring something new to the table, and can offer fresh perspectives within the class setting and on project work.

Hope that helps!

-Evan ‘13

The reason I’m not asking a counselor to answer this question is that I think they would all say different things. There are just too many ways for an essay to be good. Having said that, I read applications when I was working here over FWT in preparation for phone interviews (though I really had no say in anything at all). The ones that were the most fun to read and the most engaging, were always the ones that were the most sincere. Saying “be yourself” is tacky, but like…….*-~*~-be yourself-~*~-*! If you act like you are someone you aren’t then you’ll start to look the same as everyone else. And you aren’t the same as everyone else. You are cooler than them.

In terms of the academic essay, show us that you’re a thinker. Research papers are helpful, too, but that only shows us how you compile and organize. Give us an argument for something; something with a thesis that you argue for or against.

-Alan ‘15 

Yes.  Students owe an average of $25,000 in student loans when they graduate, a statistic that is unrelated to the amount of financial assistance students receive at college.

~Michael ‘15

Step 1: Go to the Bennington My Financial Aid page

Step 2: Go to the Documents tab and click on the Pell Grant Verification Worksheet link

Step 3: Congratulate yourself profusely

~Michael ‘15

Everything is going to be alright.  Let’s take a collective deep breath and do some sun salutations.  Your best bet would be AJ Private Transportation, which is what we usually recommend to people that have to find transportation from the Albany Airport.  If you’re flying in somewhere other than Albany, I would check Greyhound and Megabus to see if you could get a bus to Albany.  You could also take a cab from Albany to Bennington (about 45 minutes).  Riley gave a great answer to a similar question here that you should also check out.

If driving doesn’t fit your fancy, hitchhiking, walking, running, somersaulting, rollerblading, and hang gliding could all potentially get you here.  You’d probably have a rad story as an added bonus.

~Michael 15

The link that says “ocomments” should say “here.”  All the admissions office has failed to understand and resolve this problem.  As far as technology goes, I’m probably on par with the dude in this picture.

That happens separately.  Become best friends with your My Financial Aid page!  You will have the opportunity to accept your rewards there.

— Parke ‘15

P.S.  Do NOT lose that email with your Login for that site.  You’re going to need it.  I would recommend making a list with your PIN for the FAFSA, all your Bennington-type passwords, etc…it gets a little bit confusing after some time.

Yes.  (It just killed me not to make a self referential joke about my nose.  But I didn’t do it.  Because this is a POLITICALLY CORRECT BLOG.)

The Swan House passover is a highlight.  We have a Jewish group on campus that holds Shabbat every Friday, n’ such.  You don’t have to be Jewish to come get your Jew on!  Become the kind of boy my mother would let me marry! (So much for politically correct sorry admissions)

— Parke ‘15

Nope! Just enjoy yourself and we’ll see you in the fall!!

-Selina ‘15

Now that the humidity has made my hair bigger than my body and the only adjective that properly befits my current showering habits would be “post-grunge,” (finals) it’s shocking that I still have friends on this campus, but I do.  I think.  Alan is roped into it for life.  And I didn’t do any pre-orientation trips.  I just showed up on the first day looking really lost and confused and all snotted up with this horrible sinus infection…and you know what happened?  I was immediately the most popular girl on campus! (*hairflip—falls down*)

As many admissions officers will tell you, for the first two weeks of Bennington, you’re a freshman, and after that, you’re just a Bennington student.  Hell, somebody asked me if I was excited for my graduation my first term (I peed my pants a little bit).  The Pre-O trips are great fodder for reminiscing on how ridiculously awkward everybody was, and they actually are, from what I’ve heard, a ton of fun.  Some people keep friends they made from those trip ALL FOUR YEARS OF BENNINGTON, and other people just kind of had a good time and then that was it.  I don’t think it’s a bad idea to do if you want to warm up to the whole Bennington experience, but it’s certainly not a requirement.

Oh, and by the way, speaking of Alan — he ended up working at one of the places he went on his Pre-O for his first Field Work Term.  And it almost burned down.  Bonding…intrigue…fire…what more could you ask for?

— Parke ‘15