Bard College

Did You Know?
Famous Bard Alumni
Walter Becker – member of band Steely Dan
Chevy Chase – actor/comedian
Blythe Danner – actress
Donald Fagen – member of band Steely Dan
Adrian Grenier – actor, Vince on Entourage
Christopher Guest – actor/mockumentary filmmaker
Larry Hagman – actor, most famous for playing JR Ewing on Dallas
Todd Haynes – filmmaker, graduate of Bard’s MFA program
Anthony Hecht – poet
Daniel Pinkwater – novelist, commentator for NPR
Herb Ritts – photographer
Jonathan Rosenbaum – film critic
Adam Yauch – a.k.a. MCA of the Beastie Boys
Nick Zinner – member of rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Very few schools have such an impressive group of creatively successful alumni. Find out what it is about the Bard environment that helps prepare their graduates to excel.

“In general, my professors have been amazing. I think that, overall, Bard has some of the best professors teaching anywhere. You see their names wherever you look—in magazines and bookstores. A lot of my friends at other colleges are jealous when I tell them about my teachers.”

“My Bard professors have been attentive, almost to a fault. Not only are they available outside of class to discuss the curriculum, but each teacher I have had in my many seminar classes has gotten to know me through my work—my strengths and weakness—and they have encouraged and pushed me accordingly. Because most classes are small, professors lecture for a bit and then open up the class for discussion. That’s another way that professors get to know students—through in-depth, personal interaction.”

If you have dreams of following the type of career path forged by Bard’s famous alumni, find out what kind of dedication Bard requires straight from the students’ mouths.

Visiting campus isn't enough.

Read our Bard College insider's guide and discover what it feels like to be on campus for 4 years.

Discover if Bard is Right For You.