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Vassar is from everywhere. A world-class education is built on worldwide communities. Our students come from 49 states and 53 countries. They represent a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and aspirations, forming a vibrant community that will prepare you to lead in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world.

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Shakespeare garden, thompson memorial library, gordon commons, the ecological preserve, frances lehman loeb art center, experience vassar for yourself, vassar students are surrounded by an environment designed to spark something amazing—a place where greatness can spring to life. explore on-campus and virtual visit opportunities and get to know vassar first-hand..

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Vassar College Virtual Tour

Are you considering vassar college take a virtual tour of the campus below..

A visit to Vassar is ideal, but virtual tours can act to refresh your memory or as a preview for your on-site tour.

Why a Virtual Tour?

Inevitably, on-campus tours of classrooms, libraries, dorms, and dining halls will start to blend. Jog your memory using the virtual tour and even explore the area surrounding the campus using the interactive mapping tool. If you're just beginning your college search, a virtual tour can be a great way to get a feel for a campus before your visit. Remember, when you do go, be sure to ask current students about their college life. A student perspective can be the most helpful way to gauge your future experience at Vassar College.

Use the resources below to start your virtual tour.

Using the Map

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Panoramic View

You can "pan" or "swivel" the camera around by clicking on the image and dragging your mouse or finger. If you see a white arrow on the picture, you can click or tap on it to move in the direction of the arrow. This will also update the location of the little orange person on the map so you can get a better sense of where you are and what direction you are facing.

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Vassar College: Campus Tour

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.

Lisa visited Vassar, a highly selective, residential, coeducational liberal arts college. This top-ranked school of 2,500 students places an emphasis on engagement in both teaching and learning. Vassar is renowned for the achievements of its students, the innovativeness of its curriculum, and the beauty of its campus.

Vassar offers a flexible approach to the curriculum. Students generally declare one of 51 available majors by the end of their sophomore year. Students have a choice of four paths to the Bachelor of Arts degree. These include a concentration in one of:

• 30 Departments
• 5 Interdepartmental Programs
• 13 Multidisciplinary Programs

An individually tailored course of study in the independent program is also an option. 

Within the major field, requirements range from 10 to 17 courses. Vassar offers students over 1,000 course options. 

An emphasis is placed on students striving to be global citizens. To this end, all students whose first language is English are required, before graduation, to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language. Twenty-three languages are taught at Vassar.

Every entering first-year student is required to elect a First-Year Writing Seminar, which introduces students to critical reading and persuasive writing at Vassar. Each First-Year Writing Seminar is built around a rich topic, giving students readings, questions, and debates to consider as they learn to engage with the ideas of others. 

Popular majors include economics, political science, biology, psychology, English, math, cognitive science, and computer science. Many students gravitate to studio art, art history, drama, and film. 

Class sizes are small, with first-year classes averaging 20 students and upper-division courses averaging 12. Students are expected to engage in the classroom. The typical course load is four classes. Students report that academic work is hard, but not overwhelming, and they find a sense of mutual respect and collaboration within their classes.  

Vassar students enjoy an extraordinary amount of contact with their educators. Seventy percent of professors walk to work, and 14 faculty families live in the residence halls. A new emphasis is being placed on intensive project-based courses that will be mentored by faculty. Faculty will now teach four classes a year and one intensive instead of five classes per year.  

Nearly every department and program at Vassar sponsors community-engaged learning (CEL), an experiential educational opportunity that combines work in a non-profit organization, a government agency, or a business with academic work. Most placements are in Poughkeepsie and the Mid-Hudson Valley, but about 10% of students arrange their own placements in New York City and elsewhere. 

Mentored research and project-based classes on niche topics are popular at Vassar. In previous years, students traveled to the Southwest for an archaeology dig and discovered a dinosaur. Forty-five percent of students study away, typically abroad, but many also head to Washington, DC. 

Social Life

At Vassar, everyone lives on campus. First-year students live in one of nine residential houses, and by senior year, most students are living in on-campus apartments.  

First-year students are placed in a Student Fellow group, usually, eight to ten students, who live in the same hall and who are assigned to a Student Fellow, usually a second-year student, who helps them acclimate to campus life.

There is no Greek life at Vassar, and the social life is campus-based. Twenty-three varsity sports teams compete in the Liberty League. There are 125 clubs, and arts endeavors are hugely popular, with over 40 shows per year. Vassar boasts nine a cappella troupes. School and local dance troupes and guest speakers and performers are popular forms of entertainment. New York City is an occasional diversion, but not a big part of the Vassar social life. 

Student Body

Intellectual, Collaborative, Articulate, Curious, Self-motivated, Sharp, Independent, Supportive.

Vassar College is one of the larger schools within the Council of Independent Colleges. Beyond size, however, is Vassar’s reach. For a small college, Vassar has garnered a reputation both nationally and internationally. With the exception of North Dakota, all US states are represented. 22% come from New York, 12% come from California, and 11% are international. 32% identify as students of color, and 13% are first-generation students. 

Vassar fosters individuality and differences are celebrated within the student body. Independent thinkers are the norm. While visiting campus, we met several students who shared their experiences:

Mia, a psychology and education major from the Bay Area, is a fine arts performer and a member of Jewish Life. She is involved with the Urban Education Initiative, which connects Vassar College to the City of Poughkeepsie public schools in an effort to increase educational opportunities for public school students in the community. 

Mia described how the course Psychological Perspectives on the Holocaust taught her how to look at history through a psychological lens. 

Mia noted that it took two to three months to find her “people,” but she loved the academics right away. She said, “It’s incredible what can happen when you’re not trying to get into college. I can just study what I’m interested in!” She described the Listening Center on campus, where students listen to others about anything that they want to discuss. When adjusting to college life, she found this manner of talking with peers to be a lower entry barrier to asking for help. 

Ava, a junior and history major from Massachusetts, works in the admissions office and serves as a House Fellow Intern for her residence house. House Interns pair with the House Fellows to serve as academic resources and inject the House with intellectual discourse (usually over food). Ava took a class on migration, which was shaped by students. She enjoyed the discussions on what the words home and family meant amongst her peers. Ava described seeing her professors as resources versus experts. 

Martin, a senior drama major/ film minor from Bulgaria is involved with environmental activism, a social arts group, and an a capella troupe. He spoke of a year-long history class about drama and how this global class offered a wide perspective on theater. In his time at Vassar, he has learned that everyone needs to make their own opportunities, regardless of resources.  

Finally, we met a sophomore from New Jersey who is pursuing a 3+2 at Dartmouth for engineering. He is a recipient of the Pratt fellowship for diversity inclusion. His interests include Habitat for Humanity and theater. His most interesting class involved learning about the history of the genocide in the Congo and why it was erased.    

Students and staff discussed a continued effort to bring more diversity of religions, races, and perspectives to campus. 

Surrounding Area

Vassar College is located in Poughkeepsie on a beautiful, 1000-acre residential campus, which includes a golf course, Sunset Lake, an observatory, and seven miles of trails for running and X-Country skiing. The Vassar Farm, a working, organic farm encompasses over 500 acres, most of which are actively managed as an ecological preserve. The athletic facility and rugby field are located near the upper-class housing. Poughkeepsie is a town of 120,000 and is a 95-minute train ride into Grand Central Station in NYC. 

Admissions and Financial Aid

Vassar accepts the Common, Coalition, and Questbridge Applications and offers two binding Early Decision dates (November/January). They admit approximately 680 students per class.

Students are not admitted based on their intended major and demonstrated interest (visiting the school, etc.) is not considered in admissions decisions. Legacy considerations are made for parents only. 

Vassar seeks to make a college education affordable and accessible to all admitted students. Through a generous financial aid program, Vassar meets 100% of the full demonstrated need of all admitted students, international or domestic, for all four years. Average aid is $52,000. Vassar currently awards aid to over 60% of their students, with awards ranging from $1,200 to $60,000. Admission to Vassar is need-blind for Americans, but not for non-citizens. 22% of students are eligible for Pell Grants. Vassar does a great job of enrolling students from all walks of life. 

For students on Vassar’s admission’s waitlist, once the aid budget has been met, waitlist students become need-aware. Questbridge applicants must have $1,000 or less expected family contribution (EFC) to match. 

Vassar College is a tight-knit community in which strong and passionate students of divergent views and backgrounds come together to study, work, and live. 

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In-Person Campus Tours

[Last updated: August 3, 2021]

During the pandemic, many schools have cancelled in-person campus tours and information sessions.  The upside of those cancellations is that there are now many more online resources to explore, from virtual tours to Q&A sessions with admissions officers.  Recently, some schools started to reopen to visitors.

We want to keep you up to date on when and where you can visit.  See the list below for schools currently offering in-person tours, and check back often as information will be added as circumstances change.  Tour safely and enjoy!

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25 Virtual College Tours Worth Taking

Virtual college tours are considered one of the easiest, most accessible ways to learn about a school. While a more typical college tour may still be conducted in-person, the reality of that is changing. With the technological advances of the last 10-15 years, virtual tours have become a new, affordable possibility. Indeed, a virtual college tour can be an excellent way to learn about a school’s campus, programs, student life, clubs and activities, and much more.

You might be curious, how exactly do virtual college tours work? The answer depends on the school. Some virtual tours are live streams or recordings of in-person campus tours. Others are interactive maps where you can click on buildings and see what happens inside. Some will even include Q&A sessions with students. These are just some of the many ways schools show prospective students what life is like on campus. However, not all virtual college tours are created equal.

In this article, we’ll explore the world of virtual college visits, including:

• Benefits of engaging in college tours
• Similarities and differences between in-person and virtual college tours
• Different formats of virtual tours
• Top 25 virtual tours worth taking
• How to plan and make the most of your college visits
• What comes next after a college tour 

Without a doubt, college visits will play an integral role in your college journey. So, let’s dive into why college visits are so important to the application process. 

Why College Visits?

Before we explore virtual college tours in greater detail, let’s discuss why college visits are important to begin with. First and foremost, college tours are a way to learn about schools before you apply or even attend. Attending college is a big commitment. Therefore, taking the time to learn more about each school will allow you to feel more confident in deciding where to attend. 

Secondly, the college admissions process is a time of self-exploration. By engaging in college tours, you can learn more about yourself just as you do about colleges. Maybe you will notice you like smaller campuses that aren’t in bustling cities. Or perhaps you will realize that having a lot of cultural diversity on campus is important. By learning these facts about yourself, you will contribute to your overall personal development as well as create a holistic college list.

Lastly, college visits for juniors help to put together a strong application. Many colleges request that you write a supplemental essay about why you want to attend their school. Through a visit, you can gain knowledge about the school and be able to speak passionately and specifically about why you wish to attend in your essays. This is more critical than ever since the number of applications has skyrocketed at many schools. As such, you’ll need to make sure your application demonstrates why you are a clear fit.

College visits and the admissions process

As you may have already gathered, there are two times when you might find it most valuable to visit colleges:

Before applying

Virtual college tours and in-person campus tours can help you narrow down your college list. In doing so, you will only spend money and time applying to colleges that you would really love to attend. College visits for juniors can also help them write stronger essays.

After admission to make a final matriculation decision

If you are admitted to multiple schools, a campus visit can help you feel more confident in your final decision. As a senior, you also might have more specific questions about certain activities or campus life. Getting to know the campus more can also help ease the transition into your first year. Since you’ll already know where important buildings and resources are located, your first day may not be as overwhelming!

Now that you understand the importance of college visits, let’s explore what goes into planning a college visit.

Planning your college visit

As we shared, college visits are an important part of the admissions process. However, planning in-person campus tours can be time-consuming and expensive. To begin, you and your family will need to explore what times of year are best to travel. Some common times to visit schools are during school breaks or summer vacations. However, if you hope to see more activity on campus, then try to plan your visit when classes are in session. 

Next, we recommend setting up a visit with the admissions office. While you can, in most cases, visit a campus without an appointment, the appointment helps you gain access to a tour. It may even allow you to speak with an admissions officer. Ideally, you will book this appointment a few months before the visit. If you find yourself running short on time, you can also show up on campus and take a self-guided tour. Occidental College , Haverford College , and Claremont McKenna College all offer self-guided tours, whether using a printed map or a downloadable app. 

The cost of college visits

Regardless of whether you pre-schedule your visit, you will need to pay for your travel including transportation, hotels, and meals. Many students try to see multiple schools in one visit to save money and time.

For some students, setting up in-person visits is difficult. Beyond the expensive nature of travel, parents or guardians may not be able to take off work or find childcare. Some high schools organize college visits for juniors, or even sophomores, where adult chaperones take large groups of students to visit schools. However, this may not be an option at your school.

If the cost and logistics required to attend in-person college tours is prohibitive, don’t worry! In the next sections, we’ll discuss the many similarities, as well as the unique benefits, of virtual college tours.

COVID-19’s Impact on College Visits

While virtual tours existed pre-pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic made them a necessity as college campus tours were canceled. Since then, virtual tours have become more advanced and more widely available. In some cases, college virtual tours can offer as much, or more, than an in-person campus visit.

While many students still prefer in-person visits, virtual tours can be used as a tool to explore colleges earlier in the application journey. Virtual tours can also be useful to prepare for an in-person visit. If a student can spend 15 minutes taking a virtual tour and noting what buildings or parts of campus interest them most, then they can focus their in-person tour on those aspects. 

Overall, virtual tours are an excellent way to visit schools that are completely inaccessible, such as ones that are too far away. Many international students use virtual college tours to explore campuses they wish to attend. Indeed, the fact that virtual tours exploded during the pandemic has raised several questions about accessibility, including the need to make more tours available in multiple languages or geared towards low-income families.

Coming up, we will explore more about the similarities and differences between in-person and virtual college tours. 

In-person vs Virtual College Tours

Luckily, visiting colleges today does not require you to go to a campus. Indeed, the number and quality of virtual campus tours for students have skyrocketed in recent years. Undoubtedly, there are similarities and differences between in-person college campus tours and virtual college tours.

Similarities between In-Person College Campus Tours and Virtual College Tours

• They provide a layout of the campus.
• They allow students to get a sense of the campus architecture, including the inside of academic buildings and dorms. For example, UT San Antonio offers special housing tours for students to see where they might be living.
• Students can learn about specific academic programs. For instance, Harvard offers a specialized in-person tour for engineering and applied sciences students in addition to the Harvard virtual tour.
• They offer insight into student life on campus. Emerson College , for example, offers videos of students talking about their transition to life in Boston and co-curricular activities.
• Tours allow students to explore the available clubs and activities on campus.
• They are opportunities to hear directly from actual students about their experiences. Colgate , Princeton , and Barnard all offer virtual conversations with students.
• Students can get some of their doubts answered. Many tours offer a live Q&A with current students. Pomona ’s live virtual sessions include this offering.

Differences between In-Person College Campus Tours and Virtual College Tours

Note that depending on the school, you may or may not receive information about that school’s admissions process during a tour, whether in-person or virtual. Several schools, like Spelman , encourage students to schedule separate webinars to learn more about the admissions process, as this is not a topic covered in their campus tours. 

Now that we have explored the similarities and differences between in-person college campus tours and virtual college visits, let’s look more deeply into when and how to use virtual college tours.

Understanding Virtual College Tours

When first hearing about virtual college visits, many students and families are skeptical about how useful they can be. However, college virtual tours have advanced so much in recent years that many offer a similar, if not enhanced, experience to an in-person visit. 

As we discussed, there are several obvious reasons why college virtual tours are easier than in-person, including the fact that they are free and require little to no planning. In the following sections, we will discover more of the benefits and uses of virtual college tours. We will also discuss how they work and explore some of the best virtual college tours that exist today.

Are Virtual College Tours Worth It?

Yes—college virtual tours are absolutely worth your time! Indeed, virtual college tours can be a very good investment of time depending on where you are in your college admissions process. Let’s explore some ways that you can use virtual college visits to aid you in your college decision-making process:

Initial exploration of schools

As a freshman or sophomore in high school, you might not know how to prepare for the college process. Using virtual college tours, you can begin to explore schools and learn about what you like and don’t like in a college. This process can help you stay motivated to work hard as you will visualize your goals with greater clarity. You will also begin to learn what types of schools you are drawn to, which can help you build a college list faster in your junior year.

Exploring more and different schools

In the past, many students were limited to only visiting schools they could travel to. In some cases, leaving their state or country was impossible. Virtual college tours offer much more accessibility for students who cannot travel large distances. Also, since they can be completed in much less time than in-person college campus tours, virtual college visits may allow you to explore schools you had never considered. Perhaps you were only considering applying to big public schools. With virtual college visits, you can branch out and easily explore small, liberal arts colleges as well.

Narrowing down the list of schools you might want to visit in person

You might have a long college list. Ideally, you’ll want to cut it down when considering which schools to visit. This is where virtual college visits offer a unique opportunity to make the most of your time and resources. Before you get on the road, you can do a virtual tour to see if you like the campus enough to visit. Or perhaps the virtual tour helps you see which parts of campus you want to explore further, or which buildings you want to enter.

Alternatively, maybe your virtual college visits give you the confidence to know you like the school enough that you don’t need to spend lots of money on a flight in your junior year. Perhaps you will wait and see if you are admitted and visit the school afterward to decide if you want to attend.

Certainly, we can agree there are many benefits to virtual college visits. However, some virtual college tours are more interactive, engaging, and informative than others. Later, we will explore some of the virtual college tours that are worth taking.

While the quality of the tour may depend on the schools you’re interested in, how much you get out of them ultimately depends on you. We will explore how to make the most of your college virtual tours later. 

What Are Virtual College Tours Like?

Now that we have convinced you that college virtual tours are beneficial, let’s look at what you can expect from them. Most virtual college tours for students have some combination of the following offerings:

Guided tour of campus

This can include a combination of interactive maps and pictures, embedded videos, informational text, and voiceovers describing what you are seeing. Some college virtual tours offer 360-degree views that allow you to click around and move through campus as if you were there, such as the University of Tampa ’s tour. Even more advanced tours offer immersive virtual reality (VR) technology which allows you to put on a headset and bring the campus to life in front of your eyes. However, VR campus tours typically require you to have your own equipment at home.

Campus highlights

Most virtual college tours for students will highlight important buildings or landmarks. These can include academic buildings, monuments, libraries, dining halls, residence halls, and the student union. By showing you these buildings, schools hope to give you a sense of what your day-to-day life may look like as a student there.

Student testimonials

Another helpful part of college virtual tours is student testimonials. Sometimes, this looks like students leading a campus tour while sharing their own experiences. Other times, schools will offer webinars for prospective students to ask questions of others. More common these days is the use of social media to share student experiences. Some schools will allow students to “take over” their social media accounts and post about their day so that prospective students can see what a day on campus is like. Consider following schools of interest on social media so you can get an insider’s perspective.

Now that you know what you can generally expect from college virtual tours, let’s explore the differences between college campus tours across schools.

How Do Virtual College Tours Work?

As the name suggests, virtual tours happen via a computer, phone, or other piece of technology. However, that can look very different depending on the school you are investigating. As we shared above, many virtual college tours for students include some kind of guided tour of campus, a list of highlights, and student testimonials. However, these items can come in very different formats.

Here are some of the formats you can expect:

Pre-recorded videos.

These can look like videos of a student giving a tour or a video of activities happening around campus. Since these are the simplest version of virtual college tours for students, they are the most common. Schools like Dartmouth , CalPoly , and Vassar all offer pre-recorded tours. 

Interactive videos

Some videos let you click on buildings or landmarks as you watch to learn more. In some cases, you can even enter buildings. For example, the Harvard virtual tour lets you click through photos of the athletic center, dorms, libraries, labs, and quads. The Harvard virtual tour also includes a voiceover that provides additional information as you scroll through images. 

Interactive map s

Here you’ll have a map of campus, whether flat or 360 degrees, that lets you click on landmarks to gather more information. Cornell , Bucknell , Wesleyan , and Pace all have online maps you can explore.

Live streams

This is a video that is being filmed at the same time you are watching it. Live streams sometimes offer a chance for Q&A with the student hosting. To take advantage of this, you will need to be present at the exact time the live stream is being shared. In some cases, you may need to register ahead of time to receive the link. An example of a live tour is at the University of Pennsylvania , where students register ahead of time for a one-hour, live, student-led virtual campus tour.

Live Virtual Tour vs. Pre-Recorded Tour

Take special note of the distinction between live virtual tours and pre-recorded virtual tours. Live virtual tours are being streamed as you watch them, which means you will get a better sense of what is happening right then and there on campus. Sometimes, live virtual tours include a Q&A section where you can ask questions. Meanwhile, pre-recorded virtual tours are less interactive but offer the flexibility of watching them whenever you can.

A common platform for many of these virtual college tours is YouVisit . YouVisit specializes in making virtual experiences as interactive as possible. For that reason, you may notice that many of the online virtual college tours you discover are similar in format. YouVisit’s tours tend to include interactive 360-degree maps, voiceovers, videos, and photos.

As you can tell, there are many formats and options for virtual tours. Indeed, the menu of options has exploded in recent years, in part due to the necessity created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Next, we will look more closely at when to take a virtual tour and explore some of the most helpful virtual tours worth taking.

When is the right time to take a Virtual Tour?

Virtual college tours can be useful at any stage, whether you’re already working on applications or just starting to build your college list.  No matter where you are in the college admissions process, remember: it’s never too early to take a virtual tour! However, before you start exploring virtually, it’s useful to know how virtual college tours can benefit you.

Tours for sophomores, juniors, and seniors

Virtual college tours will look different for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. As a sophomore, a virtual tour might be a way to dip your toes into the world of college admissions. Since you can take virtual college tours from the comfort of your own home, this is a low-stakes way to get a feel for which colleges you’re interested in applying to. 

College visits for juniors are a bit more meaningful. You may be starting to create a college list, so you’ll want to pay close attention to the different parts of the virtual tour. Consider taking notes as you go, so that when you start applying to schools you have observations from your virtual tour to look back on. 

If you’re a senior, there’s another important aspect of virtual college tours to keep in mind: demonstrated interest. When colleges read your application, they often look for “demonstrated interest,” which is a way that you demonstrate that you care about the school. Colleges want to admit students who will ultimately choose that college, and one way to show that you care about a school is to attend a tour. 

What Colleges Offer Virtual Tours?

In general, virtual college tours make tours accessible for people who can’t travel to the school for whatever reason. Most schools understand that not all students can visit in person and will offer some type of virtual tour—whether it’s a recorded tour, a video of the campus, or another interactive option. 

So, how do you decide which ones to take? Up next, you’ll find our list of the best virtual college tours that we think are worth your time.

25 Virtual College Tours Worth Taking!

As we’ve discussed, virtual tours are a great way to get a feel for a school’s campus without having to make the trip to visit. You can take a virtual tour at almost any time—you can even take one more than once!

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of 25 great virtual college tours that you can embark on in lieu of a traditional college visit. 

Top 25 Virtual College Tours

1. princeton university.

First on our list of virtual college tours worth taking is Princeton University. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton is ranked #1 in National Universities. Princeton’s virtual tour consists of a live-streamed Zoom webinar, where one of their tour guides will take you along with them on their campus tour. You can even ask your guide questions in the Zoom chat!

2. Harvard University

Next on our list of best virtual college tours is Harvard University, located in Cambridge, MA. The Harvard virtual tour is self-guided, meaning that you can click around the Harvard virtual tour to see panoramic views of Harvard’s classic New England campus at your own pace. Plus, if you’re interested in Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, there’s a separate Harvard virtual tour that goes into even more detail on that school’s offerings.

3. University of Pennsylvania

If you’re interested in UPenn but can’t make it out to Philadelphia, you can explore UPenn’s campus with virtual college visits. You have to sign up online to take one of Upenn’s virtual college tours since they’re led live by Penn’s student tour guides. With these live tours, every tour is different. Since different students give them each time, if you decide to take the tour more than once, you’ll likely learn something new! 

4. Cornell University

The virtual college tours at Cornell are self-guided. This means that you can take yourself around Cornell’s beautiful campus in Ithaca, NY, at your own pace. At each location, Cornell supplies fun facts and details about the campus that can help you get to know the school better. 

5. Dartmouth College

With Dartmouth’s virtual college tours, you can get the best of both worlds: a live-streamed campus tour and a self-guided tour. If you’re just beginning to think about Dartmouth as an option, watch their video of a pre-recorded tour to get a feel. If Dartmouth is your dream school, get to know their campus in bucolic Hanover, NH, by taking a live virtual tour led by a student—that way, you can ask all of your questions and feel more like you’re really there!

6. California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) – San Luis Obispo

If you want to know more about Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, they provide a wealth of virtual college tours that you can take. Not only does Cal Poly offer the classic student-led virtual tours and prerecorded tours. They also have virtual tours of their housing and of each academic college. Even if you can’t make it out to this coastal California city, you’ll have a great feel for the Cal Poly campus. 

7. Barnard College

Curious about college in the Big Apple? Take one of Barnard’s virtual college tours. Once you register for Barnard’s virtual tour, you gain access to spaces in Barnard that aren’t even available on the in-person tour. Barnard also offers an audio tour, where you can listen along to a live tour guide.

8. Pomona College

At Pomona, a college located in Pomona, California, you can explore in a multitude of ways. Pomona offers a pre-recorded virtual tour, as well as info sessions and webinars that you can attend from home. 

9. University of Texas – San Antonio

Located in San Antonio, TX, the University of Texas campus at San Antonio offers a self-guided virtual tour. At each location on the virtual tour, UT offers a video accompanied by written information to help you get to know the campus better.

10. Wesleyan University

If you’re looking for an idyllic New England campus, you’ll find one with Wesleyan’s virtual college tours. Wesleyan is a small liberal arts school located in Middletown, Connecticut, and you can follow along with a current student as they “walk” you through different locations on campus. 

11. Colgate University

Located in Hamilton, ME, Colgate’s beautiful campus is just a few clicks away. Colgate’s college virtual tours let students make their way through the campus on their own time, and you can supplement your virtual college visit with webinars and online info sessions. 

12. Washington State University

Though Pullman, Washington would be beautiful to see in person, WSU’s college virtual tours will make you feel like you’re right there without ever leaving your house. WSU offers a personal tour, where you can direct yourself around the Washington State campus. 

13. Bucknell University

At Bucknell University, you can take college virtual tours by navigating through their virtual campus map. Though you might not get a feel of Bucknell’s location in Lewisburg, PA, you’ll come away with a great understanding of their campus—they even have a specialized map for prospective engineering students. 

14. Vassar College

Next on the list of college virtual tours worth doing is Vassar. Vassar is located in scenic upstate New York, but if you don’t want to make the trip, you can easily get a feeling for the campus with their many options for college virtual tours. Vassar offers an interactive campus tour, a 30-minute preview video of the campus, and even sample classes and recordings of past events. 

15. Claremont McKenna College

The second of the Claremont Colleges after Pomona, Claremont McKenna offers recorded video tours and self-guided college virtual tours. Claremont McKenna is also located in Pomona, CA. So, if you’re virtually touring Pomona, you might as well give Claremont McKenna a look as well!

16. Haverford College

If you’re interested in living in Pennsylvania, you can give this lovely campus located just outside of Philly a look. Haverford offers live virtual tours where two students will take you on a “stroll” across campus, giving you advice and answering questions along the way. 

17. Harvey Mudd College

If you love Pomona, CA, but Claremont McKenna and Pomona weren’t your vibe, give Harvey Mudd a try. Harvey Mudd’s college virtual tours consist of separate videos for each stop along the tour that take you through all of the most important buildings on Harvey Mudd’s campus. 

18. Middlebury College

For your Middlebury College virtual tours, you get all the benefits of variety. Middlebury College, located in Middlebury, VT, has a wealth of options for students who don’t choose to do college campus tours in person. This includes virtual tours in English and Spanish, self-guided interactive maps, recorded information sessions, and more. 

19. Pace University

If you want to get to know Pace University, the college offers interactive maps for both of its campuses—one in NYC and one in Westchester, NY. Using Pace’s maps, you can make the most of New York City college campus tours without ever having to navigate the subway. 

20. Occidental College

Next on our list of virtual college campus tours worth taking is Occidental College. Located in sunny Los Angeles, CA, Occidental offers a self-guided virtual tour, where you can click through 360 views of the campus and hear from Occidental’s student tour guides along the way. 

21. Furman University

Located in Greenville, South Carolina, Furman University also offers stellar options for their virtual college campus tours. Furman gives you the option to explore individual campus buildings with interactive and immersive technology, which includes videos from their tour guides to give you insider knowledge about each location. 

22. Spelman College

If you want to tour Spelman, you don’t have to go all the way to Atlanta, Georgia. You can take one of their virtual college campus tours, where you can take your time looking at each of their buildings. Spelman’s virtual map lets you see inside and outside of many different campus locations, and get a better feel for the vibe of the campus as a whole.

23. Emerson College

Located in Boston, MA, Emerson offers lots of options for students who want to take college virtual tours. Using an interactive map , prospective students can make their way around Emerson’s campus to explore different buildings and facilities. The Emerson campus map also includes some city landmarks, like Boston Common, that are close to campus and part of the Emerson experience.

24. University of Tampa

At the University of Tampa, students can take college virtual tours to get a feel for the beautiful Tampa, FL campus. The University of Tampa offers tour videos, 360 interactive campus tours, as well as virtual visits. If you register for a virtual visit, you’ll also be able to attend a 30-minute info session hosted by an admissions counselor. 

25. Texas State University

For the last school on our list of college virtual tours worth taking, we visit (or more accurately, don’t visit) Texas State. Texas State offers a virtual interactive map, a video tour led by student tour guides, and also provides a presentation where you can learn more about the academics and admissions policies at the school. You can tour both of Texas State’s locations, one in San Marcos and one just north of Austin.

As you can see, not all virtual college visits follow the exact same format. However, there are certainly many opportunities to “visit” a school without ever stepping foot on campus. Next, let’s talk about scheduling and making the most of your college visits.

How To Schedule Virtual College Visits

Now that we’ve gone over some of the best virtual college tours that you can take, let’s talk about some logistics. 

For most virtual college tours, you can take them whenever you want—that’s part of why they’re so great! Whatever your schedule is, you can slide in a college visit on your own time. You could even do a bit of a virtual college visit, take a break, and come back and finish later. It’s totally up to you. 

Schools may ask you for your name and email when you click on their virtual college visits. This is totally fine, and also can work to your advantage. Remember demonstrated interest? You want the college to know that you’ve taken their college campus tours, whether it’s a virtual college visit or in-person. This is especially meaningful in college visits for juniors or seniors.

Even though many virtual college visits can be done on your own schedule, some schools offer live virtual tours. If you want to take one of these college campus tours, you’ll need to sign up in advance. Even though these virtual college tours for students require a little bit more planning, it can be helpful to be in a Zoom with other prospective students and tour guides so that you can ask questions in real time. 

Making the Most of a Virtual College Visit

Even though you might be taking your virtual college tours from your bed, it’s important to still make the most of it. While a virtual tour might not feel the same as in-person college campus tours, there are some things you can do to make the most of the experience. 

Block out dedicated time

At first, virtual college tours for students might not seem very outwardly engaging. However, you should try and make the most of your experience. Don’t multitask, or do college campus tours while you’re watching TV. This is still a college visit, and you want to treat it as such. Immerse yourself in your virtual college visit—you want to get as close as you can to experiencing it in person! 

Consider your priorities

Virtual college visits can serve different purposes for different students. Some students have no idea what they’re looking for from their college campus, and others are already set on what they want their college experience to look like. On the virtual tour, make sure to look at the school’s housing, academic facilities, recreational facilities, and transportation. If there’s a must on your list—for example, if you want a school with a main quad, or a school that’s integrated into a city—see if the school has it! 

Ask questions

If you’re taking a tour on your own, think about the questions you’d have for a tour guide if there was one present. What can you learn from virtual college tours for students, and what do you still have questions about? These are the kinds of things you could ask in an information session or research after your tour.

Next Steps after your Virtual Tour

Once you’ve finished your virtual tour, there are some next steps you can take to make the most of it. 

If you’re just starting to build out your college list, think about what stood out most from your campus tours. Write down some big takeaways from the school, or a list of pros and cons, so you can start comparing schools that you want to put on your college list. These can be informal—something like “huge library,” or “weird vibe” is totally fine—just make sure you write down enough to remember how you felt about the school so you don’t have to take the virtual tour a second time.

If you’re ready to apply, reach out to admissions with any questions you have after the virtual college tours. Explore the application requirements at the schools you’re most excited about. See if the school has any supplemental essays that ask you why you’re interested in the school—these virtual tours can give you great talking points about the school that you might want to include in an essay.

Sometimes after a virtual tour, you might still not know how you feel about a school—that’s okay! Virtual tours are just one way to get to know a college. You can keep doing research, and take advantage of other virtual resources offered by the school. 

Even More Virtual Opportunities

So what are the other ways to learn more about a school from the comfort of your own home?

Along with the virtual campus tour, many schools also offer virtual information sessions. These are Zoom calls with admissions officers who are there to provide information on the school and answer applicants’ questions. Attending information sessions can also be a way to show demonstrated interest to a school that you want to attend. 

Some schools also have student testimonials, or other videos with students who can answer questions about the school. These are a great way to see what actual students think about attending the school. Many colleges also provide a way to reach students at the school with questions—email the admissions office and ask if there are students you can talk to about their experience. 

Virtual College Tours – Final Takeaway

College visits for juniors, seniors, and sophomores are an important part of the college admissions process. Since the pandemic, you can go on amazing virtual college visits from the comfort of your own home. On a virtual college tour, you can get to know the campus, and see what kinds of resources the school has to offer.

There are a few different types of virtual college tours for students. Some are interactive maps, where you can click on different buildings and explore. Others provide a 360 view of various parts of campus. Some are live Zoom meetings led by student tour guides, and some schools provide pre-recorded videos that you can watch. All of these virtual tours are great options to learn more about the school, and if a school provides more than one, they’re all worth doing!

When you’re taking a virtual college tour, make sure to make the most of it. Set aside some time to really focus on the tour, keep your priorities in mind, and take notes on things that stick out to you and questions you have during the tour. 

If at the end of your virtual tour, you’re sure that you’ve found your dream school, don’t hesitate to reach out to CollegeAdvisor for application guidance. Our team of experts is always here to support students in navigating the admissions process. Happy (virtual) exploring!

This article was written by senior advisor Courtney Ng and advisor Rachel Kahn . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, thoughts on vassar's virtual tour.

Hey everyone, I'm considering applying to Vassar and I saw that they have a virtual tour on their website. Has anyone taken it and what did you think? Did it provide a good sense of the campus atmosphere and the facilities? Just want to get some opinions before spending time on it.

Hey there! I've heard from many students who have taken Vassar's virtual tour, and the general consensus seemed to be that it's informative and worth taking a look at. As with any virtual tour, it won't give you the exact same experience as physically being on the campus, but it does provide a general overview of the facilities and the layout of the campus.

Vassar's virtual tour includes 360-degree panoramic views of various locations around campus, as well as descriptions and pertinent information about each spot. The tour can give you a better sense of the buildings, green spaces, and overall vibe of the campus. However, it may not capture the student interactions or daily campus life as authentically as an in-person visit.

So, while it's not a perfect substitute for visiting the campus, taking the virtual tour is still a valuable way to get a feel for Vassar if you're unable to visit in person. Plus, it's a low time investment compared to actually traveling to the campus, so you may find it's worth checking out.

Just keep in mind that it's important to supplement the virtual tour with additional research on the college, by taking steps such as connecting with current students or alumni, and checking out online forums or social media groups to get a fuller picture of the campus atmosphere.

Finally, if you end up applying to Vassar and want tips on how to maximize your chances of acceptance, check out this blog post from CollegeVine, which breaks down how to tackle their school-specific supplemental essays: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-vassar-college-essays/. After all, Vassar is quite selective, and the essays are often just the thing that distinguishes one talented applicant from another.

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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Vassar College

Room Descriptions and Amenities

Although the individual rooms at Vassar seem almost as diverse as the student body, the following descriptions are helpful.

One Room Double A single room shared by two students.

Quads Generally one to three rooms shared by four students.

Suite Generally has three rooms (sometimes four), two of which are joined by a doorway and one of which is separate. All the rooms open into a common living room that is shared. 

One Room Triple A single room shared by three students.

Two Room Triples A single room off of a one-room double.

Two Room Doubles A single room off of another single room.

Singles A solo room—a high proportion of rooms are singles. These are not usually available for first-year students.

Standard Furnishings

Students are provided with a dresser, a desk, a chair, a bed frame, a mattress, a wardrobe, and an ethernet jack. Each room also comes with overhead lighting and at least one window (most with screen and shade). We strongly recommend that you bring desk lamps, as the overhead lights do not provide enough light for reading.

Internet Access

All houses have wireless access to the Internet as well as wired Ethernet access in all student rooms. To use the wireless network, the student’s laptop must have a wireless network card or adapter. This is usually offered as a built-in option on most laptops. To use the wired access, students need an Ethernet card or adapter installed in their desktop or laptop. Virtually every new computer has a built-in network adapter. For help with connecting to the network, students may contact CIS at [email protected] .

House Amenities

All houses have:

• A multipurpose room equipped with cable television, a DVD/VCR,  and sometimes a pool table or ping pong table
• A full-size kitchen with a stove, refrigerator, microwave oven, dishwasher, and sink
• For events and social gatherings, a parlor equipped with a Steinway piano
• Washers and dryers located in the basement (in Main, they are located on the third floor and the south wing of the second floor)
• Gender-neutral bathrooms
• A computer cluster
• Vending machines and an ice machine

Puzzled about Vassar (and their admissions office)

I’m hoping folks here can provide some positive spin to Vassar after having a pretty horrible time visiting a few weeks ago.

We were on a college tour of a few schools a few weeks ago but could not get a guided tour spot for Vassar (not their fault - just no slots available). Still, we wanted to swing by to see the campus. Called admissions office the day prior to find out hours, and they are open till 5:00 pm. When we get there (about 3:00), we park and walk up to the admissions office, and are about to go in, when the person there rushes to the door, opens it (but blocks it with her body) and says “What do you want?” We’re obviously a family of four with two HS students there to see the school. The persons then says that the building is closed and that self guide printouts are “over there”. No welcome to campus. No “hey, how long are you here and can I direct you to a few notable things.” Nothing. This came after visiting 5 other LACs where the offices were EXCEPTIONALLY friendly (and, of course, open!). Our impression of the school after that (which was probably biased after the “closed building” admissions office experience):

• Library there is probably one of the coolest buildings I’ve ever seen. Really, it’s something special (a student outside the admissions office saw our incident and suggested we check it out).
• Main building is shabby and in dire need of repair.
• Library is also in dire need of repair (it’s beautiful, but clearly not well maintained).
• Dorm buildings also looked shabby… this is a theme - most of the campus - streets, buildings, etc, all look exceedingly poorly maintained.
• Students were not very friendly with each other… we see lots of fist bumps and other indications of solid community at all the other schools we visited… not Vassar.
• Students in common areas seem self absorbed… no conversations going on, not even studying, just no connection in spaces that again seemed poorly maintained.
• Pick up a copy of the student newspaper… relationship column has a student asking how to ghost a one-night stand she had (she thought the guy was lame, but hooked up anyway). Another column has an article about the “Sex tree” being upset to have been named that and to see if people can stop using it for that purpose.

Seriously, can someone lay out what we may have missed here? What, exactly, is intriguing about Vassar? I’d find it hard to spend as much money as they charge only to have my kid go to an unfriendly LAC that does not take pride in its physical infrastructure.

we did not have that kind of experience there. more typical other than they were very rig about adding another adult to tour. i thought campus quite attractive from outside and inside of science building. presentation by admissions office underwhelming. done by a senior. not super impressive. where else did you visit?

We’ve visited, among others, Haverford, Franklin & Marshall, Skidmore, Hamilton, Colgate, Lafayette, Lehigh, W&M, etc. They were all excellent. We’ve also visited some on the west coast… same great schools and experiences. I’m just hoping I had something unusual and can get different data points

My kid is a freshman at vassar and loves it. She likes her classes, professors are great and she made good friends quickly and easily (not a given with her). Just as a data point. If you are looking for luxurious (or even pretty nice) dorms Vassar probably isn’t for you - though they are renovating. But the campus is pretty beautiful and in general the kids seem nice, friendly, quirky and mostly fun. Keep in mind a couple weeks ago was mid-terms and right before they went on break so maybe that was some of it? The admissions office reaction does seem a bit odd - not sure what to say there. But in general Vassar does not pursue kids aggressively like some schools do. We visited twice and were clearly interested and still got very little email (and no snail mail I remember) from them. They are definitely of the if you are a fit for us you’ll find us and we are not going to chase you. Pretty low key all around. But all my interactions by phone or in person have been positive (I called once randomly over the summer, for example, to find out when the student health insurance started so I could time dropping her off my insurance - the guy answering the phone had no clue but he went off and found someone who did and reported back - clearly not his job, but he actually got out of his office and found someone who knew the answer and was totally nice about the whole thing. Anyway sorry you had that experience! Sounds like Vassar may not be for you but it definitely works for my D and her friends who all think they landed in the perfect place.

Thank you (sincerely) for the additional info. Sounds like your D is having a good time, which is great to hear. I think we’ll chalk this up, primarily, to a very poorly trained admissions office person. The level of direct anti-welcoming hostility was intense… but probably just that person’s issue.

She’s very happy there. But yeah, I’d be very turned off by that kind of reception also.

Ouch. I hate to read that. That does not align with our experience two years ago.

Paging @elena13 for more current parent perspective.

Yes, it sounds like one bad apple.

But beauty is in the eye of the beholder – I thought Vassar’s campus was incredibly beautiful while I thought skidmore’s 1960’s hodge podge one of the most unattractive campuses I’ve seen (sorry Skidmore!!)

We didn’t have the best experience either, I visited with my twins, a prospective Econ major and a CS/math major. At the information session, the AO was talking about the open curriculum which was a draw for us but went on for over 5 minutes on how you would never ever ever have to take calculus again. Then on the tour, the guide kept making references to specific TV shows and other current references and after each one saying “if you don’t understand what I am talking about you don’t belong at Vassar”, neither my kids or I had any idea what he was referring to. Very short walk into science building (looked impressive) and was told the only reason he ever went into science building was to visit a professor’s dog. On a quick walk back to admissions we passed the math building, he said something about what was printed on the building and how no one really cared what it was because you know math. It was probably just a very bad match of tour guide, neither child applied. The library was gorgeous and Vassar is a great school but every school can’t be a fit. And sometimes, it may be a fit but one bad interaction is enough to turn you off.

We had a pretty amazing visit to Vassar (although S24 does not believe it is a good fit for him). Had wonderful tour guides and then a lovely personal tour of the music department with a professor who wanted to do whatever he needed to make my musician S interested in being there. The music building was not that impressive except for their music library but the main library, science and theater buildings were. I thought the place was gorgeous.

When we went on the Vassar tour this poor little scared high school kid had forgotten to sign up for a space for his mom. He asked the tour guide if the mom could come along and they said No! It was summer of 22 so COVID rules were not being as strictly enforced as before - it would not have been an issue at all. It’s been bothering me ever since. (But that’s not why my daughter didn’t end up applying there - she didn’t like being so far from the city).

I don’t have any excuse or explanation for the lack of communication and rudeness you experienced, but we did the tour at Vassar in the fall, and their admissions building was off limits to visitors. I guess, but don’t know for sure, that this is COVID policy that is still in place (which could be criticized since everyone else seems to have opened up).

The scheduled tour started from outside the building, and we were led to an information session in an auditorium in another building.

So I guess that the admissions person was trying to block unauthorized access to the building, and things went downhill from there?

While admittedly I haven’t been on campus in a while. as a grad, it saddens and frankly surprises me to hear the library and Main described as “shabby”. They are classic buildings. Do they need a coat of paint?

I’m willing to give as much benefit of the doubt as possible (had a bad experience with admissions staff, was a cloudy/rainy day in mid-Feb, and it’s easy to overly fixate on physical appearance when that’s you’re entire experience there)… but, yes, the main building window frames needed a coat of paint (looks like last time was 15-20 years ago), the rusting window AC units (of which there were dozens and dozens) needed to go (a school like Vassar should be able to afford modernizing it’s main building… lots of colleges have old buildings and have undergone retrofitting), metal fixtures on the roof and around the building were falling apart and obviously broken. The main building is a classic style that could be amazing - so it saddened me to see it up close in such shape. The library itself is a thing of beauty overall (like walking into Hogwarts!), but a closer look showed a similar (though not as bad) pileup of deferred maintenance. On their own, even these things can probably be considered not so bad, but after seeing so many different campuses, the difference was jarring.

I don’t see an issue - sounds like you applied to a lot of schools.

Forgetting the admissions experience, you’re clearly not happy with the state of the main buildings.

That’s important to you it sounds like - so that’s enough reason to move on. Lots of kids use aesthetics as a decision point.

Malcolm Gladwell has an explanation. Maybe this will resonate.

In his new podcast series, Revisionist History , he makes this point by contrasting Bowdoin College, which is regularly cited by campus guides for outstanding food, with Vassar College, where students tell him the food is mediocre. Both are elite liberal arts colleges, with highly competitive admissions, respected faculty members and beautiful campuses. But Vassar enrolls a much larger share of low-income students than Bowdoin, and Gladwell blames the gourmet food Bowdoin students enjoy. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/07/18/malcolm-gladwell-sets-debate-over-whether-good-campus-food-prevents-more-aid-low

This reply includes comments on Vassar in the context of comments on other liberal arts colleges: Struggling with D21’s List. ED & ED2: Amherst, Hamilton, Wellesley, Vassar - #7 by merc81 .

These comments support my stand that the quickie college tour road trip, with brief stops at a number of schools, leaves an impression that is largely dependent upon the “fit” of the tour guide,and maybe that day’s weather, not the school. Perhaps better to choose where to apply from academic criteria and other published criteria, and then make longer visits to acceptances (perhaps a three to four day weekend visit to a student enrolled there, who is a high school or family acquaintance) in order to attend a few classes and a few weekend social events, so as to get a more in-depth and accurate perception of the school.

I’d say if Vassar has the academics that your child wants, and the NPC fits your budget, and it meets the other criteria on paper, you shouldn’t cross it off your list based upon that unpleasant experience.

Its common for students on college tours to have one “drive by” experience (where they don’t want to get out of the car or dislike it for some funny reason). Usually its the kid more so than the parent!! For my older s it was Dartmouth (I was so sad, but he didn’t like it for understandable reasons, though he stuck it out for the day). For younger s it was College of Charleston (also stuck it out but couldn’t wait to leave). So if a student crosses of a school for whatever reason, so be it. But would hope it is ultimately the student’s decision as to where to apply.

It does sounds like a disappointing experience with admissions, but it also sounds like there are other reasons you don’t like Vassar, so it’s great that you had good experiences at other LACs. While I can’t give a tour/visit experience because we didn’t do one at Vassar, my daughter and I showed up sight unseen on move in day and she had a wonderful academic experience there. We had toured many LACS including Lafayette, Richmond, Davidson, Wellesley, but ended up not having time to go to Vassar. I think many colleges don’t look great in the winter, but I also think Vassar is beautiful (even compared with the other colleges mentioned above). Yes, the main building does seem in need of an update, but they are constantly making improvements and updates to the campus. The Bridge for Laboratory Sciences is an impressive building and the dining hall was newly renovated and very nice just before my D started there. I do agree that Vassar doesn’t seem to be the friendliest place compared with some other schools. However, my D found her group after some time and the educational, cultural and creative experiences were worth being so far from home and the hassle of getting there each time she traveled back and forth (lots of planes, trains and automobiles). She is very thankful for her time at Vassar and I can’t say enough good things about President Bradley and how she is so welcoming to and supportive of students (her impressive public health background was also very helpful during Covid). As someone else mentioned above, for those looking for fancy dorms, Vassar is not the place for them. They use their resources in other areas (but still update the dorms regularly). My comments are not intended to try to convince anyone, just thoughts for other parents reading in the future.

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On-Campus Visits

Thank you for your interest in Amherst College! We're delighted to welcome in-person visitors to our beautiful campus. The calendar below shows the current available schedule for campus visits, including the program offered on each date. Advance registration is required. To register for an on-campus visit:

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Vassar students begin pro-Palestine encampment at college, say they won't leave until demands are met

M ay 1—POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. — An encampment in support of Palestine has emerged at Vassar College, with student activists refusing to leave until their demands of boycott, divestment, and sanctions are met.

The encampment is one of several that have emerged throughout the nation, with students demanding that their universities cut ties to Israel in support of Palestinian rights to self-determination and a de-escalation of violence in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Vassar College's Library Lawn has been dubbed "Liberation Lawn" by members of the student organization Vassar Students for Justice in Palestine, with tents and signs lining the area.

Students participating in the encampment have said they will remain on the lawn until their demands are met. According to an Instagram post by the student group, there are six main demands, which include that the college "release the names of its current independent contractors and request full public investment portfolio transparency"; and a pledge demand to divest from any company "invested in the ongoing genocide and occupation of the Palestinian people."

Other demands include that the college release a statement calling for an end to Israel's "siege on Gaza" and an end to U.S. aid for Israel; that the college must boycott all Israeli academic institutions, including the two Vassar-sponsored study abroad programs in the country; that the Vassar Student Association Senate must vote on proposed boycott, divestment, and sanctions bills; and that the college must grant full amnesty to all students involved in pro-Palestine activity on campus, including international, undocumented, and low-income students.

The encampment began Tuesday morning without an end date, requesting assistance and food supplies via a series of Instagram posts.

In a statement on Wednesday, Vassar College President Elizabeth Bradley acknowledged the encampment, assuring its safety as long as students remain peaceful.

"As long as the demonstration remains peaceful and does not disrupt the learning environment, the college does not plan to remove the tents," the statement said. The tents are currently set up in a way that allows access to the library and other buildings. This is particularly important as we head into the study period and final exams."

Bradley reiterated that the college does not tolerate discrimination of any kind, adding that she remains "committed to what unites us, especially our shared mission of learning and seeking a better collective future."

U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan, D-Gardiner, who represents the 18th Congressional District, commented on the encampment, ensuring the right of the protestors to demonstrate, albeit peacefully.

"I served 27 months in combat to protect our fundamental freedoms, including the right to peacefully protest," Ryan said in a prepared statement. "I've been in touch with the Vassar team, and made clear our community will not tolerate antisemitism, intimidation, or hate."

Ryan added that "College administrators are responsible for ensuring that demonstrations do not threaten the right of all students and staff to learn and work in a safe environment."

Alison Esposito, a Republican candidate running against Ryan in the 18th Congressional District, condemned the encampment in a statement on Wednesday, referring to the protestors as "pro-Hamas rioters." However, student protestors have not rioted, and have not mentioned supporting Hamas or its actions in Gaza.

Esposito said students who have broken rules on campus should be punished, adding that "we have to restore normalcy to these institutions."

U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro, R-Catskill, who represents the 19th Congressional District, in a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, condemned pro-Palestine protests at college campuses nationwide as "anti-Semitic," including those within his district, such as Cornell University in Ithaca.

Pro-Palestine events and protests have been held throughout the Mid-Hudson region. On Sunday, activists demonstrated outside of Ryan's office in Kingston to protest several of his stances on the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

(c)2024 Daily Freeman, Kingston, N.Y. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Vassar College Studio Art Senior Show & Opening Reception

New Hackensack, 2490 New Hackensack Rd., Vassar College

Presenting Studio Art senior thesis projects by Anne Goldsmith, Brynne Gomez, Xia Lai, Caleb Leeming, Cae McLaughlin, Jordyn Panzer, Tala, Tallulah de Saint Phalle, and Ezra Venditti.

Opening Reception

Thursday, May 9, 2024, 4–6 p.m.

May 10–18, 2–4 p.m.

Free, open to the public, no reservations required. Sponsored by the Art Department and Studio Art .