Our School

Bard Early College (BEC) seeks to improve the transition from high school to college and increase access and success in higher education. We do this by offering high school-age students, particularly those from low-income and historically underrepresented communities, a tuition-free college program of study in the liberal arts and sciences, and by working to influence and lead a national movement for early college education focused on quality and equity.

As a campus of BEC, BEC Hudson Valley is a tuition-free satellite campus of Bard College, a nonprofit liberal arts college based in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, defined by academic quality, innovation, and its public service commitment. BEC Hudson Valley seeks to inspire curiosity, a love of learning, and civic engagement in its students; equip and empower students to access and complete higher education; and prepare its graduates for a range of educational, professional, and civic pathways. BEC Hudson Valley was established in 2017 and is operated through a partnership between Bard College, the Hudson City School District, and the NYC Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES).We are pleased to announce that we have expanded our program to include a partnership with Dutchess BOCES. As of the Fall of 2020 we have an additional satellite campus at BOCES providing an opportunity for students within Dutchess County to enroll in our early college program.

Read more about our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

• Up to one year of free college credits that transfer to associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs across the country
• College instructors, typically with a terminal degree in the content area and trained in early college pedagogy and Bard Writing and Thinking practices
• A robust and engaging liberal arts and sciences curriculum developed by Bard 
• Small, writing- and discussion-based seminar classes
• Strong academic and socio-emotional student supports  

• A qualitative admissions process that selects students based on their motivation to participate and intellectual curiosity through an interview and faculty-designed assessment
• Student empowerment in the classroom and school community 
• Diversity in the student body, reflecting the local region
• Partnership with public schools and school systems that make the programs possible
• A network structure that shares resources, connects colleagues, and strengthens each individual campus