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How to Complete the 2023/2024 Vassar College Supplemental Essays

Cait Williams is a Content Writer at Scholarships360. Cait recently graduated from Ohio University with a degree in Journalism and Strategic Communications. During her time at OU, was active in the outdoor recreation community.

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Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Vassar College is a private liberal arts college located in Poughkeepsie, New York with a history, unlike many other colleges. Founded in 1861, Vassar was originally an all-women’s college that became co-ed in 1969. Vassar’s mission is to provide a thorough liberal arts education to all their students. Vassar wants to see applicants that demonstrate strong academic potential and an interest in being involved in the Vassar community. One great way to show your potential is through your Vassar College supplemental essays!

Before you apply to Vassar College

Vassar is proud of its history . Their mission today is still largely inspired by their original mission from when they first opened their doors in 1861. They strive to create a college that supports diversity, creativity, and intellectual exploration. Knowing what they support and what you want from a school should be a crucial step in your college search. So, before you start, spend some time on their website, and social media accounts and, if possible, take a tour!

How to apply to Vassar College

When applying to Vassar, first-year applicants may apply through the Common Application , Coalition Application or QuestBridge . Applications are then viewed by a need-blind review board. This means applicants are not admitted or declined based on their financial standing. There is a $65 non-refundable application fee. A request to waive the fee can be made. You can check out the most recent years class profile here!

The Vassar College supplemental essay prompt

Vassar’s application only has one prompt for you to answer, though you’ll have two prompts to choose from. You should respond to either prompt in 300 words or less. Carefully read through each prompt to decide which one is right for you. If you have time, it may benefit you to respond to both prompts and choose the response that you like more. Let’s go!

At Vassar, we aim to foster an inclusive community through our philosophy of engaged pluralism. Engaged pluralism is rooted in “the conviction that collaborating across differences is necessary for social transformation and critical for the well-being of any community and its members.” In short, we believe it’s our differences that make us stronger. Tell us a little bit about an important part of your identity and how it has shaped your life and/or interactions with others. (300 words)

Before we get too far into the prompt, let’s discuss the term “engaged pluralism”. While the prompt does define it, take some time to put the definition into your own words. Having a deep understanding of the term will help you understand the question more and choose what part of your identity you’d like to talk about.

Now comes the more thoughtful part of the essay, picking a part of your identity to talk about. There are many parts to each of us, so take some time to write down more than one. You may even take some time to write more than one version of this essay. 

Vassar really wants to get to know you and how you will fit in on their campus. So, be sure to give them just that! 

Questions to ask yourself

• When was a time you felt you really connected with someone who you did not expect to?
• What parts of yourself do you think people might be surprised by?
• What interactions with fellow students, someone from your community, or other individuals have permanently shaped how you think about something?

Vassar is a diverse community that inspires positive change through open inquiry, deep dives into society’s most difficult challenges, and collaborative problem solving. We care deeply about one another, the communities that have forged us, and the community we build together on campus. Tell us about the community (or communities) you come from and how it has shaped your lived experiences and identity. (300 words)

The second prompt is not all that different from the first one. They still want to hear about a lot of the same themes. They want to know how you currently collaborate with the communities around you and how you’ve personally experienced growth or change through those collaborations. The difference is what they are asking to hear about. Instead of talking about just a specific part of your identity, they want to hear about a specific community that has shaped a part of your identity. 

So, let’s start by examining your communities. Think through all the communities you are a part of, this can include everything from sports teams, to religious affiliations, communities related to your family heritage, clubs about certain topics you enjoy studying or anything else in between those examples. 

As far as choosing a community goes, you should pick the community that has shaped you the most. It might take some thinking and list making to figure out which community that is, but it will be worth it. Read your essay back over when you are done and ask yourself if you’ve answered what the prompt is asking. If you haven’t, that’s okay. Take some time to go back through and edit your answer where needed.

Questions to consider

• What communities have you been a part of the longest?
• What communities have you joined on your own and what communities have you joined because your parents, or others have pushed you into them?
• Which community pushes you the most either academically, emotionally, mentally, or physically, and how has that helped you grow as a person?

Key Takeaways

• Do your research about Vassar before you start writing your essay
• Give yourself plenty of time to read through each prompt and respond to them
• Remember to be open and transparent with the admissions committee so that they can really get to know who you are

Additional Resources

As you work on your college applications, there are a lot of decisions to make. That includes how many colleges to apply to , which safety, reach, and match schools to choose, and when to apply for college . You can also check out our insider’s guide of what happens inside an admissions office , how to decide whether to apply Early Decision and/or Early Action , schedule college visits , and finally, choose a college !

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, vassar supplemental essay.

Hey y'all! I'm working on my college applications and I've been struggling with the Vassar supplemental essay. Can anyone give me some guidance on what the admissions committee is looking for and how I should approach this essay? Thanks!

Hello! The Vassar supplemental essay is an opportunity for you to showcase your genuine interest in the school and its unique community. To approach this essay successfully, you'll want to do thorough research on Vassar to better understand its values and opportunities. Look into the academic programs, clubs or extracurricular activities, and any resources or initiatives that resonate with your interests and goals.

The admissions committee wants to see that you've thought carefully about why Vassar is a good fit for you and how you can contribute to its community. Highlight specific programs, classes, or faculty members that you find appealing and tie them into your essay to demonstrate your excitement about learning and growing at Vassar. Make sure that your essay is personal and unique to you by relating your interests and experiences to what Vassar has to offer.

Moreover, since Vassar is known for its liberal arts education, you can emphasize your desire for interdisciplinary learning, inclusivity, and intellectual curiosity. Talk about how you plan to take advantage of Vassar's open curriculum, collaborative environment, or any other core values that align with your personal and academic growth.

Avoid using generic descriptions of the campus or school size that could apply to many other colleges. Instead, be specific about what attracts you to Vassar and what sets it apart from other schools in your mind. Lastly, it's essential to maintain a clear, concise, and engaging writing style. Be honest about your motivations and illustrate your passions through concrete examples and anecdotes.

Good luck with your Vassar supplemental essay, and remember to make it clear how you will both fit in with, and contribute to, the community!

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Vassar College 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Decision: Nov 15

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 1

You Have: 

Vassar College 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: One essay of 300 words; two optional uploads

Supplemental Essay Type(s):   Community , Diversity ,   Additional Info

We would like to get to know you better, especially on a more individual level. In replying to either prompt below, you are welcome to touch on any unique ability or aspect of your background – be it your race/ethnicity, socio-economic background, religious tradition, gender, geographic area that you have been raised in, personal interests, etc. – that demonstrates how you may contribute to Vassar.  

Please select and respond to one of the following prompts in 300 words or less.*, at vassar, we aim to foster an inclusive community through our philosophy of engaged pluralism. engaged pluralism is rooted in “the conviction that collaborating across differences is necessary for social transformation and critical for the well-being of any community and its members.” in short, we believe it’s our differences that make us stronger. tell us a little bit about an important part of your identity and how it has shaped your life and/or interactions with others..

Odds are that this isn’t the first Diversity Essay prompt you’ve come across this year. If it is, however, please read on. Vassar wants to accept students from a range of backgrounds who will contribute to inclusivity and diversity on campus, so tell admissions about what makes you you and how you will be a meaningful addition to the Vassar student body. Think about times when people have been intrigued by or curious about your identity, upbringing, or background. Maybe you were raised practicing Buddhism and you hope to spread some wisdom and mindfulness on campus next year. Perhaps you have lived with a physical disability for as long as you can remember, and the ways you move through the world and take up space impact how you interact with your surroundings and vice versa. What do you hope to share with others about your lived experience? Show admissions what makes you unique and how these aspects will guide and enrich your interactions with a diverse range of people next year at Vassar. 

Vassar is a diverse community that inspires positive change through open inquiry, deep dives into society’s most difficult challenges, and collaborative problem solving. We care deeply about one another, the communities that have forged us, and the community we build together on campus. Tell us about the community (or communities) you come from and how it has shaped your lived experiences and identity.

This is a classic Community Essay, through and through. Admissions officers want to know not only that you value community, but also how your background and community have made you into the person you are today. Where do you come from? What you address can be reflective of larger cultural constructs or a trait specific to your immediate family. Consider how your particular background or experience will help you contribute to Vassar’s campus community. How will it help inspire and/or inform others? Maybe you come from a vibrant immigrant community, where every member looks out for one another. How has this shaped the way you think about extended family or engage with other people who may occasionally feel like a fish out of water? Perhaps you come from a long line of fishermen, who have taught you the virtue of patience. How have you applied that lesson to other aspects of your life? Do you foresee fishing as a non-negotiable part of your future? What has influenced your identity? What do you believe and how havewill your experiences molded you into the kind of person who champions open inquiry and collaborative problem-solving?

If you wish to provide details of circumstances not reflected in the application, please upload a file here. Similarly, if you wish to upload your resume, include it here.

While this section is also optional, there’s no reason not to take advantage of it! If you have a more detailed or prettier resume/CV than what the Common App can accommodate, why not upload it here? For students in good academic standing, this is a freebie. On the other hand, if you have some gaps in your resume or blips on your transcript, consider this an invitation to tell your side of the story. You might consider writing what we call an “ additional info essay ” where you shed light on the personal circumstances (like an illness or family emergency) that may have caused these inconsistencies. 

Your Space is your opportunity to allow the Committee on Admission to learn something about you that you have not addressed in another section of the application. For example, in the past, applicants have shared poetry, short stories, cartoons, digital images of art projects, photography, and collages, and/or links to videos, and short films. It is your space, so if you choose to complete it, send something that is a reflection of you! 

Creative types will likely already have a few portfolio pieces saved up for just this type of question. Visual art, writing samples, expertly coded spreadsheets, links to web apps, and music clips are just a few of the basic forms your submission could take. Your submissions, like your essays, should reveal something new about you or provide a deeper understanding of something you have listed as an activity. Think about what you like to do in your free time: maybe you learned calligraphy while watching TV during the pandemic and have a sample to send in. Perhaps you started a baking charity with your grandma and can send in a recipe along with a photo of the final product. Select one of your best works and share a limited sample. And if you’re not sure you have anything that fits, no worries! This is also the perfect place to recycle a supplemental essay that reveals more about your character, background, or interests.

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How to Get Into Vassar College Guide

How to get into vassar – general information.

Vassar College is a private university located in Poughkeepsie, New York, 75 miles north of New York City. It was founded in 1861 as a women’s college and has been coeducational since 1969. The school has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,435 . 

In this “How to get into Vassar” guide, we’ll cover:

• Average Vassar GPA and median Vassar SAT score
• Vassar acceptance rates (including Vassar Early Decision acceptance rate)
• Vassar admission requirements 
• Interpreting Vassar rankings
• Tips for the Vassar supplemental essays
• The Vassar application deadline, and much more!

As you make your “how to get into Vassar” plan, know that the Vassar acceptance rate and Vassar Early Decision acceptance rate are low. Therefore, ensure you’re on course to meet the average Vassar GPA and average Vassar SAT scores, and prepare to master the Vassar supplemental essays well before the Vassar application deadline. 

In this “How to get into Vassar” guide, we’ll give you the essential information you need to succeed in the Vassar admission process. 

Figuring out how to get into Vassar takes strategy. We can help. CollegeAdvisor.com’s network of 300+ Admissions Experts (and former admissions officers) includes graduates from some of the country’s top schools. Want to maximize your Vassar admissions odds? Create your free account or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.

How can I get into Vassar?

As you plan how to get into Vassar, bear in mind the Vassar admission team judges students on their academic and personal achievements, as well as their potential to contribute to the student community. 

The key to any good “how to get into Vassar” strategy lies in creating a balanced Vassar application. Your academic record – Vassar GPA, Vassar SAT or ACT scores, and course choices – are all critical. But, the Vassar supplemental essays and teacher recommendations are very important too. Vassar admission will use each of these to assess your personal strengths, motivation, and potential. 

Want to know how to get into Vassar? Follow our advice about each section of the Vassar application in this “How to get into Vassar” guide, and you’ll stand a good chance in the Vassar admission process. 

Is it hard to get into Vassar?

Those considering how to get into Vassar will wonder how hard it is to impress Vassar admission and gain a place at the school. The school is certainly competitive – the Vassar ranking is high, and the Vassar acceptance rate and Vassar Early Decision acceptance rate are both low. However, a place at Vassar is well within reach for those who are prepared to work for it. 

In terms of the Vassar ranking, U.S. News places Vassar at #22 in the National Liberal Arts Colleges ranking, while Niche places it at #27 . 

In addition to the Vassar ranking compared to other schools, you should consider the caliber of admitted students when thinking about how to get into Vassar. The average Vassar GPA is 3.9 , while the average Vassar SAT score is 1467 and the average ACT composite is 33. In addition, the Vassar acceptance rate is 20% while the Vassar Early Decision acceptance rate is 39% .

These figures demonstrate the importance of taking the Vassar application seriously. In spite of the competitive acceptance rate and high Vassar ranking, Vassar admission is possible for those who apply themselves to their schoolwork and execute an effective “how to get into Vassar” strategy. 

What is the average GPA needed for Vassar?

For those looking for Vassar GPA requirements as part of their “how to get into Vassar” research, look no further. The answer to whether a certain average Vassar GPA is needed is “no”.  

However, you should still strive to exceed the average Vassar GPA. Especially in light of the low Vassar acceptance rate and Vassar Early Decision acceptance rate, you should cut no corners when thinking about how to get into Vassar.

As we mentioned, the average Vassar GPA for the admitted class of 2025 was 3.9 on a 4.0 unweighted scale. Additionally, the average Vassar SAT score was 1467 and average ACT composite was 33. 

CollegeAdvisor strongly advises you to meet or exceed the average Vassar SAT score and Vassar GPA if you’re planning to complete the Vassar application. Although there’s no required Vassar GPA, the Vassar admission team repeatedly states the importance of academics when they’re trying to make a decision about your Vassar application. 

For plenty of tips about boosting your Vassar GPA, check out this article . Finally, for tips on boosting your Vassar SAT and ACT scores, take a look here . 

What does the Vassar application look like?

Given the strong Vassar ranking and high average Vassar GPA, any good “how to get into Vassar” strategy will involve crafting a well-rounded application. So, what does the Vassar application look like?

Vassar admission requires the following for any Vassar application:

• A Common Application or Coalition Application (this includes the Vassar supplemental essays)
• An Early Decision Agreement (ED applicants only)
• School Report and High School Transcript, completed by your guidance counselor
• Teacher Evaluations
• Mid-year Grade Report 
• TOEFL/IELTS/DET (guidance around when English proficiency tests are required can be found here ) 

Additionally, you can submit the following optional materials in your Vassar application:

• Vassar SAT or ACT scores
• Art, Music, and Dance Portfolios 
• Alumni or Student Interview

Again, we recommend you submit your Vassar SAT or ACT scores if they compare well to the average Vassar SAT. They are an optional part of the Vassar application, but given the low Vassar acceptance rate and Vassar Early Decision acceptance rate, you want to do everything you can to maximize your chances of acceptance.  

Finally, ensure that you’ve submitted the above materials by your chosen Vassar application deadline: November 15th (Early Decision I), January 14th (Early Decision II) or January 4th (Regular Decision). As the Vassar Early Decision acceptance rate (39%) is higher than the overall Vassar acceptance rate (20%), think carefully about whether Early Decision might be right for you. 

What extracurriculars does Vassar look for?

As you put together your “how to get into Vassar” strategy, you may wonder what extracurriculars the Vassar admission team looks for. 

Firstly, it’s important to note that Vassar values diversity , and the student body is engaged in a rich variety of activities. From spirituality to civic engagement to athletics , wherever your interests lie, you’re likely to find a place to pursue them at Vassar. 

That said, the Vassar supplemental essays will ask you to show demonstrated interest in the school. So as you think about how to get into Vassar, it would be wise to make sure that your extracurriculars align with what the school offers. Research their academic , artistic , and extracurricular opportunities and ensure that your own goals and interests would be met if you were to attend. 

What is the acceptance rate at Vassar?

If you’ve researched how to get into Vassar thoroughly, you’ll know that the Vassar ranking and average Vassar GPA are high. Vassar is a tough school to get into. Additionally, the Vassar acceptance rate and Vassar Early Decision acceptance rate make it a “most selective” school, according to U.S News. 

So, what is the Vassar acceptance rate? The Vassar acceptance rate for overall Vassar applications is 20%. Meanwhile, the Vassar Early Decision acceptance rate is much higher, at 39% .

Because the Vassar Early Decision acceptance rate is higher, do consider making an Early Decision Vassar application. Bear in mind that, if you make it through the Vassar Early Decision acceptance rate and are accepted, you must withdraw your applications to other colleges and universities. You will be required to attend Vassar if you’re granted Early admissions. So, think carefully before putting Early Decision in your “how to get into Vassar” plan. 

Read CollegeAdvisors’ resources for more tips on determining the college that’s right for you , and your dream school . 

Finally, although the Vassar acceptance rate is competitive, it should not be daunting if you’re serious about your Vassar application. If your Vassar GPA, Vassar SAT and ACT score, and teacher evaluations all look promising, be optimistic about your chances in the face of the Vassar acceptance rate. 

For more guidance about interpreting the Vassar acceptance rate and Vassar Early Decision acceptance rate, check out this article . 

How does Vassar College rank?

Anyone making a “how to get into Vassar” plan will be curious about the Vassar ranking. 

The Vassar ranking is very strong. As we mentioned above, U.S. News places Vassar #22 in their list of the best Liberal Arts Colleges in the country. Meanwhile, Niche gives a Vassar ranking of #27 in the same category. 

The Vassar ranking is also high in Best Colleges for Veterans, where it comes in at #3 . Vassar is a part of the Yellow Ribbon program , which offers financial support to veterans. 

Lastly, the Vassar ranking is #30 in the Best Value Schools list. Vassar meets 100% of the demonstrated need of all admitted students, so if you are concerned about how to get into Vassar with financial support, do not hesitate to apply.

Overall, the Vassar ranking tells you that it is a desirable school – a target or reach for most students. However, try not to get too distracted by the Vassar ranking. Instead, focus your “how to get into Vassar” strategy on the things you can control, such as your Vassar GPA and Vassar SAT or ACT scores. This is how to get into Vassar successfully!

How to write a Vassar College essay

The Vassar supplemental essays are a required part of your Vassar application. So, make sure you’ve thought about how to answer the Vassar supplemental essays as part of your “how to get into Vassar” strategy. 

Only one of the Vassar supplemental essays is compulsory, and it simply asks:

Why are you applying to Vassar? (300 words)

Of all the Vassar supplemental essays, this one is a typical “Why School” essay. It asks you to reflect on why you have chosen Vassar in particular, as opposed to another university. To impress the Vassar admission team with your essay, it is very important you show you have done thorough research.

Go beyond superficial things like the Vassar ranking and average Vassar GPA. Instead, take stock of your own goals and interests. Then, research the academic courses and extracurriculars that would help you achieve them. As you answer the Vassar supplemental essays, explain why these specific things will help you achieve your goals and pursue your passions during your time as an undergrad. 

Find more guidance on tailoring your extracurriculars to your Vassar supplemental essays here . 

How does Vassar College review applications?

As you perfect your “how to get into Vassar” plan, you may wonder what happens to your Vassar application after the Vassar admission deadline has passed. 

Given the low Vassar acceptance rate and Vassar Early Decision acceptance rate, the school clearly has a rigorous process for filtering applicants. While the Vassar admission team does not publish its review process in full, we can tell a lot about the process from the Vassar admission requirements. 

The school states that their typical candidate “has taken a very challenging curriculum at their high school, taking full advantage of all that their school has to offer”. This suggests that Vassar will seriously consider the difficulty of your courses, alongside your unweighted Vassar GPA. The depth and breadth of subjects in your junior and senior years are especially important.  

Vassar recommends you take four years of the five main academic core subjects: English, Math, Foreign Language, Natural Science, and History/Social Science. Furthermore, their typical applicant has an A- average and is within the top 10-20% of their class. 

In addition, they consider “personal strengths, motivation, and potential”. Most applicants have been “actively involved in extracurricular activities and have shown leadership and other accomplishments”. Therefore, engage in extracurriculars that challenge you and demonstrate good character. This will give your Vassar application a strong chance in spite of the low Vassar acceptance rate. 

Will Vassar College review my social media accounts?

While thinking about how to get into Vassar, you may worry about how your social media presence affects your odds. Given the low Vassar acceptance rate and Vassar Early Decision acceptance rate, you don’t want to take any chances. 

Rest assured, the Vassar admission team is unlikely to look at your social media profiles. For the class of 2025 alone, they received 10,884 applications. They use their time to focus on the primary parts of your Vassar application – your Vassar GPA, Vassar SAT or ACT and Vassar supplemental essays. It would take them far too long to check through everyone’s social media too. 

However, you should still be responsible . While social media might not directly impact your Vassar application, employers and internship directors might look at your accounts. Plus, there’s always a chance that someone from the Vassar admission team takes a quick look. In that case, you wouldn’t want them to find something that reflects badly on you.  

Therefore, our recommendation is to enjoy social media but play it safe. Follow these tips on how to use platforms responsibly. 

Is Vassar a good school for me?

It can be easy to get distracted by the Vassar ranking and Vassar acceptance rate, and forget to see whether the school is a true cultural and academic fit. As you work on your “how to get into Vassar” strategy, remember to ask yourself whether Vassar is the right school for you! 

Vassar has a small and diverse student body. In the class of 2025, 38% of students identify as people of color and students came from 22 different countries and 41 different states. The student body is more female than male, so if you are looking for an even split, Vassar may not be the school for you. 

Vassar has an incredibly broad curriculum and increasingly emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach. Before you apply, make sure you explore their course selection to ensure you could pursue your academic passions as an undergraduate there.

Additionally, Vassar has a thriving student life. Their residential living arrangements and bustling campus dining room allow you to fully immerse yourself in the community. Students interested in sports, sustainability, religious practice , civic engagement, and leadership will probably find themselves quite at home. Note that Vassar does not have a Greek system, so if you’re looking for a fraternity or sorority, it might not be a good fit. 

Overall, Vassar has a lot to offer students. If you are academically talented, interested in others, and engaged in the world, you’re likely to thrive at Vassar. Don’t hesitate to submit a Vassar application before the Vassar admission deadline!

Additional tips to get into Vassar College

As we come to the end of this “How to get into Vassar” guide, and you begin to work on your Vassar application, keep the following tips in mind: 

Be authentic

The Vassar admission team wants students who will genuinely contribute to the community. So don’t take up hobbies you won’t enjoy, just so you have something to write about in your Vassar supplemental essays. Early in high school, well before the Vassar application deadline, pursue the things that really interest you. 

Master your timelines

Remember, the Vassar admission deadline is January 4th. Make sure every part of your Vassar application – your Vassar GPA, Vassar SAT, Vassar supplemental essays, etc. – is ready to go well before this date. For more top tips on perfecting your Vassar application timeline, check out this article. 

You’re now ready to execute your “how to get into Vassar” plan and craft a Vassar application that has a good chance of acceptance. Best of luck!

This guide was written by Bethany Nelson. If you want to know how to get into Vassar, we’ve got you covered. CollegeAdvisor.com’s network of 300+ Admissions Experts (and former admissions officers) includes graduates from the country’s top schools. Create your free account or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.

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How to Apply

Applying to Vassar

Whether you’re a first-year or transfer applicant, find everything you need to know here about how to apply and what we look for in an applicant.

First-Year Applicants

First-year applicants may submit in any one of the following ways:

• Common Application
• Coalition Application
• QuestBridge Application

Transfer Applicants

Transfer applicants can apply using the Common Application.

Submitting Application Materials

Electronic submission is preferred. Application materials may also be submitted via email, fax, or mail.

Supplemental materials can be uploaded through the application status portal, which is available after an application has been submitted and processed.

To submit documents: Email: [email protected] Fax: (845) 437-7063

Financial Aid documents should be submitted to Student Financial Services through Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC).

Selection Criteria

Vassar weighs a number of factors in the admission decision, including:

• Academic performance, as demonstrated in high school
• Personal strengths, motivation, and potential as evidenced in essays, recommendations, and community involvement

Vassar recommends that prospective applicants applying from high school take four years of:

• Mathematics
• History or social science
• A language other than English

Applicants should take a substantial portion of their work in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or the highest level of coursework available in their school.

Special attention is given to the academic breadth, depth, and rigor of candidates’ junior and senior year programs.

Optional SAT/ACT Scores

Students applying to Vassar may choose whether or not to submit SAT/ACT scores.

Know the Vassar codes

• College Board : 2956
• TOEFL : 2956

After You’ve Applied

Within 5 days of receiving your application, we will send you an email with your Applicant ID and directions on how to access an online checklist for your application.

Adding all supporting documents to our system may take a few weeks. If there are items missing from your application, you will be notified before decision release for your specified application round.

Students will be able to check their admission decision online on the same website you used to check the status of your application. Vassar does not release admission decisions via telephone.

Additional Information

If the application fee poses a financial hardship, a fee waiver can be requested on the Common Application or the Coalition Application. Fee waivers are automatically offered to applicants who are QuestBridge Finalists and U.S. Military Veterans.

• If you apply via the Common Application , under the Vassar College Member-Specific section you will be asked “Do you intend to use one of these school-specific fee waivers?” Please select “Yes, I will be using a Vassar fee waiver.”
• If you apply via the Coalition Application , use the fee waiver code: Vassar Fee Waiver .

Vassar College considers applications submitted by undocumented or DACA-mented students for the first-year class with the same consideration given to any other applicants when reviewing their application. Although funding is limited, the College is committed to meeting the full, demonstrated financial need of undocumented or DACA students admitted to Vassar following the same procedures Vassar uses to grant aid to accepted international students.

Vassar awards credit for scores of 4 or 5 on select AP exams and for scores of 5, 6, or 7 on select IB Higher Level exams. A maximum of 2 units of pre-matriculation examination-based credits can be awarded.

Students who are taking a gap year must confirm their intent to enroll at Vassar by submitting the Candidate’s Reply Card and the required enrollment deposit by May 1, and must complete the Deferral Request Form by the deadline listed on the Admitted Students website. If deferred status is approved, a formal letter stating the conditions under which the deferral has been granted will be sent to the student. Transfer students and students offered admission to Vassar from the wait list are ineligible to request a deferral of admission.

Related Topics

Application information and options for first-year applicants.

International Applicants

Vassar is a vibrant community of global citizens. Learn more about the application process for international students.

See the checklist of requirements to transfer to Vassar.

Vassar College

The Writing Center

Hours:  Sundays–Thursdays: 2:00–10:00 p.m.

The Writing Center provides all Vassar students with a community of experienced peer-readers and writers by offering free, one-to-one consultations at any stage of the writing process—from generating a thesis and structuring an argument to fine-tuning a draft.   All students are invited to bring writing projects to the Center, including academic essays from any disciplines, lab reports, creative writing, senior theses, and fellowship statements, as well as resumes, cover letters, and CVs. Students can also bring speaking assignments, including oral and multimedia presentations, poster talks, and teaching plans for leading class discussion.

Last year, in over 2,200 one-to-one meetings, our peer-consultants helped to promote the ongoing discovery and creation of knowledge across the curriculum and facilitated the articulate and appropriate expression of ideas in written student work. If you’d like to engage us in your writing process, please make an appointment online by logging into  WCOnline .

The Writing Center is centrally located on the first floor of the  Thompson Memorial Library (Main Library) in Room 122 , just left of the Cornaro Window.

Header Photo credit: John Abbott/Vassar College

Vassar will 'improve our understanding' following student encampment: What to know

A fter five days, Vassar College students took down their encampment on the campus library lawn Saturday, following approximately 13 hours of deliberation with Vassar administration.

On Tuesday, April 30, Vassar College students had joined protests happening across the state and nation surrounding the Israel-Hamas war.

Some protests locally have led to arrests, including at the campuses of SUNY New Paltz and SUNY Purchase .

Agreement reached between students and Vassar

Vassar Students for Justice in Palestine announced in an Instagram post they would end their encampment through an agreement reached with Vassar administration regarding their demands, but said "we do not recognize this agreement as a victory."

The student group said the agreement gives them support "in pursuing a plan for divestment from weapons and surveillance manufacturers, including those that supply Israel with the materials that carry out the genocide of the Palestinian people."

The agreement includes an invitation for students to present at an upcoming Trustee Investor Responsibility Committee meeting and the establishment of a group of faculty and students to propose "curricular innovations around the topics of Peace and Conflict Studies and/or Middle Eastern Studies."

Both students and administration plan to meet and continue communications to maintain effective working relationships.

More: Did SUNY Purchase, New Paltz protest arrests violate free speech protections?

In a letter posted on Vassar's website, Vassar President Elizabeth H. Bradley said the college "will work to improve our understanding, dialogue about, and educational programming concerning peace and conflict, with focus on Gaza and the Middle East."

Through the encampment, Vassar students said they received $7,000 dollars and supplies to support their efforts. "We are able to donate all the money we raised directly to families in Gaza and all the supplies will be redistributed to organizations and people in Poughkeepsie," students said in an Instagram post.

The Vassar campus community, Bradley said, recognizes the growing racism that affects students' experiences and "is committed to combating all these forms of hatred" while working toward healing.

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Vassar will 'improve our understanding' following student encampment: What to know

It’s Time to Treat Sugar Like Cigarettes

T he food we eat impacts every aspect of our lives and our bodies: our hormones, brain chemistry, immune system, microbiome; the list goes on. As consumers, we deserve the right to easily understand our foods’ nutritional value in order to make informed decisions about what we consume and how that will impact our health and well being. This is especially important when it comes to ingredients that are detrimental when eaten in excess, such as sugar. As researchers in functional medicine, longevity, AI, and nutrition, as well as inventors of health-enhancing and life-saving solutions, we have dedicated our professional lives to improving the health and well-being of millions everywhere. And while we applaud the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) taking important strides to pass mandatory front-of-package labeling for packaged foods in the U.S., this is a change that cannot come soon enough. Everyone’s health depends on it. 

The FDA recommends adults consume no more than 50 grams of added sugar per day (based on a 2,000 calorie diet), but the average American consumes closer to one-third of a pound of sugar daily, more than three times the recommended amount. To put that into perspective, the average American consumes over 100 pounds of sugar per person per year. With that much sugar consumption, it is no wonder that 49% of American adults are diabetic or pre-diabetic. What’s worse is that much of the sugar we consume occurs without our even realizing it. There are over 60 different ways sugar is identified on nutrition labels, making a consumer’s attempt to regulate their sugar intake unfairly complicated.

Extensive academic research published in medical peer-reviewed journals backs common knowledge that excess sugar consumption can lead to serious chronic conditions , as well as fatigue , anxiety , memory loss , ADHD , and even to a shorter life .

Seventy four percent of packaged foods in the U.S. contain added sugar, including seemingly healthy foods, such as salad dressing, coleslaw, and even baked beans, marinades, and yogurt; some sweetened yogurts contain more sugar than a can of soda. The fact that sugar is so biologically addictive — studies indicate it is eight times more addictive than cocaine — makes the reality that it’s hidden in so many foods even more harmful. Most of us are addicted to sugar and we don’t even know it.

This cycle of addiction is relentless and hard to break: we eat food with sugar, which then triggers a blood sugar spike, which lights up the pleasure center in our brain. When the inevitable sugar crash comes, we seek that spike again in the form of craving more sugar. Without easily discernible food labeling, shoppers unknowingly create this cycle inside their own bodies, even while they erroneously think the food they’re buying is healthy.

Read More: How the World Got Hooked on Sugar

In many countries, labels on packaged foods serve a similar function to labels on cigarette cartons: to warn consumers of risk. In Chile , a policy of “high in” labels on the front of sugary drinks dramatically reduced the consumption of those beverages. In Israel, a front-of-package labelling system , wherein a red label indicates an item high in sugar, has led to significant positive changes in 76% of the population’s food buying habits. We’re excited to see what a similar program in the U.S. would yield.

Those in the U.S. lobbying against this front-of-package change, unsurprisingly, have an interest in the continued popularity of their products. In a February 2023 joint filing , the nation’s largest cereal producers threatened a lawsuit after proposed changes would not allow them to label products as “healthy” if they didn’t meet nutritional standards.

This dynamic is similar to changes made in cigarette advertising in the 20th century. In the 1940s, a famous Camel cigarettes campaign featured the slogan , “More doctors smoke Camels.” By 1969, a mandatory warning label was added to cigarettes, giving consumers clearer access to information about risks, allowing them to make more informed choices about their health. Today the percentage of Americans who smoke is 11% compared to nearly 50% back in the day when “more doctors smoked Camels”. Life expectancy rose nearly 11 years in that span of time too, and the decrease in smoking certainly contributed.

While front-of-package labeling on packaged foods is a crucial first step towards a healthier society, education and awareness alone will only get us so far. To drive even more significant change in the way most Americans eat, a change that will lead to a healthier population, we must also incentivize the production and widespread distribution of healthier alternatives. These alternatives—a packaged cookie with healthier ingredients, for instance—must be just as delicious, and readily available as those loaded with sugar. The recently announced new standards by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will limit added sugars in school meals can greatly help with the availability of healthier alternatives, especially when children form their eating habits. For the rest of us, though, front-of-package labeling is an important step one in this journey towards national wellness and it will also encourage producers to create healthier options for consumers; readily available healthier alternatives is step two.

FDA leadership ensuring labeling of high contents of sugar in packaged foods could increase awareness and reduce the negative impacts of sugar and help millions live healthier longer lives. This change would help us make more informed choices about our food and our health. We believe it is our right, and every American’s right, to have clear and visible information about the sugar content of the foods we are eating in order to make those decisions.

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Extracurriculars.

How to Get Into Vassar: Admissions Stats + Tips

What’s covered:, average academic profile of accepted vassar students, what is vassar looking for, how to improve your chances of getting into vassar, how to apply to vassar.

• How Hard Is It to Get Into Vassar?

Meryl Streep, Anthony Bourdain, Jane Fonda, Mark Ronson, Grace Hopper, Mary Oliver, and Katharine Graham all graduated from Vassar College. Founded in 1861, the prestigious institution was only the second college of higher learning for women in the US, before becoming coeducational in 1969.

Today, this member of the Seven Sisters is one of the most highly regarded and selective liberal arts colleges in the country, with thousands applying for admission every year.

Read on for information about applying to Vassar and tips for getting in. 

Gaining admission to Vassar is hard. During the 2022–2023 admissions cycle, 11,412 students applied, and just 2,129 were admitted—an admissions rate of 18.6%. Meanwhile, 940 students applied Early Decision, and 363 were accepted—an Early Decision admissions rate of 38.6%. 

The average academic profile of accepted students for the Class of 2027:

• SAT/ACT: The middle 50% SAT score range was 1440-1510 and the middle 50% ACT score range was 32-34*
• Class Rank: 77% of accepted students were in the top 10% of their high school class, and 94% were in the top 25%

* only 32% of Vassar’s freshman class submitted SAT scores and 16% submitted ACT scores. 

“Each year, Vassar aims to enroll the most interesting, talented, and diverse first-year class possible,” says Vassar. “We admit students based on their academic and personal accomplishments, as well as their potential to contribute to the Vassar community, not on their ability to pay.”

Students show their potential to contribute to the Vassar community by taking a challenging curriculum, including advanced courses in core academic subjects: math, literature, foreign language, natural science, and history/social Science. Vassar also looks for leadership and the strength of your extracurricular profile. 

Vassar is an incredibly diverse college, with students from all states and more than 50 countries. It welcomes students of many different backgrounds, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, religions, gender identities, and much more. These qualities should be exemplified in your application. 

How Vassar Evaluates Applications

According to the 2022–23 Common Data Set, these are “ very important ” factors in the admissions process:

• Course rigor
• Recommendation(s)
• Extracurricular activities
• Talent-ability
• Character/personal qualities 

These are “ important ”:

• Class rank 
• Volunteer work
• Work experience 

These are “ considered ”:

• Standardized test scores 
• First generation
• Geographical residence
• Racial/ethnic status
• Religious affiliation/commitment 

And these are “ not considered ”: 

• State residency
• Level of applicant’s interest

1. Achieve a high GPA while taking the most challenging classes available.

According to Vassar, the average unweighted GPA of the class of 2026 is 3.9. Applicants are typically at the top of their class—94% were in the top quarter of their graduating class. GPA is a major factor in calculating your Academic Index score, which is used to filter out candidates who don’t meet Vassar’s academic standards.

If your GPA is lower, and you’re earlier on in your high school career, check out our tips for increasing your GPA . If you’re a junior or senior, it will be harder to increase your GPA, so the easiest way to increase your Academic Index is to get higher test scores.

Keep in mind that Vassar “seriously considers” the quality of your senior year program. Vassar seeks out students who take the most challenging curriculum available to them. It is not enough to get good grades in easy classes. Rigor matters.

2. Aim for a 1510 SAT and 34 ACT.

Vassar practices test-optional admissions, but CollegeVine recommends taking the SAT or ACT. Moreover, you should submit scores if they’re at or above the 25th percentile for the college (1440 SAT and 32 ACT at Vassar), since students who submit scores are generally admitted at higher rates than those who don’t. Students can get recommendations on whether or not they should apply test-optional using our free chancing engine .  

Because Vassar superscores, it’s a good idea to take the SAT or ACT 2-3 times to maximize your overall score.

To improve your SAT/ACT score, check out these free CollegeVine resources:

• How to Get a Perfect 1600 Score on the SAT
• How to Get a Perfect 36 Score on the ACT
• More SAT Info and Tips
• More ACT Info and Tips

3. Cultivate a strong portfolio of extracurriculars.

Selective colleges like Vassar evaluate activities according to the 4 Tiers of Extracurriculars . Tier 1 is considered the most prestigious and unique and Tier 4 is considered the most common—activities admissions committees see routinely. 

You should aim to have a couple of Tier 1-2 activities on your resume, and all your extracurriculars should be grouped around a few major interests, demonstrating real passion and commitment.

If you plan to study art, music, or dance at Vassar, the college recommends submitting materials that showcase your talent. Check out these Guidelines for Optional Art, Music, and Dance Submissions .

4. Write engaging essays.

Your essays are a critical way of distinguishing yourself and setting yourself apart from other academically qualified applicants. Take your time writing your essays , and get feedback from others to ensure that they reflect your best work, personality, and authentic voice.

5. Apply Early Decision.

Vassar’s Early Decision (ED) acceptance rate is 38.6%. Meanwhile, its Regular Decision (RD) acceptance rate is 18.6%. According to Vassar, ED “allows the Admission Committee to take your commitment to Vassar into account in the selection process,” which is reflected in the considerably higher acceptance rate of ED applicants. 

Before you commit, however, you should be aware of the drawbacks and limitations of applying ED. This type of application is binding, meaning that you are required to matriculate at Vassar and withdraw your applications from other schools if admitted.  

6. Secure strong recommendations.

Vassar weighs recommendations heavily in the admissions process. The college requires applicants to submit a teacher evaluation. You should develop strong relationships with teachers to ensure that they can speak knowledgeably about your strengths and qualities.

Application requirements:

• Common Application or Coalition Application
• School report 
• High school transcript 
• Teacher evaluation 
• Mid-year grade report
• Standardized test scores (optional)

How Hard Is It To Get Into Vassar? 

Vassar is highly selective. During the 2022–2023 admissions cycle, the school had an admissions rate of 18.6% for regular decision applicants and 38.6% for ED applicants. This makes it a target school for many students and a reach school for many others.

Although acceptance rates at Vassar are low, keep in mind that your personal chances of admission depend on your profile. CollegeVine’s free admissions calculator can help you to better understand your odds of acceptance. It can estimate your chances of admission to Vassar—along with hundreds of other colleges and universities—and give you tips to improve your profile. 

You can also search for schools based on preferences like location, major, cost, and more. Give it a try to get a jumpstart on your college strategy. 

Learn More About Applying to Vassar

• How to Write the Vassar College Essays 2022-2023
• 2 Vassar College Essay Examples by Accepted Students
• How Much Does it Cost to Attend Vassar College?

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Critic’s Notebook

The Comfortable Problem of Mid TV

It’s got a great cast. It looks cinematic. It’s, um … fine. And it’s everywhere.

Credit... Alex Merto

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By James Poniewozik

• April 27, 2024

A few years ago, “Atlanta” and “PEN15” were teaching TV new tricks.

In “Atlanta,” Donald Glover sketched a funhouse-mirror image of Black experience in America (and outside it), telling stories set in and around the hip-hop business with an unsettling, comic-surreal language. In “PEN15,” Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle created a minutely observed, universal-yet-specific picture of adolescent awkwardness.

In February, Glover and Erskine returned in the action thriller “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” on Amazon Prime Video. It’s … fine? A takeoff on the 2005 film , it updates the story of a married duo of spies by imagining the espionage business as gig work. The stars have chemistry and charisma; the series avails itself of an impressive cast of guest stars and delectable Italian shooting locations. It’s breezy and goes down easy. I watched several episodes on a recent long-haul flight and they helped the hours pass.

But I would never have wasted an episode of “Atlanta” or “PEN15” on in-flight entertainment. The work was too good, the nuances too fine, to lose a line of dialogue to engine noise.

I do not mean to single out Glover and Erskine here. They are not alone — far from it. Keri Russell, a ruthless and complicated Russian spy in “The Americans,” is now in “The Diplomat,” a forgettably fun dramedy. Natasha Lyonne, of the provocative “Orange Is the New Black” and the psychotropic “Russian Doll,” now plays a retro-revamped Columbo figure in “Poker Face.” Idris Elba, once the macroeconomics-student gangster Stringer Bell in “The Wire,” more recently starred in “Hijack,” a by-the-numbers airplane thriller.

I’ve watched all of these shows. They’re not bad. They’re simply … mid. Which is what makes them, frustratingly, as emblematic of the current moment in TV as their stars’ previous shows were of the ambitions of the past.

What we have now is a profusion of well-cast, sleekly produced competence. We have tasteful remakes of familiar titles. We have the evidence of healthy budgets spent on impressive locations. We have good-enough new shows that resemble great old ones.

We have entered the golden age of Mid TV.

LET ME SAY UP FRONT: This is not an essay about how bad TV is today. Just the opposite. There is little truly bad high-profile television made anymore. As I wrote last year , these days it takes a special confluence of celebrity pull and network resources to make a dud like HBO’s “The Idol.” When we encounter a majestic prize turkey like this in the wild, we almost don’t know what to think. Who did this? How did this get past quality control?

What we have today instead is something less awful but in a way more sad: The willingness to retreat, to settle, to trade the ambitious for the dependable.

People who grew up in the three-broadcast-network era — we knew from bad TV. We watched it and sometimes even loved it. (ABC’s 1977 comedy “The San Pedro Beach Bums” was one of TV’s biggest punchlines, and its cancellation was one of the first heartbreaks of my young life.) But the rise of cable transformed both the business and the art of television, as the likes of HBO, FX and AMC took risks and offered creators freedom in order to stand out.

It worked — so well, in fact, that eventually the truism that TV was garbage was replaced by the truism that TV was the new literature, or cinema, or maybe even religion. A New York Times critic heralded “The Sopranos” as possibly the greatest work of pop culture in a quarter century. “Deadwood” was likened to Shakespeare, “The Wire” to Dickens, “Mad Men” to Cheever. People deconstructed “Lost” and argued over “Girls.” TV’s auteurs bestrode the cultural conversation like the easy riders and raging bulls of film in the 1970s.

For a good two decades now, it’s been bien-pensant wisdom that TV could be good — no, not just good. Original. Provocative. Important.

TV was so highly acclaimed for so long that we were like the frog in boiling water, but in reverse. The medium became lukewarm so gradually that you might not even have noticed.

The streaming era at first promised more innovation, supercharged and superfunded, and for a while that’s what we got. Eager to establish a catalog of original programming, Netflix underwrote experiments like “Orange Is the New Black,” “BoJack Horseman” and “Sense8.” Not everything worked, and what did work could be inconsistent, but there was a sense of opportunity and possibility.

But another thing happened as well. The conferral of status (and money) on TV meant that there was a lot more talent available. Doing TV was no longer a demotion, and you could buy an instant sense of importance by hiring stars. Netflix’s early hit “House of Cards” was a harbinger, a pot of boiling ham given the aura of prestige with the casting of a pre-scandal Kevin Spacey.

Also, more streamers — Netflix was joined by Amazon, Hulu and sundry Maxes and Pluses — simply meant more TV. More TV was better in some ways: It meant room for new voices and untold stories, more dice to roll. But it also created a sense of overload. In a seemingly infinite sea of story, how would viewers find shows, and shows get found?

More and more often, they’d get found through the algorithm, whose purpose is to serve up new versions of the last thing you watched. Increasingly, the best way to get noticed was with something people already recognized: A familiar title, formula or franchise.

Disney+’s Marvel Cinematic Universe series are too polished to be awful or tacky — just compare them to the threadbare comic-book dramas of the ’70s and ’80s — but they are too bound by the rules and needs of the larger megaproperty to take creative leaps. (It’s noteworthy that the first of these series, “WandaVision,” remains the one significant exception.) Meanwhile, Netflix’s “Ozark” showed that you could ask, “What if ChatGPT rewrote ‘Breaking Bad’?” and enough people would embrace the result as if it were “Breaking Bad.”

Put these two forces together — a rising level of talent and production competence on the one hand, the pressure to deliver versions of something viewers already like on the other hand — and what do you get? You get a whole lot of Mid.

MID IS NOT the mediocre TV of the past. It’s more upscale. It is the aesthetic equivalent of an Airbnb “modern farmhouse” renovation, or the identical hipster cafe found in medium-sized cities all over the planet. It’s nice! The furniture is tasteful, they’re playing Khruangbin on the speakers, the shade-grown coffee is an improvement on the steaming mug of motor oil you’d have settled for a few decades ago.

If comparing TV to fast-casual dining is an insulting analogy, in my defense I only borrowed it. A New Yorker profile last year quoted a Netflix executive describing the platform’s ideal show as a “gourmet cheeseburger.”

I’m not going to lie, I enjoy a gourmet cheeseburger. Caramelize some onions, lay on a slice of artisanal American cheese and I’m happy. But at heart, the sales pitch for that cheeseburger is no different from that for a Big Mac: You know what you’re going to get.

And it’s not only Netflix plating this up. Look at the star-packed algorithm bait we’ve seen over the past year or so. There’s “Masters of the Air,” a well-credentialed, superfluous expansion to the World War II-verse of “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific.” (Liked those? Watch this next!) “Apples Never Fall,” a room-temperature adaptation of another Liane Moriarty novel. (Liked “Big Little Lies”? Watch this next!) “Feud: Capote vs. the Swans,” a fall-from-grace biopic cast to the hilt and padded to the limit. (Liked “Fosse/Verdon”? Watch this next!).

These shows don’t have what it takes to be truly bad. Making honestly bad TV requires a mercenary, Barnumesque disregard for taste, or a hellbent willingness to take the kind of gamble that can turn into disaster.

Mid TV, on the other hand, almost can’t be bad for some of the same reasons that keep it from being great. It’s often an echo of the last generation of breakthrough TV (so the highs and lows of “Game of Thrones” are succeeded by the faithful adequacy of “House of the Dragon” ). Or it’s made by professionals who know how to make TV too well, and therefore miss a prerequisite of making great art, which is training yourself to forget how the thing was ever done and thus coming up with your own way of doing it.

Mid is not a strict genre with a universal definition. But it’s what you get when you raise TV’s production values and lower its ambitions. It reminds you a little of something you once liked a lot. It substitutes great casting for great ideas. (You really liked the star in that other thing! You can’t believe they got Meryl Streep !)

Mid is based on a well-known book or movie or murder. Mid looks great on a big screen. (Though for some reason everything looks blue .) Mid was shot on location in multiple countries. Mid probably could have been a couple episodes shorter. Mid is fine, though. It’s good enough.

Above all, Mid is easy. It’s not dumb easy — it shows evidence that its writers have read books. But the story beats are familiar. Plot points and themes are repeated. You don’t have to immerse yourself single-mindedly the way you might have with, say, “The Wire.” It is prestige TV that you can fold laundry to.

And let’s be fair, it makes plenty of people happy. Any honest critic has to recognize that people for whom TV-watching is not work do not always want to work at watching TV. (See, for instance, the unlikely resurgence on Netflix of “Suits,” that watchable avatar of 2010s basic-cable Mid.) I get it. TV critics have laundry to fold, too.

There may also be economic reasons to prefer good-enough TV. As more people drop cable TV for streaming, their incentives change. With cable you bought a package of channels, many of which you would never watch, but any of which you might .

Each streaming platform, on the other hand, requires a separate purchase decision , and they add up. You might well choose a service that has plenty of shows you’d be willing to watch rather than one with a single show that you must watch.

So where HBO used to boast that it was “not TV,” modern streamers send the message, “We’ll give you a whole lot of TV.” It can seem like their chief goal is less to produce standout shows than to produce a lot of good-looking thumbnails.

There even is a growing idea that a new Golden Age is emerging, with a new Midas. Apple TV+, the home of “Ted Lasso” and “The Morning Show,” has been deemed, by more than one commentator, “the new HBO.”

Apple TV+ is not HBO. At least not in the sense of what made HBO HBO in the 2000s, when it was revolutionizing TV and challenging viewers. (And HBO wasn’t alone in being “HBO” in this sense: It had company in FX, AMC, Showtime and occasionally Syfy and others.)

But Apple TV+ just might be the HBO of Mid.

Broadly generalizing, Apple’s strategy has been to open its checkbook and sign up A-list names — Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, M. Night Shyamalan — to make broadly palatable, uncontroversial shows. (This did not work out too well with Jon Stewart .) According to reports around its founding, the Apple chief Tim Cook was concerned that the service not go overboard with violence, profanity and nudity — not exactly the mission statement of somebody looking to reopen the Bada Bing.

Apple’s investment bought something. Its shows feel professional. They look like premium products that no one skimped on. “Palm Royale” has a loaded cast (Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, Carol Burnett[!]) and an attention to period detail that recalls “Mad Men.” But its class farce is toothless, its atmosphere of ’60s cultural ferment warmed over. Comedies like “Shrinking” and “Platonic” and “Loot” are more nice than funny, dramas like “Constellation,” “The New Look” and “Manhunt” classy but inert.

These are shows built like iPhones — sleek, rounded, with no edges you can cut yourself on.

THERE IS, OF COURSE, great and innovative TV on Apple as well. I’m dying to see another season of the brain-bending sci-fi thriller “Severance,” and its first crop of shows included the alternative space-race history “For All Mankind” and the screwball literary history “Dickinson.”

It is exceptions like these series that make me an optimist about TV long-term. Even in the face of pressures and incentives to aim for the middle, creativity wants to find a way. Just a year ago, I was writing about wild, adventurous series like “Beef,” “Reservation Dogs,” “Mrs. Davis” and “I’m a Virgo.” (This year, two of the best new dramas so far are a remake of “Shogun” and a re-adaptation of “The Talented Mr. Ripley.”)

But the bulk of TV right now — the packing peanuts that fill up the space between “The Bear” and “FBoy Island” — feels flattened out in the broad middle. No, not flattened: Smoothed. That may be the biggest but most intangible defining feature of Mid. It’s friction-free. It has an A.I.-like, uncanny luster, like the too-sharp motion-smoothing effect that you have to turn off when you buy a new flat-screen.

TV is far from broken, but it does feel like someone needs to go in and tweak the settings. The price of reliability, competence and algorithm-friendliness is losing the sense of surprise — the unmoored feeling you get, from innovations like “Fleabag” and “Watchmen” and “I May Destroy You,” of being thrown into an unpredictable alien universe.

I don’t think it’s only critics and TV snobs who want this, either. “The Sopranos” and “Twin Peaks” were revolutionary and rewarded close viewing, but they were also popular. Even if you watch TV as escapism, how much of an escape is a show that you can, and probably will, half-watch while also doomscrolling on your phone?

We lose something when we become willing to settle. Reliability is a fine quality in a hybrid sedan. But in art, it has a cost. A show that can’t disappoint you can’t surprise you. A show that can’t enrage you can’t engage you.

The good news is, there is still TV willing to take chances, if you look for it. You may have loved or hated “The Curse,” but I would be surprised if anyone who watched an hour of it ended up indifferent to it. This month, HBO premiered “The Sympathizer,” Park Chan-wook’s frenetic adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s satire of the Vietnam War and its aftermath, a raucous, disorienting rush down the back alleys of memory.

With risk, of course, comes the possibility of disappointment — you might get another “The Idol.” I’m willing to accept the trade-off. The price of making TV that’s failure-proof, after all, is getting TV that can never really succeed. Come back, bad TV: All is forgiven.

James Poniewozik is the chief TV critic for The Times. He writes reviews and essays with an emphasis on television as it reflects a changing culture and politics. More about James Poniewozik

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How to make your first 90 days count as a leader.

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Carol J. Geffner is president of CB Vision and a sought-after coach and consultant. She is the author of Building a New Leadership Ladder.

Candidates for leadership roles are often asked about their first 90 days, and there is a good reason why. Incoming leaders only have a short period of time to set the tone for how they will lead, establish boundaries and identify and clarify goals.

McKinsey & Company maintains that leadership transitions are such “high-stakes, high-tension events” that they even rank above bereavement, divorce and health issues in terms of difficulty. Whether or not everyone would agree with this assessment, there is no question that leadership transitions are difficult, which is why it is essential to understand how to make the most of your first 90 days.

Pace Yourself

Coming into a new role, you’ll likely arrive with a lot of energy and curiosity, but even if this is the case, be certain to pace yourself. Scheduling back-to-back individual or group meetings every day for weeks on end isn’t just overwhelming. It may also prevent you from showing up as your best self in initial meetings.

After all, listening, which is what you’ll be doing for much of your first 90 days, isn’t a passive practice. It takes energy, attention, curiosity and empathy. Consider this a great opportunity to get to know your new executive assistant. Also, engage them in helping you schedule meetings with the right stakeholders at the right pace and in the right sequence.

Sony Is Making A Truly Terrible Mistake With Helldivers 2 Update Sony Reverses Course

Google tests much needed google photos feature upgrade, ‘baby reindeer’: stephen king writes essay praising netflix stalker series, launch a listening tour.

To make the most of your listening tour, you’ll need to first identify which stakeholders to engage. While some may be obvious (e.g., holding one-on-one meetings with all your direct reports), other stakeholders may not be as obvious. One strategy is to start with your direct reports and ask them who else you should talk to during your first 90 days.

While engaging direct reports and other internal stakeholders, always stay focused on the nature of the tasks at hand: to engage in a structured conversation and to listen with intention. In other words, don’t treat these encounters like any other conversation. Arrive knowing what you intend to ask and why.

Also, take notes. Record each person’s name, title, years of service to the organization and their responses to specific questions. For example, you might ask each team member to describe their job function, reflect upon the organization’s greatest strengths and weaknesses and discuss which projects they are working on at this moment. Remember that asking great questions, including follow-up questions that dig deeper, and soliciting feedback are also powerful ways to build rapport with your new team members.

Spend Time With External Stakeholders

In nearly all leadership roles, external stakeholders also matter. These stakeholders can vary depending on your organization and industry but may include anyone from key players in your supply chain to the leaders of competitive organizations in your sector. Carve out time to engage as many key external stakeholders as possible.

Reflect On And Share Back What You’ve Learned

When you complete your listening tour, reflect on recurring themes. Also, identify contradictions. As needed, ask follow-up questions or dig into available data to verify accounts and claims. Create an anonymized version of your findings and share a high-level overview with your team.

Remember that you’re only an outsider once, and outsiders can often see things that insiders can’t see. Sharing what you saw coming in from the outside during your first 90 days can be incredibly eye-opening for everyone on your team.

Write Goals

When you reach the end of your first 90 days, take time out to write down your goals. Strive to articulate goals that are challenging but doable. One way to do this is to focus on goals that you can visualize. After all, goals that can’t be visualized are far more difficult to achieve.

Final Thoughts

Your first 90 days will likely fly by, but ensure you don’t forget them in the future. What you were able to see as an outsider coming in is a valuable perspective—one unmired by the company’s history and by personal relationships. Keep a snapshot of this perspective top of mind as you move forward.

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