First-Year Experience

First-Year Advising

Each entering first-year student is assigned two advisors: a faculty advisor and a first-year advisor in Academic Services. The first-year advisor provides support to accepted students and their families as they prepare for their arrival at Bennington College and throughout their first year on campus.

Through a series of individual advising meetings, skill building workshops, academic and social programming, and a weekly newsletter, we aim to connect first-year students with the people, programs, and resources available at Bennington.

First-year advisors work collaboratively with faculty advisors to assist new students as they acquire an emerging understanding of the capacities of a Bennington education, the Plan Process, the student/faculty advising relationship, work/life balance, what it means to engage inclusively with community members and the world at large, and campus resources.

At the conclusion of the first year, students are ready move on to their second year and beyond, where they will continue to build upon the relationships developed with their faculty advisors and their understanding of the many resources and opportunities available to them at Bennington.

International Students

The Academic Services office also provides services specifically designed for International Students. Find out more information about applying to and attending Bennington as an International Student. 

Information for First-Year Parents & Families

Welcome to Bennington! We hope that you will use the parent’s page to learn more about your student’s college experience.

Who We Are