Barnard College Top Questions

Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

Kat

I love Barnard. I don't love everyone who goes here, but the school as a whole is the most welcoming, wonderful place you could be. And New York nightlife is A+

Amelia

I ended up going to Barnard because I knew that even if the school wasn't perfect, I would still be in the middle of New York City. As it turned out, the school experience itself was pretty amazing in ADDITION to being in the middle of one of the most exciting cities in the world. I will always appreciate having New York at my doorstep all through college, and I don't think many schools could replicate the tight-knit community of a small college in the middle of this urban jungle.

Gina

The school's students are very proud to be Barnard women, and that pride carries itself through the college years and stays with you for the rest of your life.

setenay

diversity of student population, range of course offerings. it is both a small college and simultaneously part of a large university, which provides many opportunities not available in small colleges or big universities by themselves.

Irene

It is the only women's college I applied to.

Cyrena

Liberal arts college within a large research Uni.

Margaret

We combine the tight-knit community of a small liberal-arts school with the resources that come with a big university like Columbia, which is very unique and special. Also, because Barnard is all girls, we each share a bond based on our experience at school with only one sex.

Daniella

Daniella

Devin

i love it here. i am still getting used to some of the conservative and traditional aspects of it but all in all it is a good place for an intelligent young women with high goals set for herself to go to.

Emma

Writing all this down reminded me what I actually LIKE about Barnard...I am debating transferring...

Rory

To be honest at first I was having a pretty hard time at Barnard. I was struggling in some of my classes, I missed my friends, I was bored because I couldn't go out (it is hard if you are under 21 to get into clubs). Things at first didn't seem right, but by second semester I really and truly loved this school. It's really all about finding things out for yourself and growing from that. If you want to go out, then go it's the city there are plenty of places to go, just go exploring. Research classes. The campus, even though its small, is beautiful. However, I should mention that right now there is construction going on in the middle of campus for a new student center, which sucks, but the building is going to be amazing. Also, since I'm mentioning the new student center beware that the Vagelos family funded for it, which I am very grateful that they did, but this has now led to the new student center being referred to as "The Vag"..you can see the problem being that this is an all women's college, but hey that's the fun of it! Any questions about Barnard or if you want to visit just email me!!

Jacqueline

i could not go to school any where else.

lucy

love barnard

Ruthie

Don't be afraid of the all girls thing. I used to hate girls. But, I've learned that it can be really valuable to have a few close girl friends. The rest of the time, I'm always with the boys from Columbia.

Leslie

I've loved the 3 years I've spent so far at Barnard, and I'm looking forward to another great year as a senior. Even though Barnard isn't perfect, for me the good has definitely outweighed the bad. Given the choice, I would choose Barnard again.

Devin

I like Barnard and I couldn't think of any other place that would of made me happier.

Amreen

Barnard is an amazing school with an excellent education, many alumna who remain in touch with the school and support it, a supportive and challenging environment, the best years of your life, amazing people who will be life long friends and mentors, great, smart excellent teaching professors who are dedicated to you and their work.

Kris

All of this is coming from someone who is introverted, somewhat socially retarded and who would rather spend a saturday night in watching a movie or reading a book. I resist change like a grumpy old man and perhaps did not have the smoothest transition possible. With all that in mind, I've found my own crowd of friends and I really do love it here. I dont regret coming to Barnard in the least. If I of all people can make it, I have no doubt anyone else can too.

Ellie

Students at Barnard are genuinely happy- happy to study, happy to be together, happy to be at Barnard. It is a self-selecting group, women who want to learn in a academic environment and learn from each other. It makes Barnard a pleasant and, moreover, inspiring place to be. We are all striving to see ourselves and our fellow women succeed.

Blake

You need to have thick skin to go to a women's institution. Smith, Wellesley, Bryn Mawr, and Mount Holyoke (the remaining colleges of the 7 sisters) all have the misogynistic labels of "whores" and "lesbians" as well. Stereotypes of these colleges have really hurt their image. For example, there is a bus that goes from wellesley to boston during the weekends for students, MIT/Harvard boys have referred to this as the "fuck truck". Smith is notorious for being the school for lesbians, when in reality their lesbian population is roughly the same percentage as other co-ed schools. Who knows how these labels are started... probably by a boys who were rejected by women from these schools or women who were jealous that "their" men were being "stolen" by women from these schools. But regardless of a basis in truth, they still exist. I would argue that it's even worse at Barnard, simply because we have to deal with Columbia being right across the street. This sterotype isn't dealt with only on weekend bus trips or on rare occasions they leave their beautiful, isolated campuses... it's dealt with everyday because we are very much a part of the columbia community. The barnard-columbia relationship is complicated... but what barnard students need to remember, is that they're amazing women that were accepted into the MOST selective women's college in the United States. It is a fantastic education in the world's greatest city. The opportunities are truly endless here... but that all said, you need to have or be able to develop the thick skin to deal with that kind of misogyny. It's no different than the "real world", but it's more hurtful because we're only college students. So although we don't burn bras here at Barnard, through out the four years every student develops pride in being a Barnard woman. The real question is, whether you think you can keep up with them. My FRIENDS have won the coveted Marshall prize, they have received the Fullbright scholarships, they have been recruited by McKinsey and Goldman alike, they are the future teachers in TFA, they are the brightest women I've ever met, and am proud to have known.

Hayley

Basically, the only REAL critique I have of Barnard is that it NEEDS to define its relationship to Columbia better. Do I go to an ivy league school? Sort of.. .maybe. The point is I don't really know. Half of my classes are columbia, I get As in columbia classes just as often as my columbia counterparts, but still many snobby people at columbia talk about how barnard girls are not as smart because our acceptance rate is higher than at columbia. This is elitist bullshit mainly, but it still bothers me. Barnard also gets rated a lot as if its an island, without all the resources that columbia has. (it was rated something ridiculous in U.S News, something like 29 in the US) this just isnt true in terms of so many things, including academics and financial aid (financial aid is GREAT) they've helped my family so much. So Barnard needs to just go for it and package itself as an ivy league school, because it is! Its professors go through the same tenure process as columbia, we take many of the same class, many of columbia departments are even house at columbia! So my request to Barnard is just to figure this out and define us more against these snobby people who think Barnard women are not as intelligent because of the acceptance rate. In reality our acceptance rate would be just as difficult as columbia's except for the fact that we have only females applying and not males and females, and this cuts our application pool in half.

Ryan

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I LOVE MY SCHOOL BUT THESE FLAWS ARE INEVITABLE

Louise

There is some bs and arcane housing procedures and administrative processes. Living in Manhattan, space is limited and Barnard is just starting to create more housing for the larger class bodies. The administrative crap could be found at any school. No school is the perfect place for anyone and the only girls who I have known to transfer were looking for a school with more pride and spirit that is usually found at suburban and rural schools. I can't think of going to any other school other than Barnard and all of my friends are obsessed with it!

Katie

Do not come to Barnard if will be unhappy if you don't get social events on weekends handed to you on a silver platter. There are TONS of things to do every second in NYC, you just have to get out and do them. I think going to an all girls school is a bummer, because I am used to having lots of guy friends. But if you really work hard to make guy friends at Columbia you will probably be okay.

Alex

Barnard is a wonderful school. Although I felt it wasnt the school for me during the first semester I have come to truly love the environment and the girls and am so proud to call myself a Barnard student.

Parker

It's probably fairly obvious by now that I love Barnard. But I want to reiterate that: about twice a week I have a "Barnard moment," where it just kind of hits me that I'm so incredibly lucky to go to this school. It might be seeing President Shapiro walking her dogs (she's pretty much the coolest woman ever), or just walking by the gorgeous magnolia tree on campus. Or the free yoga sessions every Sunday night. Or the random events Barnard sponsors where they give you free food or massages or let you build a bear or make a giant sub sandwich spanning the length of Barnard's campus. Barnard can be intense, but the students never hurt each other to get ahead. It's more about doing your own thing, figuring out what you want to do, and there are plenty of resources to help you do that.

Veronica

If you're a vegetarian, vegan, or kosher, Barnard is a good place to go. Although they sometimes confuse starch as a viable focus for a healthy meal, there is a kosher menu and vegetarian options each day, as well as a vegan grill for lunch and dinner.

Isabelle

Nothing really to say - however, just because Barnard is a small school doesn't mean that it has an awesome built-in support system. You have to be a pretty independent woman to go here and be happy/feel supported. Also you should probably like New York City as in a way you are giving up the campus feel in order to take advantage of living here.

Brittany

Barnard is awesome...there was no better place for me. No regrets in the least. The most important thing is to find a place that fits with you...and you'll know it when you find it. Best of luck with your college search!!

Sarah

Hewitt has the best cookies ever!!!

Julia

I'm so glad I applied to Barnard. I love everything about the school and the city. For anyone concerned about safety, the campus is extremely safe, and the city, despite it's bad reputation, is really pretty safe too.

Hannah

Barnard is an amazing school. It gets a lot of flak because it's part of Columbia and so is uniquely placed among schools in this country. But we aren't viewed as "secondary citizens" when we go across the street to the Columbia campus. Plus, the food here is better so Columbia students often come over to Barnard to eat. Many students are interested in studying English here, especially Creative Writing, perhaps because Barnard has put out so many amazing novelists over the years. The Dance program also gets a lot of attention.

Marissa

Going to Barnard does not automatically mean that you are a lesbian (or thinking about becoming one)! Whereas there are definitely a significant number of students that are (and are definitely welcomed as such), most students are (seemingly) straight. This school absolutely rocks! Come visit & you may just fall in love with the intimate classes, access to a big research university, caring staff, intelligent thinkers, homy NYC location (where you'll never be bored), and close-knit community of "strong, beautiful Barnard women" - go Barnard!

Casey

I love Barnard. Period.

Kelsey

I make fun of Barnard a lot but when all is said and done, I really like it and am glad I chose to go there.

Alexandra

With such a diverse city, anyone can fit in here.

KJ

The stereotypes about Barnard women are so passé and so OLD. Half of those Columbia boys have Barnard girlfriends, half those Columbia girls have Barnard best friends. Columbia was the last Ivy League institution to become co-ed, back in 1983!! That's just 25 years ago! Barnard and Columbia girls have nothing to compete over, except for perhaps the occasional lame Columbia fraternity boy. We are mostly not interested in the same careers, we don't compete for spots in classes, or for spots in dorms, or for connections with alumni because we have different alumni. I'm not even a die-hard Barnard fan, but I can objectively tell you that Barnard offers the most ideal academic experience you could ever ask for. We have small classes, engaged Professors, a great advising system that CC/SEAS still have not been able to recreate on their side of the street, strong relations with our alumnae, connections within the Sister School network etc. At the same time we are part of this top notch research university in New York City, all sorts of opportunities for lectures and visits form distinguished leaders and big classes and the occasional Columbia basketball game or football game, etc.

Jenna

Certain dorms at Barnard can be pretty physically unpleasant. Brace yourselves!