Do the admissions staff at Barnard frown on applicants who also applied to Columbia? The theory might be that such applicants don’t value the unique aspects of attending Barnard, but are just looking for another avenue to attend Columbia.
Also, are the offices of admissions at the two schools totally independent, or would, for example, admission to one school affect (i.e., reduce) the likelihood of admission to the other school?
They are totally independent.
Don’t worry about applying to both; it’s what I plan to do! As long as you express why you love Barnard and what you find unique about it in your supplemental essays, I think the admissions officers are generally uninterested in where else you are applying. (Maybe I’ve been given terrible advice, but this is my impression, at least!)
As the admissions office are separate, no one at CC will know you applied to BC and vice versa.
you can apply to both but who would you? Just to have a Columbia University diploma? Columbia has CORE. Barnard doesn’t. They have different approaches to undergraduate education. It’s a bit like comparing Smith and UMass.
^They are both amazing/wonderful schools, with extremely helpful alumni networks. Each uses the other’s resources, each has a tight-knit community, and they’re both in the best city in the US! Those are my reasons, anyway.