<p>Barnard is my absolute DREAM SCHOOL and I think i’m on the edge of acceptance. There are a couple of girls in my school who are applying there as a safety for Ivies and I think it’s completely ridiculous. Barnard shouldn’t be considered a safety and it’s unfair that I might not be accepted, just because some snotty people believe that it’s “too low” a school for them! There isn’t really a point of this post other than to rant… but Barnard is an amazing school and people who don’t want to go there shouldn’t be applying!</p>
<p>Obviously Barnard is not a “safety” for anyone, but it is a strong match* for many. Part of the application process is for students to apply to some schools that are less selective than others, and often the top choices are the most selective on the list. If you are applying RD, then you will also have other schools on your list.</p>
<p>Also, keep in mind that many students need financial aid and will apply to multiple schools, with their attendance at any one contingent on the aid award. So you not only are competing with students who see Barnard as a good 2d or 3rd choice if they don’t get into their top school, but students who may get into Barnard and turn down the spot when they get offered stronger aid elsewhere – including some who will turn down Barnard for less selective schools that might offer them generous merit aid. </p>
<p>The Barnard ad com has a holistic approach and looks students who are a good fit. The “why Barnard” part of the supplemental application is probably fairly important. Many students make the mistake of giving short shrift to applications to schools that they perceive as matches and safeties – and they can be at a competitive disadvantage…</p>
<p>Ad coms at all schools are very concerned with yield during the RD round, and very aware that when they see a student with particularly strong stats, the student may be less likely to come - especially if the student’s interests or the tone of the overall application suggests that Barnard is not a top choice or that they don’t really know much about Barnard. Keep in mind that Barnard in particular shares a lot of cross-applications with Columbia – I mean, be real: if you were a young woman who had your heart set on attending Columbia, with an 8% admission rate-- wouldn’t it make sense to apply to Barnard as a backup, knowing that if you were accepted that you would still be able to attend classes and participate in campus life at your dream school? </p>
<p>My point is that at almost any college, there are applicants who would prefer to go elsewhere. There are also applicants who change their minds about which schools are their top choices as they learn more about individual colleges. </p>
<p>Please just focus on your own application and your own strengths when you apply. It doesn’t matter whether there are other applicants from your school who have better stats or academic credentials - if they didn’t apply, you would still be competing against students with top credentials from other schools and other parts of the country. But Barnard looks at more than just numbers. </p>
<p>DO talk to your high school guidance counselor, and let her/him know that Barnard is your very top choice - because the g.c. can put things in the materials submitted to Barnard that may help you stand out and let the ad com know that Barnard is a dream school for you.</p>
<p>*For what it’s worth – my daughter was accepted to Barnard and other reach schools, but waitlisted at a couple of schools that she thought were matches, including Boston U. where she thought she was pretty sure to be admitted and which clearly has less stringent admission policies than Barnard. She was really surprised when she was opening fat envelopes from Barnard, Chicago, NYU, Berkeley… and that little skinny envelope arrived from BU. So your high school friends may be in for a surprise when the admission packets start rolling around in the spring – just because they think Barnard is their “safety” doesn’t make it so – and I hope for their sakes that they have some true safety schools on their lists, just in case.</p>