Barnard Chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Barnard College
1

Hello friends, I am a junior in High School (more background my high school is an online home school program (I can say this was not at all my choice))
ABOUT ME: I am 16, muslim, Iraqi arab (considered white on the U.S. Census) , my parents are refugees from Iraq (I’m also considered a refugee because I was born in Lebanon we were accepted to move here after that), first generation, not very financially fortunate if that matters

Barnard is my absolute first choice I’m very passionate about this school because of what it stands for its a place where women are celebrated and I think it’ll be the best environment for me especially after being impacted negatively for being a woman my whole life I believe its has the potential to help women all around the world build stability, and social development just through their students thats what i want to be apart of (very badly)

My Transcript:
I did bad in freshmen year 2.0GPA bad I won’t share the sob story only that I improved so much

10th grade GPA: 3.63 unweighted
French I A: A

French I B: B

OC Art History A: A

Sign Language I A: A

Sign Language I B: B

Developmental Writing: A-

English 9 A: A-

Honors English 10 A: A

Honors English 9 B: A
Algebra 1 A: C
Honors Algebra 1 B: B+
Honors Geometry A: D

Biology A : B+

Honors Biology B: A

Honors World History B: A
World History A: A

11th grade GPA: 4.0 unweighted
Art History B: A

French II A: A
Honors English 10 B: A

Honors Geometry B: D

Honors Chemistry A: B-

AP Macroeconomics: A

French III A: A
Honors English 11 B: A
Honors Algebra 2 B: A
French II B: A
Honors English 11 A: A
Honors Algebra 2 A: A
Honors Chemistry B: A
AP Psychology: A
AP United States Government: A
AP Art History: A-

PSAT: 1470

This summer I’m applying dual enrollment into community college I’m doing
PRE CALC
Ancient World
Contemporary World
Social Problems
Human Anatomy and Physiology

I am also taking the SATs, AP Exams, Subject Tests this year but i don’t have my scores to include right now

MY ECs:
NHS
First Gen Club
Debate Club

I have more than 400 volunteer hours the places/organizations:

-Habitat for Humanity: we basically help build homes for the county
-Hospital: I’ve done the high school hospital program two years in a row they go through all summer
-I also work free at my local OBGYN (which is my dream profession) office I assist the doctors and help at the front desk
-I have volunteered for WOAR (Women Organized Against Rape)
-I volunteer for The Nature Conservancy organization in my state
-My local city doesn’t have a set environmental organization so I started a club in my city hall for anyone willing to come around and help clean our local parks we meet every week I use my own money (we’ve made it to our city’s newspaper!)
-I volunteer for my states National Organization for Women we’ve worked on equal legislative pay and to fix flints infrastructure to provide clean water (recently) its really centered on public health
-Although I live all the way in America I’m also apart of the OWFI (The Organization of Womens Freedom in Iraq) its deeply important to me as an iraqi girl the organization aids the iraqi/kurdish women who are negatively impacted by cultural, political, and religious challenges just this month they’ve opened three shelters for women and children fleeing from ISIS in Mosul (which is currently being liberated by the army)

Basically: I really care about women and the environment

Some other important stuff
-I started a podcast called the Brown Girls Club which has a guest speaker everyday its a platform where brown and black women can share experiences, advice, poetry, literally anything
-Another thing that takes a lot of my time which doesn’t have an organized club or official title is I’m fluent in 7 languages and I’m in the process of learning 3 more I made it a goal to learn the majority languages spoken in the Middle East as I plan on going into OBGYN and working in the Middle East due to the fact that a lot of women there lose their life because their male guardians don’t allow male doctors to assist them and this all starts when their male guardians limit their opportunities of finishing school or working this is what I’m really passionate about and i can say this is the second most time consuming thing I’ve worked on my whole high school career

Also I’ve talked to a couple of people for my recommendations my homeroom teacher and a member of my states legislature who holds a committee chair in the House agreed to write the letters :slight_smile:

IF you made it through the whole thing THANK YOU you’re very kind <3

2

Pretty low. The average GPA according to Barnard’s website is like 3.9/4. If you’re PSAT is indicative of your actual SAT, then it would be around the 75th percentile mark, which is really good. Your current EC involvement is meh at best, but unless you can give Barnard a good reason why your grades were so low freshman year beyond just “i was still adjusting from middle school please have pity” or some other “woe is me” line, you’re going to have a lot of trouble getting in

3

thank u! and my grades were low because I was forced into homeschool by my dad it caused other things I have one summer and one semester left do you have any EC recommendations

4

@beepybeetle I’ve never used this before sorry ^

5

Not really, just go out and package yourself well. You have a lot of interesting ECs which is good

6

@beepybeetle I will and thank you sm!

7

How can you have a D (Geometry) and a B- (Chemistry) on your record and still have an unweighted 4.0 as a junior?

8

@Muad_dib I really dk i just copied everything off my schools transcript :slight_smile:

9

Hi! So before I state my opinion quick disclaimer that I do not go to Barnard, I am currently a junior (rising senior) in high school. But, being a fellow Barnard-lover with less than ideal grades, I’ve asked a lot of Barnard students on their opinions. I think if you develop something you are passionate about and show that in your ECs that will help you the most. If you got a 1470 on your PSAT, you are definitely capable scoring very high on the SAT, which will also show that you are capable of higher grades. Basically, work on making everything else about your application as “well-rounded” as possible. I think you can do it. Being a junior, don’t worry too much about your GPA- while you know it is less than Barnard’s average, you can’t change it now so forget about it. Just try your hardest and remember that if you don’t get into Barnard it isn’t the end of the world- there definitely will be another great college that you will fit into so don’t beat yourself up about it.

10

@arana23 Spot on with everything you write.

My advice would be to apply and focus on what makes you unique and what YOU would add to the college. Grades don’t make you unique. Barnard looks at your overall application and a low freshman year GPA is not deadly, especially as the trend is upwards and you did exceptionally well your senior year.

For what it is worth, while Barnard’s average and mean GPAs are very high, you have a number of strengths and I’d say that Barnard is precisely the kind of place that may give you a place. I’d contrast this with someplace like Georgetown where test scores are weighted more heavily. So apply but be certain to explain the circumstances affecting your freshman year. And interview if at all possible.

11

I was shocked to read this opinion. I think the OP’s ECs are outstanding and are likely to help overcome a lower than average GPA.

12

You sound like a wonderful person and i wish you luck. I would suggest finding out which admissions person reads for your state and reaching out to them

13

My D was rejected with a 35ACT/ 1520 SAT/National Merit Finalist/ 3.8 UW GPA/ 5.28 W/ 11 AP classes- all 4’s & 5"s. She had over 500 community service hours and had earned the Girl Scout Gold Award- I am not telling you that to scare you. I would still apply - do your best on your essay and your interview but also look elsewhere.
Have you considered Smith, Mount Holyoke or any of the other seven sister schools. She was accepted to a few and found one she is absolutely in love with.

14

I would apply to the Barnard Oppurtunity program if your SAT qualifies.