<p>@noloserhere: I think you have some really substantial hooks. I don’t know, I just get the feeling that Barnard is really big on admitting diverse students. Maybe this is just my experience, but all of the girls who have enrolled in Barnard from my school have been Hispanic in the past five or so years. Maybe that’s just a fluke, but it could be that they place special emphasis on diversity. Anyway, I don’t think it’s a bad thing that you emphasized your financial standing because they aren’t allowed to technically count how much aid you could end up needing into the decision. It sounds like you sent in a killer app :)</p>
<p>@PeaceLoveTheatre. Haha your encouraging post probably made my night.
But I’m not a “URM”–I’m southasian, and thats not really a diversity hook. Columbia is fuuuuuuull of Indian people. My transcript is pretty terrible. Its kind of annoying… I’m not a stupid person… My SAT scores are upwards of 2200, but I have a 3.5 :* Its too bad that Barnard isn’t a numbers school! My 790s don’t matter to them as much my C+ in chem does. I’ve received 5s on all 5 AP exams I’ve taken, yet I didn’t get an A in any of those classes. Sigh. Everytime I look at my transcript, I just go “■■■.”</p>
<p>Overall, I actually feel pretty good about my application–killer consistent GPA, broke 2000 on SATs, I feel pretty good about my essays, substantial EC’s, my teachers love me–but that’s it: I’m average in the pool of Barnard applicants, and really don’t have any huge diversity hooks. It’s so hard to stay cautiously optimistic when you feel so confident, but let’s be honest–that ship of cautious optimism set sail a LONG time ago. Believe me, I don’t want to be, but how do I get myself out? I don’t want negative thoughts to cloud my energy and send me into a self-induced depression, but I know I’ll be so crushed if worst comes to worst…
Sorry, OPTIMISM! -slaps self- OPTIMISM. TRYING FOR OPTIMISM HERE. 
[Still, any advice?]</p>
<p>Ugh. Ignore me. The best thing to do right now is just be where I am, and let it go. It’s out of our hands.
BLECH.
OPTIMISM QUESTION: What was a good thing that happened to you today?</p>
<p>LOL @SunlitMidnight. I’d rather have a killer consistent GPA than make up an excuse for why it isn’t. That being said, to make you feel better, I technically don’t have diversity status cause I’m asian and we are TOTALLY overrepresented in college admissions haha. On another note, I don’t think diversity lends any advantage to applicants to have poor stats. If anything, it just helps people who already have competitive stats. You should be happy to have competitive stats! And you should KEEP UP with the optimism!! I am a PROUD SPONSOR OF OVERCONFIDENCE!</p>
<p>People naturally flock to confident people. During my moments of shameless arrogance, I do indeed enjoy the attention haha. I wholeheartedly believe that overconfidence is a great trait to have UNLESS your overconfidence lends to self-inflicted delusion and public arrogance that inadvertantly offends and/or upsets others 
Private overconfidence is no doubt better than wallowing in self-pity or anything else of the like!</p>
<p>Something REALLY good that happened to me today was that I got 15 hours of sleep and woke up at 4PM. Ahh 
I slept an average of 2 hours a night each weeknight. Did I mention how much I despise my school sometimes? :/</p>
<p>so i came up with a great consolation: if i don’t get into barnard, that mean i get to go to school with boys. for me, its a win-win.</p>
<p>getting in:</p>
<p>Pros: good sat (2300), published author, internships, multiple languages, EC’s in general
Cons: gpa-got 2 or 3 b’s, and could’ve take harder classes, my essays (im just not a writer)</p>
<p>a good thing that happened to me: umm idk, went to a football game with friends, then a party? just enjoying being a senior basically.</p>
<p>Haha, treehugga, I’m totally with you. That’s definitely not a bad consolation. On another note, if I don’t get in, I honestly just trust that it’s not meant to be. I mean, the college will know much better than you will if you’ll be happy there, especially at a school like Barnard where they really do look at the individual more than the statistic. It just means it wasn’t meant to be I don’t usually sound this hokey, I promise. </p>
<p>But anyways, getting in:
Pros: Diversity (kind of…North African, Armenian, and white), first generation to go to college on my dad’s side, lots of ECs, good sophomore through senior year GPA (4.2 sophomore year, 4.3 junior year, 4.5 senior year), essays and teacher recs (I’m a good writer and the teachers I had write my recs really like me…I also have a supplemental one from my theatre teacher in addition to the mandatory two), published in local newspaper a few times
Cons: Super lopsided ACT score…I got a 34 on English, a 31 on Reading, and 11 on Writing and then a 27 on Math and Science, freshman year grades (3.4 GPA first semester and a 3.5 second semester…no grades below a B, but I wasn’t in any honors or APs because I found out later that I could have asked to test into higher level foreign language and math classes), could have taken more advanced math and science classes</p>
<p>Good thing that happened to me today: I tried the Winter Dream Tea Latte from Coffee Bean for the first time…literally the best drink in the entire world. All of you should go try one! :)</p>
<p>@treehugga, @PeaceLoveTheatre, @amurd, @SunlightMidnight, I hope the five of us all get into Barnard. We’re the most avid posters here on this forum and I would love to meet you IRL too. :)</p>
<p>PS Whats Coffee Bean? I’ve never heard of it.</p>
<p>Awww, I hope we all get in too! I’d love to meet all of you fabulous ladies next year! </p>
<p>And treehugga, I’m with you there. Although I’m also looking at two other sister schools…if I get rejected from them all or I don’t get enough aid from any of them I’m definitely using that to cheer me up!</p>
<p>Anyway, on my pros and cons at getting in…
Pros: Tons of ECs and leadership, great internships including one at Columbia Teachers College, part-time job and work experience, good GPA, mostly 5s on my AP tests with the exception of one 4, highly challenging humanities courses, published writer, great essays and recs, good relationship with the Admissions Officer for my area (she said she would “cheer me on” and be my advocate in the admissions committee - AAAH!).
Cons: Super duper competitive high school (while my GPA is good overall, they’re not as good as those of the other girls from my school who went to Barnard and I have no doubt that they’ll compare me to them), completely lopsided in that I take all AP humanities and all average math and science courses, need lots of financial aid, not an athlete, no hooks unless my mom going to Columbia Teachers College counts, and test scores. I got a 2050 composite on my SAT but my reading was 720 and my writing was 760. That means the math…well, you figure out my embarrassingly low score. I also only got a 650 on my Lit SAT II.</p>
<p>Good things that happened to me today: I slept until 10:30, I didn’t have to work, I spent lots of time with my boyfriend, and I saw the leaked Legend of Korra intro!</p>
<p>@amurd: WAIT. Avatar the last airbender is MY SHOW! Totally wrote my woman essay on Katara…I went with my first instinct. SO PSYCHED for legend of korra</p>
<p>The girl who played Katara in the movie went to my school lol.</p>
<p>hey girls, i don’t know if this was asked already but does anyone know how we get our decision notification? And if its by mail, will it be sent before the 15th? Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>@amurd: That’s so cool! I’m such a fan of the original TV show though, so I was disappointed when I saw the movie…I just didn’t think it did the TV show justice. Don’t get me wrong, the special effects and martial arts were stunning, but it lacked the witty script, which is what made the TV show so excellent. But that’s just my opinion…you could say I’m biased hehe</p>
<p>@Isa: Barnard sends their decisions by priority mail on the 15th. Unfortunately, no email for us :P</p>
<p>I don’t really post here a lot but I read it pretty often.
Pros:
My extracurriculars are my biggest pro. I’ve been working professionally in acting/musical theater forever, my resume is pretty long lol.
I got a 2180 on my SAT.
My GPA is unweighted because my school doesn’t offer APs, so if I posted the number it would sound pretty low compared to your weighted GPAs but I have an A- average. My school doesn’t offer APs because it is a school for kids who work professionally outside of school and need flexible schedules, we have a program called “guided study” that allows kids to miss weeks at a time for professional reasons and you communicate with your teachers via email and follow an assignment sheet. So, because kids are constantly missing for periods of time, it would be a mess if they offered APs, really.
Also, my school is a private school in NYC and the director of admissions at Barnard has a very close relationship with our school. She visited our school and luckily, there’s only one other girl from my school applying, so it was a pretty personal meeting. No one applied from my school last year (it’s a tiny tiny tiny school), but two years ago, all 3 girls who applied got in (one without very good grades but a great resume.)
I intern over the summer for the education department at a not-for-profit theater company. They do week-long musical theater summer camps for kids 6-14 and I help them learn the songs and choreography. It’s an unpaid internship so I guess that would be considered community service.
Cons:
My SAT IIs are bad. I only got a 650 on lit and did even worse on US History. I also didn’t take any math or science subject tests.
I’m a year behind in math because for some strange reason, my elementary school had all 8th graders take “advanced pre-algebra”, therefore I had to take Algebra I in 9th grade. So I’m only in pre-calc, but at least I got an A for the first quarter.</p>
<p>thank you! Can’t believe were finding out in less than two weeks!</p>
<p>Okay guys I think I’m dealing with issues of overconfidence as well now. I spent all of yesterday doing nothing but stalking random Barnard people and researching (even more, if possible) about Barnard.</p>
<p>There was ABSOLUTELY NO inclination whatsoever, to restrain myself from doing Barnard research with the cautionary note that I may be effectively setting up myself for MAJOR disappointment. </p>
<p>UGHHHHHh… I don’t know why I’m so overconfident. I just keep thinking about my rec from a Barnard professor of Women & Leadership, and about my persuasive essays. “how could they not take me with a barnard rec and after reading those insanely intense essays!”</p>
<p>Ugh damn. I know I’m going to be SO heartbroken if I don’t get in. </p>
<p>:( 
:(</p>
<p>In my mind, theres only a 3% area of my mind that is considering the possibility of rejection. Jeebuz Dice :(</p>
<p>AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh</p>
<p>Hey everyone!
I am absolutely terrified/excited for the 15th! I just came across this thread and have been reading EVERY post. We all seem to be in the same boat, haha. Good luck to everyone and I hope to meet you next year! Where’s everyone from?! Why are you guys choosing Barnard?</p>
<p>Hi girls! I applied ED as well and am BEYOND nervous! Barnard has been my first choice and only school i can really see myself at since i began the college process. only 11 days! good luck to everyone!!..judging from what i’ve read on here you all deserve it!! </p>
<p>quick question- i know it varies between states, but anyone have any idea of how long a priority letter would take to get to nj? my family is going away on the 17th for a week, so i’m desperately hoping it comes by the 16th</p>
<p>same question as sharbare-will the letters COME the 15th, or are they mailed then?</p>