D21 has been excited about Barnard for a while, but couldn’t visit due to Covid, and was so happy to be accepted. She tried to look around campus during spring break, but wasn’t able to even get on campus. Can any students from Barnard comment as to how close the students are? While our D loves all the opportunities in NYC and at Columbia, she also wants a close-knit community and to sometimes stay in and watch Netflix (she’s a natural introvert who puts herself into many things just due to passion). Is she not a Barnard woman?
I’m sorry that I can’t really answer your question, but my daughter has also been accepted for Fall 2021. She hasn’t seen campus yet, and we were hoping to take a quick weekend trip - now I’m wondering if it’s worth it! For what it’s worth, it’s my daughter’s understanding that the Barnard community is close and supportive. It’s one of the things that excites her about the school.
You should still be able to get on Columbia’s campus (unless they recently closed the gate) and walk outside along the street and get a feeling for Barnard plus the neighborhood - as it is very different vs the heart of Manhattan. The Barnard online videos on Youtube are helpful for “seeing” the campus and then visiting from the outside will fill in a lot of the blanks too - in my opinion 
If it is close, I think that would seal the deal for my D!
My daughter graduated from Barnard in 2016. She made lifelong friends while at Barnard. She found it to be a very close knit community.
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Yes, I feel bad about all these freshman - at any school - who have to make decisions without benefiting from the on-site visits. I know it had made all the difference for my daughter, and had sealed the “deal” at the end.
She should think of what NYC offers as opportunities to explore whenever she feels like it and time permits. The libraries, dining halls, and friend’s dorms at Columbia will give her the option to never feel “locked in” at a small liberal arts college.
On the other hand, Barnards dorms and fellow students will feel like a safe-haven to retreat to anytime she wants to get a break from the hustle and bustle of NYC and the big University.
My daughter always loved the City and I expected her to spend more time off-campus than on-campus. Yes, she did find some great music venues in Brooklyn, thrift stores in the Village, Trader-Joe’s a few stops away on the 2. But… ended up spending up a surprising amount of time in her room just chilling, binge-watching, or meeting friends for Sunday brunch - or enjoying some solitude while people-watching in Central Park and Riverside Park.
The impression I got: You ARE who YOU are at Barnard, and that will be JUST fine. Chances are, whatever your “deal” is, you’re not the first one, the only one, and after all - this is New York - no one gives a hoot. 
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