<p>I was just watching the Making of the Sound of Music Live and realized that the young woman cast as the oldest Von Trap daughter is a current Barnard junior. The documentary goes into the casting process, and they actually interview this young woman outside the gates of Barnard! This is just cool. </p>
<p>[The</a> Making of The Sound of Music Live! | Video | The Sound of Music Live! | NBC](<a href=“http://www.nbc.com/sound-of-music/video/the-making-of-the-sound-of-music-live/n43826/]The”>http://www.nbc.com/sound-of-music/video/the-making-of-the-sound-of-music-live/n43826/)</p>
<p>One of the huge attractions of Barnard for my D was the fantastic combination of highest caliber academics with superb dance training and opportunities to audition for various things in the City. She really enjoyed the process of getting to audition for various shows, and really never felt the tremendous pressure of HAVING to land a job since she was first and foremost a student. Her audition experiences included everything from Wicked to A Chorus Line to the Radio City Rockettes! She landed a role in a regional theatre summer production between her first and second years, and that was her summer job. After that year, though, she spent summers in lab. 
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<p>Just one of the very unique attractions of life as a Barnard college student!</p>
<p>I saw the show also and mentioned it to my daughter who watched it later on the DVR. I asked if the school had made a big deal about it and she said no and went on to say there are so many women doing amazing things that it isn’t “news” for them.</p>
<p>“Superb dance training” </p>
<p>That’s so great to hear, churchmusicmom! My D is applying there for many of the same reasons.</p>
<p>Best to you and your daughter, Berricre8v. I know we felt that when we’d found Barnard and all it had to offer, we had found the perfect place for her. Even then I had no real idea of the profound effect that Barnard would have on our daughter’s life (for the good). She is fairly conservative, not what you might expect to find flourishing at a liberal women’s college. But she absolutely loved her time there. She was able to grow as a dancer and at the same time, discovered what she wanted to do with her life----something she had NEVER before considered. Neuroscience research. </p>
<p>I have repeated this story about my daughter so many times here, but I feel it’s an apt illustration of the effect that Barnard can have….offer women a place where expectations are very high, educational offerings are extremely varied, and support for women is everywhere. Then you’d best stand back because you never know where those women will decide to go! </p>
<p>One other point: my daughter is currently working on her PhD at another well-regarded University, and has done some teaching of undergrad science courses. She remarked to me how very different the females in those classes behaved (in terms of being willing to speak up in class and ask and/or answer questions) than what she became accustomed to at Barnard. It really brought into focus for her the difference that her undergrad experience had made in her life!</p>