Barnard Senior answering questions

Colleges and Universities A-Z Barnard College
21

<p>calmom: D is in one of the poli sci colloquia and loves it. It involves civil liberties and the Constitution. Don't know the exact title. She's an American Studies major and was allowed into the colloquium because of her human rights background. She is also in the American Studies colloquium.</p>

<p>I feel a little anxious reading these responses because D has really had tremendous difficulty getting internships. In fact, she hasn't been able to, and has substituted straight volunteering situations instead. Quite a few of her friends have found this difficulty, too. On the other hand, her work-study job has been wonderful and a sort of internship because she's gathered so much experience on the job.</p>

22

<p>In terms of the Double Degree (DD) program, it is definitely possible to meet all of the pre-med prerequisites. There is an expectation for the DD's that they carry a heavier load throughout their Barnard/JTS years of study (just like any good Barnard over-achiever!). The typical DD student carries 5 courses in her first semester, while other Barnard freshmen are advised to take only 4. My D was also accepted into the lesson exchange program at Manhattan School of Music, so she has her music in addition to her academics, and she is planning on adding a research assistantship in the spring. After the first semester, everyone increases her load based upon what she can handle. In spite of the workload, the folks at JTS report that 85% of students in the DD and the Joint programs complete both of their undergrad degrees in the typical 4 years. Many students go on to graduate study, including students go to medical and law schools. Students in the DD have an advisor at Barnard and an advisor at JTS to help them in planning their schedules. The advisors at Barnard (most of them are deans) have close interaction with the JTS advisors in order to ensure that all goes smoothly. Also, several of the JTS classes are allowed to fulfill requirements in the Nine Ways of Knowing.</p>

<p>The application process for the DD program involves applying both to Barnard and to JTS. The applications are reviewed separately, although the applicant has to identify that she is applying for the DD program; it is possible to be accepted at one and not the other. Students in the Joint program with Columbia College of General Studies complete only one application that is reviewed by a committee with representatives of both schools. I don't know how many students apply (JTS admissions can provide you with that info), but the typical yield for the DD each year ranges from 5-12 incoming first years. This year, there are 8 DD first years and a total of 40 first year students in the combined List College (JTS) program coming from both Barnard and Columbia.</p>

23

<p>i'm interested in maybe doing pre-law at Barnard, and I've heard about the opportunity to get accepted into Columbia Law School under the Accelerated Program. I know I'd have to take the LSAT junior year and maintain a high GPA, but how really difficult is it to get nominated for it? can we only get nominated by a professor? Or can we just apply for it? And is it any easier for Barnard students to get into CU's law school than for students from other colleges? also, how much more 'accelerated' is this accelerated program (i.e. does it take one year off from law school?, etc)? thank you, i'd appreciate any answers! :)</p>

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<p>i am pre-law, but i definitely would NOT recommend doing the accelerated program, either for law or for anything else. I have a friend who's doing the accelerated program at SIPA for her Master's in Int'l Affairs, and while that's a little different and the program is shorter than the law program, it is still a significant workload to take upon yourself. Since she is getting her Master's in 5 years, instead of the usual 6, she's taking graduate courses at SIPA to get started with her Master's as well as undergrad courses at Barnard in order to graduate. Her senior year has not been fun so far. </p>

<p>I really wouldn't recommend doing accelerated programs for many reasons. And I can sit here and explain to you my reasons all day long, but I take it you're probably a very ambitious and driven individual, and you like to plan ahead, which is why you're looking into an accelerated law school program while still in HS. And there's nothing wrong with that, in fact, that's an excellent trait, but I'd say you should enjoy your years as a student for as long as you can. Enjoy your years in college!! Have fun being young! Don't try to accelerate life by being a part of these accelerated programs. ;) Leave law school for when it's time to go to law school and to become an attorney. :) Becoming an attorney is really to have a lifelong career. Once you're finished with law school, that's it. You're a lawyer for life. And is there really a difference between becoming a lawyer at 24 or 25 and 27 or 29 even? In the grand scheme of things, no, not really. In fact, the pre-law adviser actually told me that law schools LIKE it when students take time off between college and law school to gain real life experience, either volunteering abroad or having some work experience. And every attorney and law student I spoke to this summer at my internship told me, with emphasis, TAKE TIME OFF. And while I thought I wanted to head straight to law school even at the start of this semester, I finally decided that I wanted to gain work experience and to live life a little more before I continued to work on another degree. Besides, as much as I love Barnard academics, it really did drain me and burn me out. I'd like to try something else before coming back to an academically competitive environment again. So, in a nutshell, I'm still taking the LSAT before I graduate, but I'll be looking for a job at any of the law firms in NYC this spring.</p>

<p>As for if it's easier for BC students, I'm not sure what the answer is. I know that law schools take into account the prestige and competitiveness of each undergraduate college when they calculate GPAs and look at your courses, and I have received a lot of e-mails and invitations to events from the top law schools (e.g. Yale, Harvard, Columbia) that seemed targeted specifically to the top women's colleges. (The legal field is always recruiting for women and minorities.) ...But when it comes down to it, your LSAT score will be key for admissions to the top law schools. LSAT and GPAs are primary concerns, with personal statements coming in at a close third. I know a couple of Barnard grads who to Columbia Law, but I also know a lot more who have opted to take time off to gain life experience before law school.</p>

<p>All in all, just enjoy your years in college and don't rush through it! Especially at Barnard. It's too much fun and too valuable to be stressing out about things like this. But if you're really worried about it, you should contact Dean Kuan-Tsu in the Dean of Studies office because she is the Dean of Pre-Law studies. Good luck!</p>

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<p>wow, thank you so much stillbits12 for your thorough answer! :D i supoose you may be right...but i'll have to go to barnard to figure that stuff out. :) it's just that i'm so eager to get out of high school and be a real adult! lol. i wish you luck in finding a job in nyc! </p>

<p>this hasn't nothing to do w/ barnard, but i'm just so curious...what type of lawyer do you want to be? there are so many i've hard (i.e. corporate lawyer, criminal case lawyers, pharmaceutical lawyers, etc).</p>

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<p>Don't worry -- you'll figure out whether you want to go straight to law school or not as you approach the time to make the decision. Just enjoy the present!</p>

<p>As for the type of law I want to practice, I'm not very sure yet, but I am interested in litigation (which is covers a lot), real estate/property, corporate, intellectual property, and even public interest. Over the summer, I interned with the matrimonial and family law unit at a nonprofit firm and learned a lot about domestic violence and the NYC court system dealing with family offenses and "wife beaters" in general. It was really interesting, and I wish these attorneys got more recognition for their work. Their work is very challenging and they're not compensated nearly as much as their private firm counterparts (not even close!), but they have normal office hours and are generally happier people. I may return to public interest work after law school because it really is a rewarding experience. However, for now, I plan on working at a private firm to earn some money and pay off some debts. One of the great things about law is that the profession is dynamic. You can go from one practice to another specializing in different areas without losing too much in the process. For example, if I wanted to go the private firm route, I would probably work for 5-7 years at a firm, and I could 1) make partner and continue to work there, or 2) work at a private company as in-house counsel (and have better hours and sometimes even better pay). Alternatively, I could also decide to enter the public sector, but that is definitely a hard transition. Public interest law and corporate law are very different. The daily routines and daily issues that attorneys from each area face are not at all the same. Public interest attorneys have more client contact and spend more time preparing for trials, whereas corporate attorneys may spend most of their time drafting documents and reviewing contracts without ever stepping into a courtroom. There also seems to be some elitism from both teams, with public interest attorneys have a holier-than-thou attitude and corporate attorneys have richer-than-thou and smarter-than-thou attitudes. (Quite the contrary, public interest attorneys are also very well-educated.) It's complicated but it's not impossible to transition between the two sectors, as many attorneys have done it before. Many law students also go the government route, which I've heard is also a great lifestyle, with close-to-normal hours, decent pay, and more vacation time than the average attorney. </p>

<p>When it comes down it, it just depends on each attorney's individual interest. I personally think it has nothing to do with morals or ethics of an individual, rather it's about what you like to do on a daily basis. Do you get a kick out of working on multimillion dollar deals that require you to use lots of intellectual power? Or are you interested in using your intellectual power for court processes and client contact? It's all about personal preference.</p>

27

<p>Hey, transfer applicant here...(hearing back sometime in the next 10 days...HOLY ****.)</p>

<p>A few quick questions:
1. What are the psychological support services like? I'm not usually a depressed person, but I have a feeling that the city environment/lack of trees to hug might get to me. Obviously (I'm transferring), I've been unhappy at my current school and the counselors really suck at helping me deal with that.
2. What's the LGBTQ community like? Is it comparable to other women's colleges, or less so because there's a "boy shop" across the street?
3. Do you know anything about the neuroscience major/know any neuro majors? From the website, it seems pretty poorly constructed to me, compared to school with a more firm program/department.
4. Are Barnard students politically active? (AKA do more than just vote every four years.)
5. How easily do transfer students acclimate/assimilate? </p>

<p>OK, those questions were not so short. Sorry!</p>

28

<p>Thanks so much for the info about JTS!</p>

<p>Just another question though.. can credits for Barnard electives be used for JTS electives? If not.. then what electives does JTS have?</p>

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<p>And with the extra class, would I still have time to maybe have an internship or do research?</p>

30

<p>Snivellus, students in the DD and the Joint program still do internships and/or engage in research. Most of my daughter's friends have some sort of part time jobs as well (often this is in addition to any work-study awarded). As a Barnard and a JTS student, you have access to all of the resources of the Career offices at Barnard, at Columbia and at JTS. These lead to rich resources for potential internships, jobs and research opportunities.</p>

<p>I don't know whether electives transfer between Barnard and JTS, but you can certainly ask. JTS also has a substantial core curriculum that exposes the student to a range of Judaic studies. Your Hebrew requirement at JTS fulfills the Barnard language requirement. In addition to Hebrew, the core exposes you to courses in Bible, Talmud, Jewish Philosophy, Literature, and others. There are plenty of other opportunities for study of other content including Jewish Music, Women's issues, Art, Education, etc. Each JTS department has electives; just as at Barnard and Columbia, for some courses there are prerequisites and for others, if you are interested, you can just register. My D will be taking a graduate seminar dealing with the Holocaust and Visual Art next semester because it is an area that interests her. See the JTS catalogue for information about courses, both required and elective: The</a> Jewish Theological Seminary - Academic Bulletin 2007-2008 </p>

<p>Good luck in your search!</p>

31

<p>Obiewoes,</p>

<p>I'm not the OP, but I'm a senior transfer student and I get excited to see transfer applicants on the board. So, to answer your questions before the OP returns:</p>

<p>1.) Morningside Heights does have trees. Riverside Park is is great in the spring / summer, and it's literally right at your doorstep. Furthermore, I know students who get together and take trains / buses to other places where trees are more abundant, so you're never too far from a tree to hug. To answer your question, though, the Furman Counseling Center is a GREAT place, and lots of Barnard students use it. I had a slight breakdown one day during my first semester here (not because of Barnard / the city...I had alot going on in my life), and the counselors were just so nice and helpful. What I liked best is that they were completely non - judgemental also. You can go back and see them multiple times, and they can even refer you to services in the area if you would like. They're really good at following up with you about your personal progress. </p>

<p>Also, the Counseling Center just started something called "The Listening Hours" in Plimpton and Elliott where they sit in the lobby for two hours per week and students can come down and talk to them about absolutley anything. I can't tell you how great it has been to have that this semester!</p>

<p>2.) In don't know much about the LGBTQ community here at Barnard, but I can tell you that I have definitely heard more from the community this year than I did last year. October was Queer Awarness Month, and there were fliers for events and really interesting lectures all over the place. I passed by an event on the Low Steps where people got to write and draw with chalk all over the steps and I wanted to join in, but I was running to class. I went to two of the study breaks in Furnald Hall, and they were awesome!</p>

<p>3.) I also don't know much about the nueroscience major, but I think that churchmusicmom (one of the parents here) has a daughter in the program. Maybe you could PM her, as she has provided great information for other students. You might even be able to get some specific questions answered.</p>

<p>4.) I think it depends on what you mean by politically active. I have a Senior Thesis buddy who couldn't even write the draft that was due today because she was a part of the hunger strike that just ended a few days ago. Most of the people I know tend to adopt issues that they care about and work hard to make people aware of those issues. For example, education is my thing, so I really work hard to make a difference in any way I can and make sure stay informed about where the politicians I vote for stand on those kinds of issues. I might not join a protest, but I definitely care. I have some friends in Amnesty International, and I've attended a few of their protests throughout my time here - they're pretty awsome too.</p>

<p>5.) Barnard really tries hard to help transfer students make the transition into the college. First of all, you would be housed with other transfer students. (If you lived on campus) You would probably end up either in Elliott or on a floor in the Quad with a few other transfer students. I can definitely say that I really had the time of my life in the transfer community there. There are all sorts of events for transfers, and the fact that there are a bunch of people in the same place going through the same thing really makes for a nice, supportive community. I never once felt as though there was no one who could answer any questions that I had, which made things a whole lot easier. </p>

<p>At orientation, Dean Silverman said something to the transfers that I completely agree with. She said that there are two types of transfer students: The type who comes in as a transfer and right away wants to label herself as a Barnard student, and the type who comes in as a transfer and wants to keep that transfer label. Either type finds some way to contribute positively to the Barnard community. If you're willing to jump in there and make yourself a part of the community in whatever way works for you, the assimilation / acclimation part will be a breeze.</p>

<p>I hope some of those answers help. I wish you all the luck in the world in hearing back from Barnard!</p>

32

<p>Obiewoes: Sorry I totally missed your neuroscience major question in your earlier post. Thanks, collegegirl, for pointing that out and for your kind words...</p>

<p>My d is, indeed, a neuroscience major. She rather unexpectedly chose that major after taking an intro to Psych class her first semester at Barnard (she was previously interested in Literature and dance!), and becoming completely enamored with all things to do with "brains".</p>

<p>The program certainly has proven to be a good one for her (she is a third year student). She initially decided to pursue the Cellular concentration (I think I got the term correct), but has recently realized that she will have time in her schedule to complete the requirements for the behavioral concentration as well and she is very excited about that. She has identified a prof to work with on her Senior thesis and hopes to figure out a way to stay in the city and work in that prof's lab this summer. Barnard does have several grants that one can pursue for just this sort of thing, and she plans to do so.</p>

<p>My d is an example, then, of someone who was not all about science going into Barnard. However, as a participant in the Neuroscience program there she has proven to be competitive at a National level in that she was chosen to participate as an Amgen Scholar last summer at Columbia and was able to do research at the NY Psychiatric Hospital as well as attend a symposium in California. She feels well-prepared at the undergrad level to be a competitive grad-school applicant or to work in a lab if that is what she chose to do.</p>

<p>If you have specific questions about the Neuroscience program, feel free to PM me and I will ask my daughter. </p>

<p>Best to you!</p>

33

<p>I really really appreciate your thoughtful responses. ^.^ </p>

<p>What semester did you transfer in, collegegirl?</p>

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<p>I transferred in as a junior in the Fall 2006 semester.</p>

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<p>What are my Chances?!</p>

<p>I am currently a student at John Jay (CUNY), I have a 4.0 GPA and NEED to transfer- I want to go to law school! I have a great resume, tons of volunteer and work experience. I only scored a 1050 on the old SAT's but my high school GPA was a B+ from a prestigious high school. I belonged to clubs, ect in HS. I also apprenticed with Joffrey Ballet NY for a year in between HS and college.<br>
I will be applying to transfer for Fall 2008. My GPA looks as if it will remain a 4.0 after this fall!
What do you think my chances are of getting in? I am giving myself ulcers over this!! </p>

<p>Thank you in advance for your help!!!</p>

36

<p>First of all I would really like to discourage you from giving yourself ulcers over this. Try to take a deep breath, go have some ice cream, or watch some MTV. It will be okay. </p>

<p>Your record kind of looks like mine, with the exception of the fact that I didn't go to a prestigious high school and I didn't apprentice with Joffrey Ballet NY. I'd say that, with clear, valid reasons for wanting to transfer and an application that paints a clear (but good...) picture of who you are, you definitely stand a good chance of getting in. </p>

<p>All the best, and keep us posted on your progress!</p>

37

<p>Thank you, I actually feel alot better! (combined with the fact that I am, in fact in front on my TV with Ben and Jerry....) I will keep you posted!</p>

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<p>Too what extent do you view yourself as a Columbia student? If I were to get into top liberal arts colleges like Amherst or Wesleyan, should the Columbia resources and degree make up for Barnard's comparably low ranking? Thanks</p>

39

<p>Lisa -
I consider myself a student at both Barnard and Columbia. If someone asks me where I go to school I say Barnard, and if they don't know where that is I say an affiliate of Columbia. Even though Barnard is ranked lower than Wes and Amherst, I don't think it is considered much less prestigious (I chose Barnard over LACs that were rated much higher). Also, you have to consider the actual education you're getting. Because of the relationship with Columbia , Barnard has hundreds more course offerings than similarly sized LACs like the ones you named. You also have great opportunities to study with famous profs and hear prestigious speakers that Columbia draws, so the connection will help you in many ways.</p>

40

<p>Lisa-
I agree with aube88. I consider myself a Barnard student before a Columbia student. (Actually, alum now, since I graduated this week!) I think Barnard's unique relationship with Columbia provides a greater variety of choices and opportunities for Barnard students. It really is the perfect arrangement for Barnard students -- a small liberal arts environment with the resources of a large research university. You can choose to benefit from the opportunities and resources that Columbia provides, or you can choose to ignore them. A lot of Columbia students I know complain about becoming lost in the system, not getting enough support from the administration, and/or not getting enough attention from the administration. With a student body of around 4000, it's understandable. However, at Barnard, where the student body is less than half of Columbia, the administration and resources become more available to students.</p>

<p>In terms of prestige, I have to agree again with aube88 on what kind of education you are looking for. I have no doubt that grad schools take into account the Barnard/Columbia relationship when they evaluate the rigor and prestige of a Barnard education. If you are looking for a liberal arts education in a small environment, then maybe Amherst and Wes might be better for you. But if you want that, as well as the resources of a large university and metropolis, then maybe you might fit in better at Barnard. It's all about what you want out of your education.</p>