Barnard students

<p>To 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>

<p>Please don't judge schools based on their rankings. That is the one misconception I hate most about this website. Barnard has many motivated and intelligent students, some of which are more motivated and more intelligent than some Columbia students. You shouldn't need to justify coming to Barnard with Columbia's resources.</p>

<p>As to the extent to which I view myself as a Columbia student, it all depends. I'm a member of the CU Marching Band, which goes to CU football and basketball games and roots for CU weekly. So in that sense, I feel like a Columbia student, and the band welcomes students from all undergraduate schools as CU students. Also being involved at Barnard, I feel strongly attached to the school and am quick to identify myself as a Barnard student to anyone who asks.</p>

<p>So yeah. I don't know why Columbia's resources would need to "make up" for anything about Barnard, seeing as how academic and social life at Barnard is very much integrated with the entire university's. If you're worried about Barnard's inferiority and how CU can compensate for it, maybe you should rethink your "interest" in Barnard.</p>

<p>the reason I asked was because I was researching Barnard and the President Judith Shapiro said that the reason the rankings were soo low was because they didn't take into account all of columbia's resources. So they are important, I'm guessing. Anyway, I think I'm too attached to Barnard to chose any other school over it. Thanks and good luck everyone applying for the class of 2012!</p>

<p>I think what she meant is that Barnard takes a hit on the ranking formula because of factors that don't take into account the shared resources. For example, the Barnard library is kind of small as libraries go. If my d. wants to study then she might go to the Barnard library because it is closer and cozier than Butler library, but if she was doing serious research then of course she has the resources of the larger library. </p>

<p>Barnard also has a very small endowment - which again cuts into the "rankings" formula -- but again there are all sorts of things that Barnard does not have to pay for. For example, athletics -- Barnard is the only woman's LAC where women can play Div I sports... but all teams are fielded through the Columbia/Barnard Consortium -- so Barnard does not have to maintain gym or field facilities to support all the teams that women can participate on.</p>

<p>So the point isn't that Columbia somehow boosts Barnard - its that there are a lot of shared resources that do simply are not accounted for in the US News formula.</p>

<p>I honestly don't see how -- aside from US News -- Barnard and/or Columbia can be "ranked" differently -- essentially the opportunities are close to the same at both, whether you are talking about quality of life or academics. There are very small differences, such as Columbia's core vs. Barnard's "9 ways of knowing", or differences in the advising system -- so you could probably argue that one or the other is "better" for that reason... but you can't justify a widely disparate rating, because it is theoretically possible for a Columbia student and Barnard student to have almost the same identical experience, depending on major or extra-curricular interests. I honestly can't think of anything that my daughter would want to do at school that she could do differently if she were enrolled on the other side of the street... except for differences in housing. (She would have loved to live in a co-ed dorm last year,-- but that's not really a ranking issue. )</p>

<p>Somewhat OT, but there's an interesting article about women's reproductive health services at Barnard vs. Columbia here:
[url=<a href="http://eye.columbiaspectator.com/index.php/site/article/shes-lost-control1/%5DThe"&gt;http://eye.columbiaspectator.com/index.php/site/article/shes-lost-control1/]The&lt;/a> Eye : She’s Lost Control<a href="in%20this%20respect,%20the%20resources%20of%20Barnard%20are%20superior,%20but%20I%20don't%20think%20this%20will%20ever%20be%20a%20factor%20in%20US%20News%20rankings">/url</a>.</p>

<p>Another significant difference between Barnard and the CC/SEAS experience would be the advising system at Barnard, which is (by my d's experience and "as advertised" in stuff you read about Barnard) truly excellent. As I understand it, undergrad advising at CC/SEAS is absolutely dismal.</p>

<p>One other annoying difference (to be fair) is that Barnard tends to be way less "streamlined" about such things as L-course (limited enrollment) sign-up and Urban New York tickets sign-up. Columiba students can do these things online, I believe, while Barnard students actually have to STAND in a line and write their names down. That has not kept my d from getting classes she wants and she is in charge when they have the Urban NY sign up (works with the CAO) and she loves talking on the bull horn, so these are not huge detriments for her. </p>

<p>Does she view herself as a Columbia student? I'd say that she would resoundingly say she is a Barnard student and proud to be so...and also proud to be a part of the Columbia University community.</p>

<p>Another difference between the two is the relationship between the administration and the students. I've met my class dean personally several times, while I've heard that's practically impossible across the street. Also, the deans and faculty serve us breakfast tonight (the night before finals), which I personally think is a great tradition that shows the closeness of our community. You wouldn't catch PrezBo dead serving pancakes to students. Judith, on the other hand, (and whoever will follow in her footsteps next year) is on-campus all the time having forums with students and whatnot. Just the other day I ran into her chastizing some students for smoking on-campus right under the smoke-free campus" sign. I would agree with churchmusicmom that I am proud to be a Barnard student and part of the Columbia University community.</p>

<p>I definitely consider myself a Columbia student--I have a Columbia e-mail address, I am on the CU Quiz Bowl team, I take most of my classes at Columbia, and when anybody asks, I always say I go to Columbia (it's not because I think less of Barnard, but it's because I am from Georgia, and nobody has heard of Barnard there...or Columbia, for that matter. They all think I mean SC).</p>

<p>But in response to some of the other posters: PrezBo actually does teach a Lit Hum class, and the dismal lines we must stand in for L-courses are quite comparable to the lines that GS/CC/SEAS must stand in.</p>

<p>And I am a member of Columbia in more than just activities--I get a degree from Columbia when I graduate.</p>

<p>What I like at Barnard better than at Columbia is our core, because Columbia's core just sucks. (It is also commonly accepted that Barnard girls are prettier, but I didn't tell you that). The Barnard-only services are also geared towards women, so they understand the students better. Also CC/SEAS students don't get discounts to shows, only Barnard does.</p>

<p>It always makes my day when I see a boy wearing a Barnard sweatshirt (happens rather frequently).</p>

<p>And hello, mysteryflavored. I can see you sitting across the room from me as I write this (she is my roommate).</p>

<p>I'm a first-year at Barnard, and I would say I definitely consider myself a member of both Columbia and Barnard. I participate in many clubs at Columbia (and at Barnard), take most of my classes at Columbia, and have a lot of friends at Columbia.</p>

<p>So when you graduate from Barnard and you apply for graduate school or jobs or whatever, since your diploma is from Columbia, is it okay to say that you graduated from Columbia and not mention Barnard?</p>

<p>yes...I hear most girls say "Barnard College of Columbia University" on their resumes, but you are totally within your rights to only say that you graduated from Columbia University. You know Christy Carlson Romano, the actress? I read once in an interview that she went to Columbia, but she is actually a graduate of Barnard. And on the website featuring a sampling of Columbia's famous alumni, there were more than a few Barnard girls on the website.</p>

<p>I think it's different to say on your resume now that you went to Columbia, especially when most of the 'famous alumni' couldn't GO to Columbia, as it wasn't even co-ed yet.</p>

<p>That said, I never plan on omitting Barnard College from my resume. That's where I was accepted, not Columbia.</p>

<p>Barnard's alumna network is pretty extensive, so it would be kind of shortsighted to omit Barnard from the resume. At the same time, it would be self-destructive to omit Columbia -- so I think the choices are something like this:</p>

<p>Barnard College of Columbia University
Columbia University (Barnard College)
Barnard College (Columbia University)</p>

<p>I just wanted to say that I agree with dorphins and I definately consider myself part of both communities. </p>

<p>Also, whenever looking at the college (including in rankings) it is ridiculous to omit Columbia because that is a huge part of every Barnard girl's experience (though it varies dependin on your major, etc). I for example take about half my classes at Columbia, my 2 best friends are there so I hang out and eat there a lot , and regardless of where your friends are you will go to a lot of events at Columbia since it's a bigger school. At the same time, I still feel that I am definately a Barnard student and part of that smaller, warmer environment. </p>

<p>I usually tell people I go to Barnard and if they haven't heard of it I say it is part of Columbia. On resumes, I plan to put "Barnard College of Columbia University."</p>