I am an international student who most likely would need a great amount of financial aid because my family’s annual income falls below $26,000.
I personally prefer Barnard because of its close-knit community, but I like Columbia too for its location in NYC.
Do you know anyone with a similar financial background as me who received financial aids from either of these 2 colleges?
Thank you!
Both schools are in NYC, literally right across the street from each other. Both schools are competitive.
Both schools are need aware for international students.
So your needing the full cost of attendance to attend will not help your cause at either school.
If you like both of them, apply to both of them.
I WOULD APPLY ED TO COLUMBIA
Columbia College and Barnard College are undergraduate colleges of Columbia University - located next to one another, sharing each other’s courses, academic and sports facilities, dining halls, libraries (but not housing). Yes, there ARE specific differences/distinctions - but those won’t be a concern to you unless you some day happen to have acceptance offers from BOTH and would need to choose between them.
I don’t know, how the significant the difference in endowments between CC and BC affect their financial aid, specifically to foreign students. (BC is financially independent, while CC is an entity of Columbia U.)
It’s not a distinction without a difference. Columbia College is one undergraduate college of Columbia University. Barnard is affiliated with Columbia and, while linked academically and socially, is institutionally independent.
There are many rules and restrictions involved, but continuing Barnard students can reside in Columbia dorms and vice versa.
For the OP, my guess is that Columbia would be more generous with aid, but apply to both RD and see what happens.
Rather than to engage in a back and forth, let’s just take the horse’s mouth:
https://barnard.edu/facts-stats
“Barnard is considered
one of Columbia University’s four undergraduate colleges
and students have access to libraries, facilities and activities on both campuses; Barnard students compete in NCAA Division 1 athletics through the Columbia-Barnard Athletic Consortium; Barnard and Columbia undergraduate students cross-register in courses at both institutions; and students receive a
diploma from both Barnard College and Columbia University.”
Then scroll to the very bottom of the page to the Copyright line.
PS: You are correct as far as governance: Barnard is not controlled by Columbia U’s board, but retains its indepedent Board of Trustees.