Ok, show your work: why, in your view, are connections better at NU than Barnard?
The point is that the OP has narrowed her choice down to 2 places, and then asked specifically about which was better for connections and job preparedness. In my opinion, there is no significant difference between those schools on those metrics: both schools will be excellent in both categories. At that point, trying to identify one as quantifiably “better” in those categories is a fool’s errand- a pointless task.
Making a choice of college is scary for most kids: it is a huge deal in their life. A lot of students are anxious about making such a big decision, and especially about making the “right” decision. No applicant ever has perfect information, and this year many will have less than they expected.
But at the end of the day, the OP will have to trust herself. Suggesting that she think- hard- about what kinds of environments have worked for her, and what haven’t / what things she knows about herself that she can hold up next to each place and see if one ‘fits’ better than the other / thinking about what she prefers- isn’t ‘throwing it back’ on the OP. It says "there is no ‘wrong’ answer here, and 'you know more than you think you do about what works for you- trust yourself