<p>Of course a college should be chosen strictly based on match and fit for the individual student. But out of curiosity which one - Barnard or Vassar - has a better and more far reaching name recognition?</p>
<p>When I lived in NY, I heard about both pretty regularly. Vassar probably a little more.</p>
<p>Living out west now, I hear about Barnard a little more often, but I don’t hear about either of them a lot.</p>
<p>I think Vassar is better known. Before I started the college search process with my S, I had heard of Vassar, but had never heard of Barnard. I incorrectly thought that Vassar was still women only, but had a vague positive impression about the school.</p>
<p>“Name recognition” is a pretty meaningless term. If your goal is to impress your neighbors, only HYPSM will do.</p>
<p>Well then again, Barnard does have that Columbia University diploma…oy, here we go!</p>
<p>Among people who are familiar with top LACS, I think the two schools have about equal name recognition and equal respect. The average guy on the street has never heard of either.</p>
<p>To put this bluntly: this is a bad question. It doesn’t matter. </p>
<p>No, I take that back. It matters if you work for a polling organization and you are charged with finding out which school is recognized more by name. </p>
<p>Focus on something important.</p>
<p>i’d go to barnard. i think they’re pretty different (environment wise), but barnard has that columbia cxn. i’d go there if i were you.</p>
<p>Vassar and Barnard are both wonderful places, but different. I wouldn’t worry about the name so much as whether your student wants a beautiful small town campus an hour and fifteen minutes to NYC or an urban setting right in the middle of the upper west side.</p>
<p>“…an hour and fifteen minutes to NYC”</p>
<p>???
Either somebody’s seriously speeding, or add at least 1/2 hour.</p>
<p>My D chose Barnard. Many would make the opposite choice. They are both fantastic institutions. Good luck.</p>
<p>Right on, Lergnom!!!</p>
<p>I’ve lived in the New York area my whole life and know many people who went to both schools. In my experience – which is only my experience – the people who have gone to Barnard are generally smarter and, many years out of college, more accomplished. In my experience – which is only my experience – the people who have gone to Vassar are generally more arty and creative.</p>
<p>YMMV.</p>
<p>Those are general stereotypes about Vassar and Barnard (Vassar in particular), yes. I live in the New York area as well (in fact, I go to Columbia, and I grew up here) and I haven’t seen a bias either way. There are pre-professional and accomplished Vassar students and artsy and creative Barnard students.</p>
<p>Honestly, I think Vassar probably has slightly more name recognition but not enough to matter.</p>
<p>My son is graduating from Vassar and has been accepted into several high-ranked graduate programs. I consider him to be very smart (hey, I am his mom) creative, but not artsy.</p>
<p>Obviously, Barnard was not an option, but he did choose Vassar over Wesleyan. He’s found the academics to be superb and I would agree.</p>