Hi everyone. I just got my last decisions, and I’m really ready to commit to either Barnard or Wellesley. I honestly don’t know which one, but my heart says Barnard while my mind says Wellesley, if that makes sense. I’m not sure which school would fit me better as a person.
A little about me:
-lesbian and feminist
-interested in urban life, but also interested in being a part of a close community
-came from a small boarding school in the middle of nowhere
-extremely independent
-planning on studying abroad (makes sense for my major)
-would be a language major, with a minor in gender studies/philosophy/art history
How is the modern language department at both schools?
How is the community and social scene at both schools?
You will have endless opportunities to practice your language skills living in NYC, where over a third of residents are foreign-born, and where international companies and agencies are plentiful, along with international clubs, language meetups, grocery stores and restaurants with foods from around the world, international festivals, etc. Plus just think of all the art you can view at the museums there. And you’ll certainly be immersed in urban life, to contrast with having lived in the middle of nowhere. Barnard seems ideal for you.
Will you have the opportunity to visit? I think in terms of your academics/interests you will find both colleges offer what you want. It really comes down more to environment / milieu. Barnard’s language offerings include Columbia’s – that is, you can pursue studies in any language offered, and depending on language chosen the courses might be given at one campus or another. Barnard definitely is an urban environment, and can be an excellent environment for someone who describes herself as “extremely independent” – because there really are no limits for those who are willing and eager incorporate everything NYC has to offer into their education. Social scene is equally unlimited – something for everyone – but again often extending beyond the campus. There are of course plenty of events, clubs, activities taking place on campus (including Columbia, because everything social is pretty much open to all) – it’s just that participation doesn’t necessarily center on campus offerings.
I can only speak to Barnard - my daughter’s alma mater-- but Wellesley is physically a campus unto itself. whereas Barnard/Columbia feel like one campus and the urban location means that students are typically also spending a lot of time off campus. So I’d think you might find a stronger sense of community at Wellesley, just because it is a physically a much larger campus with more of a sense of being an enclave separate from the town where it located.
@calmom I’m revisiting both places in a few weeks. I’m just worried a little because I heard that the Columbia kids tend to look down on Barnard women.
There is no way for anyone on campus to tell whether a given female student is a Barnard student or Columbia student unless they volunteer the info, and after the first couple of weeks it is generally not something that anyone is particularly interested in.
If you characterize yourself as “extremely independent” – why do you even care what other people think?
@sulfuoco Agree with @calmom 100%. The odd Columbia student may make a snarky comment about a Barnard student (and vice versa) but that’s the rare exception. This CC vs BC issue is a preoccupation of applicants, not Columbia University students.
@sulfuoco What language do you want to study? The languages at Wellesley (most of them, anyway) have their own departments, so the feel of each is rather different. I was a German/Art History double major at Wellesley, so feel free to ask me anything about either of those departments or anything about being a student at Wellesley!
I’m a sophomore at Wellesley who’d be happy to answer any of your questions! I go to Boston 3-4 times a week, take classes at MIT, major in philosophy, and plan on studying abroad at Oxford next year. I’ve taken Portuguese, Chinese, and Japanese courses. I absolutely adore Wellesley and I think the fact that it’s regarded so highly on its own is a plus (unlike Barnard which always needs to emphasize its affiliation with Columbia). You definitely get to be independent, but you also have a large, close-knit community if you want it. In terms of social life, there are some ‘parties’ on campus, but most people go into Boston (mainly Harvard and MIT). Boston is a huge college city, though, so it’s not unusual for people to also go to BU, Northeastern, Tufts, BC, etc. I personally prefer Boston over other cities (I think it’s a bit safer and less chaotic).
@lawbird I’m glad you are happy at Wellesley and appreciate your enthusiasm. It is a wonderful college. I’m therefore disappointed at the insecurity your post evidences viz. Barnard… Claiming that Barnard is in any way inferior to Wellesley is just silly. Barnard accepts fewer than half the number of applicants that Wellesley does and again this year is the most competitive women’s college in the nation. Indeed, it is part of the Columbia University family. I’ve never before heard it implied that that is a bad thing.
Exlibris, I enjoy your informative posts. I agree that Lawbird’s comment wrt Barnard was unnecessary.
Having said that, if Smith, MHC, Wellesley, etc. was located across the street from and part of Yale, I have no doubt the number of applications and admission rate would be similar to Barnard. Just sayin’
@CrewDad Barnard is more than “co-located” with Columbia. It is part of the same university albeit ostensibly an “affiliated” institution (which is legalese). Barnard grads get Columbia diplomas and the course offerings are fully integrated. As it is nominally independent, it also can organise itself as a “women’s college” and LAC while also offering the same resources as a major research university. This is what makes it unique.
I agree however that if Wellesley were part of Harvard or Yale, it would be very different.
But this is really besides the point. What I was saying is that students should be proud of where they go. Casting aspersions on other colleges suggests insecurity, which is inappropriate in the case of Wellesley.
Harvard at one time did have an affiliated woman’s college, Radcliffe. The difference is that although affiliated with Columbia U., Barnard historically had established itself as separate and unique college to the extent that it could survive and thrive as a semi-autonomous affiliate, resisting merger, even after Columbia made the decision to accept women. To the ultimate benefit of all undergraduate divisions.
And I agree, there is no need to cast aspersions on any college, but Barnard’s popularity is attributable to multiple factors, including its urban location.
This isn’t as hypothetical as it sounds. In fact, Yale seriously considered importing a women’s college to New Haven in the 1960s and plunking it down by the Yale campus – although the target wasn’t Smith, MHC, or Wellesley.
It’s an odd distinction to draw in any case. That Barnard is “located across the street from and part of” Columbia is simply a fact, that is both one of its positives and a possible drawback, as I pointed out in my post #2 above, in response to the OP’s query about “sense of community”.
It makes no sense to me for anyone to isolate a major asset of a university or college and use it as a negative in comparison with a different college - or to argue that another college would be more popular if only had the same quality or draw. So I agree with @exlibris97 that raising that it’s a reflection of insecurity, and, I would add, envy, to argue that somehow it diminishes the value of Barnard or its offerings. It is what it is is.
The OP hasn’t returned, but if she strongly prefers a women-only environment and the desire to be part of a close community - then she’d likely find Wellesley to be a better fit. If, on the other hand, she decides that her interest in urban life and her sense of being extremely independent are more important to her, she probably would find that the Barnard environment is more stimulating and provides more opportunities.
The distinction that Barnard is part of the Columbia University family was made by exlibris in post #8 — not me. I can assure you that I didn’t repeat the fact because I’m envious of insecure. You’re being far too defensive for some reason. Seriously, let it go.
No one stated or insinuated that Barnard’s location was a negative or diminishes the value of Barnard’s offering.
In fact, I’ve argued on numerous threads that USNWR should rank Barnard as a top 10 LAC because of its affiliation with Columbia. Happy now?
No, I was referring to the comment in post #7 (“unlike Barnard which always needs to emphasize its affiliation with Columbia”). The only thing I “ascribed” to @CrewDad is the part I quoted from post #9, which in turn was in response to your response to post #7 (which included the comment about “insecurity”).
Which I think should be fairly obvious to anyone who reads the posts in the order they were made.
There’s another lesson to be drawn here about the value of attending a women’s college…
If you have been living in the middle of nowhere, and then all of a sudden find yourself in the middle of the most hectic city in the country, you better be a very flexible & adaptable person, because just about every aspect of your life will change—drastically.
You’re being far too defensive for some reason. Seriously, let it go.