I am leaning toward barnard, but which, in general, will give me the best prep/have the most return in the future? Thoughts?
They are all wonderful schools which will prepare you well.
This is a question you need to answer on your own based on fit and preferences, not academic quality. Have you visited all 3 schools? They have differences in vibes, location, etc. Where would you be most happy?
@doschicos yes i have visited all three and sat in classes. I really like barnards class and location, however my parents seem to think it is inferior to the other two? Thoughts?
I don’t think Barnard is inferior. Women’s colleges, like Barnard, face a less competitive admissions process, because of the fact that they are women’s colleges, but they provide a top notch education and Barnard students can take advantage of all Columbia has to offer as well. If you are looking for a big city experience combined with a stellar education, Barnard would be a good fit.
I’ve been to all three. Very different atmospheres. Amherst is very small as far as population - and you can see all the buildings from one location. Barnard is in a metropolis. WashU is in-between as far as campus feel. All three are great schools - go with your gut. And admission is very competitive, especially to WashU and Amherst, so apply to all three and then see what the choices are.
@Outofthenest i am recruited and can go to both washu or amherst if i want i guess my question would be is it worth to give up going to those schools for barnard. I like barnard better than those two but i dont know if it a wise choice for my future.
You may want to check the course offerings in the subjects you are interested in.
These choices are not easy. However, I would say that a similar choice has already been implicitly made by many current Barnard students whose basic academic credentials would have qualified them for either WUStL or Amhest College.
Based on raw academic potential, Barnard is (imo, obvs) a slam dunk. Nobody would be saying WashU or Amherst> Columbia, but with Barnard that’s what you get. Also (imo again), the student body of Barnard / Columbia is much more interesting than that of WashU. Barnard is famously supportive of it’s students. Trust your gut.
@collegemom3717 could you specify a bit? so for example, if an employer saw a barnard degree or a washu degree, which would have the immediate advantage assuming both have done similarly well in college.
(imo!) Neither: overall, they aren’t far enough apart that an employer without particular ties to one or the other would say ‘oohh- I’ll take the 3.7 GPA from Wash U applicant over the 3.7 GPA from Barnard applicant’ - or vice-versa. With some exceptions, employers are not really bothered about the finer distinctions in GPAs (though competitive employers do like to see cum laude of course): they are much more interested in what you bring to the table from a work perspective. So (again, depending on the field) the courses you have taken and what you have done beyond the classroom to strengthen your skills and expertise in your field will be the things that set you apart in the eyes of potential employers.
Also, (again imo), people tend to keep their mental ranking of colleges from when they were applying to college. For people in their late 30’s and up (who are often the people doing the hiring), schools such as Wash U, Vandy, Emory, etc. were not particularly selective when they came through, and until their kids start applying to college they won’t credit how much the selectivity has changed.
Your phrasing is about ‘giving up’ the other two to go to Barnard- what is it that you think that you would be giving up?
@collegemom3717 i personally love barnard in all aspects but my parent think i would be giving up the “higher rank” of the other two which i think is absurd. Thanks for clarifying things a bit! 
I think all 3 are very different in setting, student body, but not really that different in quality. Amherst has the open curriculum, Barnard has the ways of knowing distribution requirements which aren’t nearly as specific as Columbia’s core. B is obviously a women’s school so even though you’ll have classes with guys, your sounds won’t be coed, if that matters. Is financial aid a factor?
Sounds, dorms, I meant. I’m on a phone.