Barnard, Yale, or UPenn?

College Search & Selection
1

Hi friends,
Like many of you, I’m currently in the thick of my college decision. Given that I had no top choice at the start of my search, quarantine has made it incredibly difficult to nail down where I want to go. I applied as a math and American studies major, but am also interested in studying Sexuality Women and Gender studies or Urban Studies, with the aim of pursuing a career in radical social policy or public service law.
Here are some of my other considerations:

  • community involvement in the larger community/especially a city

-Accessible dance program, preferably an academic track- student run groups are often audition based and as a late starter, I worry about getting into a group where I could challenge myself

  • a focus on deep understanding (I like to go in depth with material)
  • Community among students
  • lots of small classes/seminars, accessible professors, undergraduate research opportunities
  • economic diversity, but at very least, an awareness of privilege
  • focus on academics (not as much sports)

-outdoor opportunities (i.e hiking) and a healthy balance between school and social life

  • LGBT community
  • strong alumnae network
    -mental health services

I know these are very specific and its a pipe dream to find a school with all of them fulfilled, but I figured I would at least try to gauge how these compared- for reference, Northwestern, UChicago, Stanford, Rice and Swarthmore are all also options. Thank you so much in advance- I can also give advice as to why I took other schools off my list!

2

wow you have some pretty amazing choices. I wouldn’t really say any of them have an abundance of easily accessible outdoor activities, but NW has the Lake right there so that’s nice. I can’t quite get myself to put Barnard in the same league as the others academically, but that’s ok if it suits you best. When I think of community among students, Penn does not come to mind (I know Penn people will jump all over me for saying that). For your interests I am not sure those are Rice’s strongest areas.

I don’t see a compelling reason for you to turn down Yale and I think it has what you want in terms of interests.

3

First of all, many congratulations on your amazing list of acceptances - you must have an impressive list of accomplishments to attract that many very selective schools

I agree with @joecollege44 - if those three are your main contenders, for your interests and proposed majors, Yale is unquestionably the best choice. However, Stanford and Northwestern are also just as strong in these fields.

However, Yale neither has extensive outdoor opportunities, nor does it have any real level of economic diversity, or an awareness of privilege. UChicago has the most economic diversity, but few outdoor opportunities, and it’s alumni network isn’t very strong, while Stanford and Swarthmore have decent outdoor opportunities within easy drive distances, but neither have much by way of economic diversity.

So you really need to decide whether you want to choose based on academics, geography, or the social environment. The good thing is that, with that list, there are no bad choices, only good ones and better ones.

All of the colleges on your list have good LGBTQ services, and all are in very LGBTQ friendly areas, like Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, the Bay Area, etc.

Of your list, UPenn and UChicago have, by far, the best mental health support.

All that being said - you have no bad choices there.

4

It’s painful for me to say this as a Harvard graduate, but Yale is close to unbeaten among the Ivies in fostering community among undergraduates. Princeton might come out on top in that metric, but Yale kids do amazing social involvement work in New Haven that Princeton can’t match. I’d go with Yale.

5

If you know ahead of time that you will need serious mental health care support, you would be well advised to investigate the surrounding providers in those communities and their acceptance of your health insurance. Colleges are not set up to provide sustained and acute support, and students who rely upon them for chronic conditions are often disappointed. If it is merely a “nice to have” service you would appreciate occasional access to, that would be different.

6

Of the choices you have identified as active, Barnard appears to be your strongest fit, followed closely by Yale. I’d think you put Swarthmore to the side with reluctance, since it also seems to fit many of your criteria.

With respect to access to hiking from Barnard, trains can put you at the base of a network of trails for a genuinely natural experience.

7

Yeah- I would say Yale seems the most likely scenario right now but due to the fact they don’t have an academic dance program, socioeconomic diversity or post-marxist faculty(intersectional socialism) as far as I can tell, which is something I was definitely looking for(I thought I included it in my list but I guess I forgot)… I’m just not sure. Barnard (sexuality women and gender studies) and UPenn (urban studies) both seemed to have entire departments where I could find those post-marxist faculty… and that’s why I’m not quite sure…

8

Regardless of all that, you all are right- I’m very lucky and thankful to have a lot PHENOMENAL options!!!

9

wow I have never hear of anyone choosing a college based on post-marxist faculty. that’s very specific. I would be careful about that as your interests may change.

I’m sorry but unless Barnard is cheaper or you really want NYC or a women’s only college, I just don’t think it is in the same league as the other choices you have in terms of strength of the average student or the prestige, connections, and door-opening potential.

10

Faculty with a range of personal political orientations may lecture or assign readings in areas such as post-Marxism. This might be an aspect you would need to discover at the college of your choice, rather than choosing your college based on this aspect. Related to this, I’d recommend you study a variety of political theories as you further develop your own perspectives.

11

I just want to clarify something- I do not want to study Post-Marxist theories to become a post-Marxist-- I just find it enlightening to be equally challenged academically from the left and from the right. As someone who tends fairly left (Democratic Socialism) to begin with, its much harder to find people from my left. I’m not looking for professors to reinforce my beliefs, I’m looking to see viewpoints from both sides so I can develop my own views. As for Barnard, I visited a 100 level SWGS class with a friend and found myself challenged from the left in a way that left me thinking for months to come-- that is honestly a large reason why it still on the list. Regardless, your points are all well taken.

12

@Gymnast4225 , you sound like a very smart student who will flourish and be challenged at any of the above schools. I love your post #10. I wish you to best!

13

I haven’t heard of anyone choosing a college based on post-marxist faculty either but I have to say that I"m intrigued and colleges were as well (and your post #10 illuminates your reasoning behind this).

Well if this were me, I’d choose uChicago…I believe it will be where you flourish best.

14

Former academic here; you won’t find left-of-you academics in numbers anywhere. Even just-left academics are in short supply. Libs are rampant. Even Judith Butler gave money to Kamala Harris. Sorry. :frowning:

15

I think several of the comments above on the socio-economic/demographic make-up of Yale are dated. For the Class of 2023, 53% received financial aid, 20% are Pell Grant recipients, 17% are first gen, 51% are non-white and 46% speak a non-English language at home or their first language was not English. https://admissions.yale.edu/sites/default/files/2023classprofileweb.pdf

The students generally run liberal based on what S tells me and what you can read in the Yale Daily News. There is certainly a prevalent awareness of “privilege” on campus. Now how much of that is posturing/virtue signalling is another question, but I think you can ask that of the students of any elite college.

16

Note that this 2017 New York Times article registers Barnard as significantly higher in socioeconomic diversity than Yale and Penn:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/01/18/upshot/some-colleges-have-more-students-from-the-top-1-percent-than-the-bottom-60.html

17

Update: UChicago is now offering me some hefty merit scholarship money … so I guess that’s back in the mix. How does it compare to UPenn and Yale in terms of the qualities that I listed?

18

Just wanted to thank everyone for their help-- I will be attending Yale next year!!!

19

^Congrats. Great choice.

20

hey huge congrats! i actually just applied as a transfer American studies major to Barnard. I was wondering if you know anyone at Barnard in the program? I’m trying to learn more about the program.