<p>(Edit: Barnard...not Bernard. Sorry!)
How is the relationship between Columbia students and Barnard students? Do Columbia students utilize Barnard for classes? Are students on both sides welcoming to one another or not so much? Also do they participate in activities on each campus as they desire?</p>
<p>What is written indicates that it is a highly collaborative and respectful environment. Is that the reality, or just what is on paper?</p>
<p>HSG</p>
<p>Barnard. .</p>
<p>I’m not affiliated with either school, but based off what I’ve read, there seem to be some tensions on both sides. The debate seems to be focused on how Barnard students portray their affiliation to Columbia. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.wikicu.com/Columbia-Barnard_relationship[/url]”>http://www.wikicu.com/Columbia-Barnard_relationship</a></p>
<p>About the same number of Columbia students as Barnard students take classes at the other school (i.e. x CU students take classes at Barnard and x Barnard students take classes at CU). For the most part, no one cares which of the four undergraduate schools (Columbia College/CC, Engineering/SEAS, Barnard, and General Studies/GS) although GS students are by far the least integrated into campus life because they’re older/live off campus. That being said, there are certain students (typically men in CC) who feel the need to be elitist (/misogynistic) twerps about Barnard students. Clubs are often made up of both Barnard and CC/SEAS students, although certain things are obviously restricted–no Columbia students in SGA (Barnard’s student gov’t) and no Barnard students in CCSC or ESC (Columbia College Student Council, Engineering Student Council). With respect to coursework, the only real restrictions are with fulfilling things like the science requirement–my advisor told me that it’s very hard to get Barnard classes to count–and Barnard students aren’t able to take core classes, such as Lit Hum or CC (Contemporary Civilizations). It’s a weird relationship that needs a lot of clarification on the administrative level, but for the most part students are generally pretty civil and work together. As a CC student, I’ve noticed that more Barnard students end up on our side of Broadway than we end up on theirs, but we also have a much bigger campus and generally more things going on. Finally, with respect to weird details: CU students can eat in their main dining hall, Hewitt, but can’t use our meal plans at their other places, while they’re free to eat in John Jay and Ferris (two of the CU dining halls), but are to my knowledge unable to use their meal plans at JJ’s Place (late night food) and certain campus cafes–CU students have Dining Dollars and Flex which let us use our CUIDs for food and snacks and I think Barnard has a different system. Also, Barnard students have to be signed in to CU residence halls and vice versa, instead of just swiping in.</p>
<p>Your major and social choices greatly impact the extent to which you interact with Barnard students. Something that many incoming students do not realize (I definitely didn’t), however, was the connection with the general studies community at Columbia.</p>
<p>To give an example, I study in the economics and biology fields. In both of these, there is a huge population of general studies students. This means your classes are mixed with people in their 20s and 30s, and depending on their involvement your curves and mileage vary. In pre-med classes, the curves usually suffer (excluding biology, for which the curves are separated), and in economics, I have found that the curves are often boosted from the presence of GS students. It also changes the class dynamic; many GS students don’t live on or near campus, and the in-class community is often fragmented and made into a more competitive environment, often because of the age gap.</p>
<p>There are no Barnard students in any of my classes. This is due to the fact that Barnard has its own pre-med and economics tracks, that often don’t coincide with Columbia’s, or are simply more inconvienent for Barnard students. This is entirely specific to my choices of study. I know that Art History majors and language majors have much more interaction with Barnard students. I will be taking my first class at Barnard this coming year (my senior year).</p>
<p>Where your connection to Barnard varies the most is your social scene. If you are an outgoing, social person (interested in Greek life? Want to go to bars?), you will probably see a lot more of Barnard. If you are more introverted, and want to have a close circle of friends and hang out in a dorm room, it’s much less likely.</p>
<p>In terms of the relationship, hating on Barnard is something you might do freshman year when you don’t know better and you want to be proud of your achievements and your acceptance to Columbia. Once you’re here for a while and the glamour fades away, you’ll figure out that no one cares if you think you’re better than someone else.</p>