Chance Me: Barnard

Colleges and Universities A-Z Barnard College
1

Hey y’all! I’m beginning to freak out about college, as I’m sure all juniors are in their second semester. My plan is to apply Barnard ED; It’s difficult for me to picture myself elsewhere. I’m a middle class white girl at a highly competitive school in Texas. I have legacy to Columbia (I don’t think it could apply to Barnard though?) and will apply for financial aid. Parents are separated and the upcoming divorce will lower income bracket significantly.

New SAT (took soph year without studying) : 1410 (740 english, 670 math, perfect score essay) (taking SAT again in May and ACT in June, got 1470 on PSAT and hoping to raise math to a 740)

•SAT II: World History 630 (not submitting)
•GPA: 4.35 weighted, idk unweighted

•Courses:
Freshman: honors for: english, geometry, World Geo, biology; chinese I, choir, debate, teen leadership
Sophomore: honors for english, alg II, chemistry; AP world history, AP psych, AP human geo, choir, chinese
Junior: AP lang, AP us history, honors chinese, choir, AP environmental science, AP art history, AP stats

•AP: World History (4), Psych (5), Human geo (5)

•Senior Year Course Load: all AP’s except choir and PE (required) also taking health in the summer (required)

•Major Awards: AP scholar, GSUSA National Delegate, State Champion in Senate Congressional debate

Subjective:
•Extracurriculars: Debate (officer), Choir (officer), Girl Scouts (12 years and Gold Award, GS history museum docent, plus numerous other accolades), philosophy club (president), Kiwanis Builders Club (president and co-founder, first in our school district), Key Club

*I co-started the first Builders Club in my school district and will serve as the President for 2 years. I mentor junior-high kiddos with regards to leadership and volunteerism

*12 years of Girl Scouts, earned Gold Award my junior year by starting a Speech and Debate program at a local Boys and Girls Club and spreading the program throughout the Houston area, GSSJC National Delegation freshman year, nominated for council delegation all 3 years of HS, ONLY girl docent at the Museum of Girl Scout History (since fresh yr, over 25 hours a year giving tours on GS history)

*State Champion in Senate Congress sophomore year, qualified for NSDA Nationals sophomore year, NSDA All-American

*Choir all 4 years, varsity choir 2 years, officer since Soph year

•Volunteer/Community Service: Girl Scouts, Key Club/Builders Club, NHS, Chinese National Honor Society

•Summer Activities: Barnard PCP, Girl Scout Destination, NSDA Nationals

Counselor rec should be good, have a close relationship
Planning to submit an additional rec from my Girl Scout leader, who has mentored me and guided me throughout my life

•Interview: planning to do it at Barnard this summer (applying to Summer in the City, did YWLI last year)

Thank you so so much! :slight_smile:

2

Looks like you have a good chance.
By the way, you may have to send in your subject test score. Barnard doesn’t allow score choice, although I don’t know if they do allow it for subject tests.

3

You definitely have a solid chance, especially if you get your sat up. I would encourage you to take both the sat and act sooner so that you have a better understanding of what you can do (you have a lot of promise and your sat will probably raise, so you’ll be able to take them to figure out what you need and decide which test works better for you before studying). If you can knock out the standardized testing sooner, you can take the time later to focus on your application.

4

Thanks so much! I’ve already signed up for both the SAT and ACT this year so its all a matter of time studying now :stuck_out_tongue:

5

@greenteen17 they do allow score choice for subject tests, and they actually don’t require subject tests at all as of last year. @angelal I think you have a great shot, especially with ED. good luck!

6

Hi! I think you’re doing awesome in terms of achievement and being competitive. I come from a small school in Texas and a low income family, so I didn’t get the chance to visit or show that much interest before applying/interviewing. You definitely have an advantage there, but I think you have a really good shot of getting in regardless! Don’t worry on the SATs/ACTs— I got in ED with a medicore scores (1290 SAT/28 ACT) same with APs— I only took 2 total in HS.

Definitely get the tests over with and in the fall, start on the essays right as they are available. I spend 9 weeks on mine and I think that is what got me in. Good luck!

7

@RiotInMe Thank you so much! Reading your comment really lifted my sprits. Congrats; wishing you the best of luck at (arguably) the best school! :slight_smile:

8

No problem! I love to help out in any way! P.S. I love that you’re in Key Club and have done so much! (I’m a LTG in T-O KC)

9

I got to Barnard and I absolutely LOVE it!!! It’s the best of both worlds (small, liberal arts college as well as large, research university) AND in the best city in the world, NYC! I think you have a good chance especially ED, and I wish you the best of luck! Hope to see you here.

BTW, legacy at Columbia University does help at Barnard, at least a bit :slight_smile:

10

Thanks to all for the advice! Update: I bumped my GPA to a 4.4 and UW is a 3.8. I also finished my Gold Award (created a program called Speak it Forward, spent over 100 hours teaching underprivileged kids how to give an effective presentation) and became an Academic All-American for Debate.