I’m new to this forum, hope I’m posting in the right place… I am currently a 2nd semester Junior in high school, and thinking about college.
Basically, Columbia College is my dream school. I have visited the campus and done several programs offered by it, and have legacy there. My dad teaches there, my brother is graduating from there this year, my mom works there, and my mom went to the School of General Studies. My grades are decent and I work hard, but my GPA is nothing exceptional. I’ve only REALLY gotten involved in ECs this year.
I always thought I’d E.D. to Columbia, but lately I’m doubting my chances of acceptance more and more. I’ve been considering Barnard – I really like what I’ve heard about it, plus I would take classes with Columbia kids and be a part of the Columbia community. According my school’s Naviance, GPA-wise I would be above average of the EDs accepted to Barnard.
Did any of you guys have to make this choice? I’d really appreciate it if you could share your experiences… I’m worried about getting rejected from Columbia ED, and then from Barnard RD. Or, if I get into Barnard ED – never having given my dream school a shot.
I think I was in a very similar situation just a little while ago! Maybe I can offer some insight. The summer before my junior year, I participated in a Barnard summer program. While I really liked Barnard, I took a Columbia tour and LOVED it.
I didn’t know what to do–leave it to me to fall head over heels for one of the most exclusive schools in the country! I had toured other colleges that were a little less selective and really liked a few of them. I found myself wondering–should I roll the dice with Columbia, knowing that it’d be very unlikely for me (or anybody, for that matter) to get in, or should I use the ED opportunity at another wonderful place with a slightly higher acceptance rate?
The only way I was able to answer this tough question was to have a few long conversations with my parents and my college counselor. I would definitely recommend that you do this. My parents told me that I would always wonder if I applied anywhere ED but Columbia. My college counselor told me the same, and had an honest heart-to-heart with me about the likelihood of being accepted. (“Okay, so you’re in the top 25% of Columbia’s applicants…could you handle not being in the lucky top 7%? There’s really no way to know whether you would be.”) From there, I was able to make a decision. Something really important about this, though, is that you love Barnard for what Barnard is, not just because of its proximity to Columbia. I still plan on applying to Barnard RD; it’s an incredibly unique place. The fact is, you can’t go wrong with either. They’re amazing schools in the best city in the world.
^ @bfc2017 I think that’s great advice. I’m actually going to Columbia next year. You don’t want to regret and think “what if.” So ultimately apply to your first choice college ED.
Get great standardized test scores, bring up your gpa, write an amazing essay, and spend your summer doing an extraordinary EC.
Optimal outcome is admission to Columbia College. Barnard admission is acceptable outcome. (In my opinion there’s little difference. It’s essentially the same place and education.)
Columbia College ED acceptance rate 20%, regular 7%. Barnard ED 41%, regular 24%.
Statistically, and assuming you’re an “average” applicant to either school, your best chance of getting into one or the other school is ED at Barnard, RD at Columbia College if rejected or deferred. However, the chance of getting into one or the other is only a little less if you go ED at the College. In your shoes I’d flip a coin to decide my strategy. I didn’t have this choice, because I’m male. I didn’t apply anywhere ED/EA because I couldn’t get my act together in time.
There are SO MANY posts on this. Try reading them. Barnard is a small liberal arts college within Columbia. One of the major differences is that it doesn’t have Columbia’s core. As for how hard it is to get in, ignore most of what you read. You can apply to both and see what happens. Comparing Barnard and Columbia admission rates isn’t easy to do since Barnard is only for women and Columbia is co-ed, so Columbia has a larger pool.
That said, statistically it is easier for a women to get into Columbia University since a woman can apply to Barnard and/or Columbia. As a result, more women are admitted.
Thanks so much for all your replies. As of right now, I really think I’m going to ED to Columbia - I am absolutely in love with it, and would honestly regret not giving it my best try. If I get rejected/deferred, I’ll apply to Barnard and some others and see what happens. I think that in this case, my ED should not be based on where I’m statistically more likely to get accepted.
I’m going to apply to take undergraduate classes at Columbia over the summer. Do you guys think this will boost my app? In addition that that I’m trying to get an internship, and taking the new SAT in May.
@bfc2017 - if you don’t mind my asking, what did you end up choosing? Columbia or Barnard? @Alpha101 - congrats
@Brexit99 I agree. I find these “Columbia or Barnard” posts incredibly irritating too. What they show is that some high school students do not read or think. How many more posts must cover the same territory? How many more students must demonstrate their inability to understand statistics? Applying to Barnard does not “statistically improve” you chances of admission. As for taking summer courses at Columbia, this will have very little bearing on your application. Ditto attending Harvard Summer School.
Sorry to be blunt but there must be a dozen similar posts. All say the same thing.
Yes it does. It allows you to apply for both Columbia CC/SEAS and Barnard for the Columbia University degree in which through sheer numbers, you could argue that the average incoming Columbia CC/SEAS are more academically qualified (in test scores, GPA, extracurricular activities, academic awards, acceptance rate) so you have the advantage of getting into Columbia not only though CC/SEAS admission chance, but also through Barnard admission chance.
That said, once you step into the university, high schoolers must understand the following things:
No one cares whether you went to Columbia through Barnard or through CC/SEAS or through GS, etc.
so ===> No one cares where you go.
2.1. The University doesn’t care.
2.2. Your professor doesn’t care.
2.3. Your friends don’t care.
In fact, the only real differences between going through Columbia Uni by CC/SEAS and Barnard is:
Financial aid might not be as great.
No free laundry system.
If you want to sign up for CC’s “core curriculum” classes like the COCI or LITHUM, good luck. I literally mean it. Some of those classes are difficult even for CC students to enroll (well, they do all enroll but it is still not easy).
That said, if you really want to enroll those classes, you can always find a way…
The benefits of attending Barnard over CC/SEAS/GS is:
You get CC/SEAS advantages PLUS Barnard’s. (One could argue that CC/SEAS can take classes at Barnard which is 100% true but I mean outside those things. There is some kind of intangible benefit of being able to have full access to a university WHILE being a liberal art college)
You get that Barnard pride! Honestly, the mascot logo looks so much cooler.
You walk across the street more (to get back from Columbia Univ to Barnard)
Anyways, for those fretting, once you start college, you will recognize NO ONE CARES WHERE YOU GO.
Gasp!
Yes, people do know (deep inside) that Barnard is easier to get in. But so what? People can barely differentiate CC and SEAS let alone Barnard. And even if they know you are Barnard, they DON’T care. People are human beings. People don’t stop being human beings by attending one place over the over. And the only ones that actually care are:
high schoolers
freshmen who are in their first week of college.
Aristotle had once said that people are political animals. In other words, we all want (regardless of where we are from) to be able to socialize. **though you could debate this ‘notion’…
So ya, stop bickering over Barnard and Columbia CC/SEAS. It also annoys many upper class CC/SEAS students in Columbia and trust me, with that kind of attitude (if you do have), you will have difficulty making friends. ^^
@AccCreate You seem to have a lot of time of your hands to write such long posts. Plus you are repeating your posts. That said, I agree with most of what you said but free laundry? Seriously? I’d say Barnard has two advantages: (1) no Core (despite what people say, Columbia’s core is old, needs revising, and the classes are often uninspiring); and (2) Barnard’s advising system is much better. I’d also argue that Barnard’s administration is more responsive.
Finally, are you serious when you say Columbia’s financial aid is better? In theory, yes. And it is no loans. But Columbia’s financial aid office is very unfriendly and unyielding.
At the end of the day, your are right. Same university.
