<p>Hello, I know there might be threads similar to this but…
My parents are very name-brand focused since they’re from China and no one in China has really heard of Barnard, and I was originally very interested in Columbia. However, after visiting Columbia and Barnard, I must say that I am in love with Barnard…sure, the resources offered by Columbia are super enticing for me, but Barnard just feels much more suited for me in general atmosphere…I feel like I can have the best of both worlds!
What are some reasons to convince my parents that Barnard is possibly the best choice for me? They’re really not keen on the ideas of all-girls because they want men at my college, but Columbia is so close! They’re so worried that employers won’t recognize Barnard’s prestige and things like that.
I think it makes more sense to form connections with your professors than just to identify with the name of your college for success in the future. How can I convince them :-(?</p>
<p>Barnard students do absolutely have access to Columbia's classes, can play on Columbia's teams, have access to the libraries, many internship opportunities through Columbia, to name a few things. The two campuses are really extensions of each other for all practical purposes as you have guys taking all but a select few classes that are offered at Barnard (first year seminar and senior thesis are restricted to Barnard students only....all others contain Columbia College students, ie, MEN). </p>
<p>You are correct in that you will be much more likely to develop close relationships with professors and advisors at Barnard than through Columbia's program. And if it's "name" that your parents are into, your diploma will say (in Latin) that you graduated from Barnard College at Columbia University. Barnard's name IS well-received, though, by many employers...</p>
<p>Best of luck to you! Have your parents read things on Barnard's website and tell them to feel free to ask questions if they would like. I would be happy to correspond with them! Just have them send me a PM! And be patient: the Barnard/Columbia relationship can be confusing at first....and seem, honestly, too good to be true (if you are female, that is!) as it is truly all the "good stuff" about going to a women's college without any of the restrictive issues you might expect. PLUS, you have almost complete access to Columbia and all it has to offer.</p>
<p>You may need to help educate them; get some of the college guide books, etc.</p>
<p>In the US Barnard and the "seven sisters schools" are well known and well regarded. </p>
<p>Aside from looking at admissions stats, etc, something like this may be useful.
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Barnard_College_alumni%5B/url%5D">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Barnard_College_alumni</a>
Compare to alumnae of other schools- women, not the men.</p>
<p>One thing that impressed me, look at all the Barnard-educated writers at this conference:
<a href="http://www.barnard.edu/writers/bios_conference.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.barnard.edu/writers/bios_conference.html</a></p>
<p>There are a generous handful of colleges in this country that are, incrementally at least, more prestigious and more selective than Barnard. My daughter may well have been able to gain admission to some of them. However she elected to ED to Barnard because it provided, to her mind, clearly the best fit for her, all things considered.</p>
<p>She didn't have to convince me that Barnard was a great school. But then I'm a native New Yorker, not from China. The characteristics you indicated appealed to you are more typically found in liberal arts colleges. Barnard is at the top tier of liberal arts colleges located in major cities, and of women's colleges. And it is located in the best city. Through its affiliation with Columbia it is considered to be more co-ed than the other women's colleges. For the same reason it has access to resources far in excess of what liberal arts colleges are generally able to offer.</p>
<p>It is the right school for the right person, like my daughter. Hopefully. There are other great schools that may fit better for others.</p>
<p>I believe ultimately, your future success, however you define it, will depend mostly on you. If one school does more than another to help improve you, that ultimately will be more beneficial than any particular name. Fortunately though, Barnard's name is quite good as well. I don't think there's anything you can't do after graduating from Barnard- if you are good enough.</p>
<p>.. and if you do that alumnae comparison, make sure you are comparing to women graduates of a university's undergraduate liberal arts college. Not graduates of its law school, business school, etc. Apples to apples.</p>
<p>yaaaa... u get a degree from Columbia University. Barnard College is an undergraduate college of Columbia U, as is Columbia College (probably where ur parents would want you to go) and the Engineering school. Its not the specific undergrad college that employers will see first and foremonst, it's the all encompassing Columbia U.</p>