<p>Another first year here. Maybe I just haven’t been exposed to it, but I don’t think anyone at Columbia has any truly invested animosity towards Barnard. What’s more, I think 99.999% of people don’t care at all. The tiny fraction that do have some sort of complex and need to get over themselves. What I’ve found is that both campuses integrate quite freely without tension and there’s really nothing to worry about.</p>
<p>Since Barnard students take a lot of Columbia classes, are the Columbia classes usually large/lecture style? One of the big draws of Barnard for me are the small classes, so I’m curious about your experiences regarding class size. Also, can you comment on how big/small/good/bad the dorm rooms are? Compared to other colleges?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>awtgol: It’s good you have e-mailed your counselor and are going to talk to him today. I am sure he will have some advice for you on this as well. You might also give Barnard admissions a call and let them know (after you meet with your counselor) that the rec is forthcoming. I imagine that counselor and/or teacher recs are something that is accepted late as this can be beyond the student’s control. Right now, Barnard is not in session yet, but I imagine the admissions office is up and running…</p>
<p>Good luck with this. I know it’s stressful, but you really can’t do anything more right now except learn from the experience and be a bit more attentive to details in the future…</p>
<p>About it being a grind school or not – I mean that, while the classes are tough and there is a lot of work, it’s not like the only thing people do is study. At least, that’s not what I do. I don’t have to spend THAT much time on my work (and I’m taking high level classes), but at the same time, I’m not pre-med or something crazy like that. I guess what I’m saying is that the work load can be heavy but it’s manageable.</p>
<p>Back to the Columbia-Barnard thing – I’m glad you girls haven’t found any tension. I haven’t, for the most part, but I definitely notice a stigma – more from those sketch guys, actually, who act particularly interested in me once I say I go to Barnard (has that really never happened to you?!). I don’t know. It’s really not a big deal, but I think it absolutely exists. Not trying to scare girls away, because it’s only a problem if you want it to be. I just don’t like how the admissions office kind of glosses it over sometimes. The relationship between Barnard and Columbia is pretty complicated and naturally the complexity of it can cause some confusion. All in all, I’ve never felt uncomfortable/embarrassed/whatever to proudly declare that I go to Barnard and everyone I’ve met so far agrees. =)</p>
<p>@Morganc: there are big and small classes at both schools, but I’d say that Columbia classes are more likely to be a little bit bigger. I’m saying that only from browsing the course catalog, since I’ve only taken (very small) jazz ensembles at Columbia thus far. My largest class was at Barnard and it had 80 – I’d say that’s a typical size for an intro class. My smallest was a combined Columbia and Barnard class (aka language – I think there were more Columbia students in it than Barnard but I couldn’t tell) that was taught at Barnard – it had 11 students and it was fabulous.
In terms of rooms, they REALLY vary. Mine is a spacious, open double with a beautiful view of Broadway, but some of my friends have smaller rooms with views of the quad. In all, I’d say almost everybody is totally happy with their rooms – they are all lovely and have a lot of character. They’re smaller than a lot of other schools (what can you expect in the city?) and not as crazy as NYU in terms of floor plan (basing this on Hayden which I spend a lot of time in) but I loveeeee my room.</p>
<p>^ You’re right. The relationship is very complicated and the admissions people/administration are not so keen to explain that. I don’t think I know how to articulate myself it because I don’t believe Barnard even knows what it is.</p>
<p>I am one of those people who has a small room with a view of the quad. But I’m not unhappy in the least. What’s important is if you have a healthy relationship with your roommate and you can share space well, which is what makes my room a fun place to be. I love my room (and my view!). If you decide to be happy with whatever space you get, you’ll be fine. Also, things like decorations and lamps (because the lighting is quite harsh) can make the place a lot more homey even if it’s not exactly as big as you wanted.</p>
<p>Thanks guys for clearing the Columbia/Barnard thing! I’m so excited to start attending Barnard! The next 8 months cannot pass soon enough!</p>
<p>I’ve been noticing in the past few weeks that whenever I tell people that I’m going to Barnard, they don’t know about the school until I mention Columbia!</p>
<p>Don’t worry supernovaGStar, people where I live don’t even know about Columbia.</p>
<p>And how do you find the course work? Is it very difficult, like around the standard of AP? Or IB? I am an International student and haven’t taken AP OR IB OR even CP, so I don’t really know about education in the US, and I’m looking to take some college prep courses before August:) And thanks for the reply barnardstudent, college does seem very flexible compared to high school…esp. Chinese High School…!</p>
<p>Oh and what are exams like? And homework?</p>
<p>I have a question about the social scene… would you say it’s easy to avoid drugs and alcohol completely? (And make friends who are interested in doing the same?) After talking to some of my college freshmen friends, I’ve realized that their social lives revolve around partying and drinking (even the goody-goody overachievers). Especially in a place like NYC where there’s so much to do, I’m hoping that there will be people who aren’t interested in drinking… :(</p>
<p>Also, in your smaller classes, are there a lot of class discussions and student-teacher interactions during class?</p>
<p>Are you allowed to have pets in the dorms? Not like a cat or dog, but a hamster or frog, something that could be kept in a little cage. Sort of a silly question, but my friends and I were wondering about it.</p>
<p>Soshi – it is very easy to avoid drugs and alcohol, because there are so many other things to do – see concerts, go to museums, hang out with friends, etc. I’d be careful, however, to make sure that you don’t immediately rule someone out as a friend just because they drink. It’s really easy to have a fun, sober weekend at Barnard, and because of that, even girls who do party a lot don’t party all the time.
And in all my classes last semester there was a lot of discussion – even my 80 person lecture was about half discussion! </p>
<p>SkittleRose – pretty sure the only pet you can have is a fish. Or pet rock?</p>
<p>Oh and Katy – my classes are easier than my AP classes in high school, lol. My high school was a really ridiculous school though (really difficult, large public school that was obsessed with preparing students for college – most of my friends from HS are now overprepared, though…ugh). But I don’t know if that’s just because my HS was crazy. Don’t stress about course work – Barnard wants you to succeed, so there are TONS of resources if you feel like you’re in over your head. Great tutoring, advising, and writing center. Professors are also extremely accessible – whether for office hours or even just a chat. Barnard is looking out for you!</p>
<p>Wow, this is really nice of you to do!</p>
<p>I was wondering whether Barnard’s proximity to the city and Columbia affects its close-knit environment as an LAC? </p>
<p>(This one is a little harsh, but) I’ve heard that Barnard being NY and urban means it has the least welcoming and most competitive/cattiest student body of the 7 Sisters. I have no problem with the city and the education seems amazing, but I kind of hoped for a reasonably warm and friendly atmosphere. Is that not the case?</p>
<p>Thanks rnb1065! :)</p>
<p><a href=“This%20one%20is%20a%20little%20harsh,%20but”>quote</a> I’ve heard that Barnard being NY and urban means it has the least welcoming and most competitive/cattiest student body of the 7 Sisters.
[/quote]
I feel very safe in saying, on behalf of my daughter who just graduated from Barnard last May, that she did NOT find the student body to be anything like that description!</p>
<p>Hey, do you know about science research opportunities at Barnard? Are Columbia research opportunities accessible, too?</p>
<p>How’s the pre-med program?</p>
<p>What are the advantages of going to an all-women’s college?</p>
<p>In response to your last question:Smith has this posted on their website. Barnard may too. You can access it.</p>
<p>There are many science research opportunities, but LAC’s frequently don’t have “pre-med”, which is a pre-professional and not liberal arts way of looking at education. That said, there is certainly the opportunity to fulfill all the requirements for med school acceptance.</p>
<p>Cattiness? Not my D’s impression either. And in point of fact, there are now only five sisters. I also have never heard a Barnard woman dis one of the other five-sister schools, and I have heard women from at least two of the others dis all the rest of them.</p>
<p>And of course, the NYC environment makes Barnard a completely different experience from and LAC in the country. My D would say that is one of its biggest draws. But tastes vary in this as in all things.</p>
<p>Hi!</p>
<p>I applied RD to Barnard and I absolutely love it. I had a question about the all girls environment. I’ve heard really good things about it, but I’m just wondering, is it ever a little intimidating to be around so many driven, smart women? How competitive is Barnard in terms of a class and in extra curricular activities and in getting outside internships etc? Is there a spirit of competitiveness?</p>
<p>When do ED ladies get their Barnard email addresses? =)</p>
<p>Unless they’ve changed things, you won’t get an email address until sometimes in June.</p>
<p>Hi!
This is a weird question but is the area around Barnard dangerous? And by dangerous I mean more dangerous than other areas of NYC. </p>
<p>Also my friend has a sister that says that her friends who come out of Barnard end up becoming fierce feminists. While there is nothing wrong with that, she makes it sound like they’ve become caricatures of feminists. For example, they now get mad at her when she uses the word policeman because policeman is sexist and the correct term should be policeperson. I was wondering if this was true for the majority of the women at Barnard? I have nothing against feminists, I am one myself, but I do take issue with radicalism of any sort. </p>
<p>I hope I didn’t come off offensive in any way, but if I did, apologies in advance. </p>
<p>Also is there someone on this board who could answer my questions about Columbia MUN. Specifically about the requirements to join the group, the prevalence of MUN on campus and the level of debate at the conferences. Also, are there intern opportunities at the real UN or am I crazy?</p>