<p>Yeah, I know I’m going to get blasted for asking this question, but might as well just try to get an answer. Haha so here goes.
I’m applying to both Columbia and Barnard. And I really do like Barnard, but Columbia is my first choice by far. So if I ended up at Barnard, how impossible would it be for me to transfer officially to Columbia later? Does the fact that I’m attempting to from Barnard affect anything?</p>
<p>I have no idea if your status as a Barnard student would adversely affect your attempt to "officially" transfer into Columbia. That being said, you probably already know that you can pretty much take as many classes as you'd like at Columbia (of the majors that aren't already based at Barnard, that is) as a Barnard student, if that is your thing. Though, according most I have spoken with, the same subject taught at Barnard and at CC is better at Barnard, though perhaps the curve for grading is kinder at Columbia.</p>
<p>I hope you get admitted into Columbia because I fear you would not be happy as a Barnard admit if your attitude remains that this is somehow second best. I assure you, that all Barnard students I have spoken with, and the occasional CC student and professor, consider this not to be true.</p>
<p>Oh, and to further address your question:</p>
<p>Transferring into CC from anywhere would certainly involve some grief in trying to make up for the Core classes you will have missed.</p>
<p>I second what churchmusicmom has said. Because of the core it is almost impossible to transfer to Columbia except through the School of General Studies.</p>
<p>None of the Barnard women I know would transfer to Columbia if they had the opportunity, and you will definitely have difficulty fitting in with Barnard women, who are very loyal to their school, if you go in with the above attitude.</p>
<p>Don't apply to Barnard or any other college with the idea of transferring later... unless the college is a 2-year community college or if reasons are primarily economic. You are hurting yourself tremendously because your own attitude will undermine your experience at your college -- you should start at a college that seems like a good fit for you to spend 4 years, and a positive and enthusiastic attitude.</p>
<p>That some students will transfer, for a variety of reasons, is inevitable. But to start at a college with that idea is simply self-destructive. Also, it is very risky to plan on transferring -- and its a lot easier to transfer from a very selective college to a less selective one than the the other way around. </p>
<p>Barnard is definitely part of the Columbia community. But it has its own distinct flavor and is not really a good choice for students who would rather be at Columbia.</p>
<p>I spoke to someone in admissions who said that Barnard tries to avoid admitting girls who give the impression that they would much rather be at Columbia. They frown upon the attitude that Barnard is just the backdoor.</p>
<p>I've heard the same thing, mp153. I certainly hope that they are able to pick out everyone using Barnard as a backdoor.</p>
<p>One thing to keep in mind is that any college wants to keep their retention rates high, including Barnard. Barnard has something of at least 95%, right? I can't remember where I heard that, but it doesn't surprise me. If they sense at all that you aren't in it for Barnard, they'll immediately knock down your admission status. Those are the first thoughts that come to my mind. But of course...yay Barnard!</p>
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<p>Ah, I hadn't put the core curriculum into consideration. I can see now that transferring to Columbia is basically impossible.</p>
<p>And I suppose I wasn't clear with my orginial post, but I am absolutely not applying to Barnard with the sole intention of transferring to Columbia. I would not apply to Barnard if I didn't see myself going there and enjoying it--whether it's a back door to Columbia or not. I was just wondering if transferring to Columbia would be significantly easier from Barnard because of their affiliated relationship, in which case I would perhaps give it a try. If not, that's fine as well. I would be satisfied to stay put.</p>
<p>And frankly, suggestions/implications--that I should not apply to Barnard because I prefer Columbia--don't really make sense. Columbia is my first-choice school, and therefore I prefer it to any school in the country. I don't have any personal bad feelings toward Barnard. And obviously, only applying to Columbia wouldn't be the best choice of action. Barnard is still one of my top choices (:</p>
<p>Well, I know that I assumed that since you started your original post with an expectation of getting "blasted" for even asking your question, that you were in fact planning to use Barnard as that proverbial "back door". You seemed quite aware of this being somewhat of a hot button topic.</p>
<p>Fact is, my own daughter actually applied to both schools as well, and applied ED to Columbia as she knew it would probably be more difficult to gain admission there. Looking at the University from online and one brief visit during a summer program at NYU, she loved the setting and could really see herself as a member of either student body. When she interviewed on campus at Barnard that fall, however, she really regretted applying to CC and wished she had applied ED to Barnard. She is very, very thankful that she was admitted to Baranrd and not to CC. </p>
<p>Though the two student bodies are indeed very integrated, and classes can be and are indeed taken by both groups at both campuses, there are very real differences. My own daughter was not aware of this forum when she was in the process of applying and really did not get a good sense of the Columbia University/Barnard relationship until later in the process, as I have already said. The wording of your original post implied that you are already fairly aware of things and do indeed seek to use Barnard as that "backdoor" to Columbia, and that just ruffled a few feathers, I think. </p>
<p>You can tell that Barnard students and their parents are very proud of the school and that they have deep and abiding respect for the opportunities offered to the women fortunate enough to be admitted there. I sincerely hope you end up where you are meant to be!</p>
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<p>I know for a fact that a LARGE majority of columbia transfers are from other ivies so it's tough competition. My sister was rejected from CC as a transfer student from Stanford with a 4.0. She ended up going to Georgetown SFS which is an incredible school. Just goes to show how much harder it is to transfer. </p>
<p>I totally understand what you mean about the core curriculum at Columbia.
I was going to apply ED to CC but then I changed my mind because i really hated the core.
I started looking at barnard because I wanted to go to school in the city and also be at somewhat of an ivy. I fell in love with it. Turns out it's the school for me. Now i would never dream of applying to columbia</p>
<p>All I know about applying to CC is that Obama did it from Occidental. Other than that, I can't help ya. If you get into Barnard, though, you may find you love it too much to transfer anyway. If not...well, I guess that IS what the transfer option's for. :)</p>
<p>^Sorry to totally be nosy here, but I'm wondering why your sister transferred out of Stanford, letitbe18? I'm really interested to hear about these special cases.</p>
<p>Well we grew up in california and she always wanted to move back. then when she got to stanford she realized that it was totally different from what she wanted. For starters, the weather is NOT the weather we grew up with in southern california. Also she had this image of stanford being an ivy of the west in campus sense. it's not. the buildings are all really california spanish style.
In her own words, everyone was nouveau riche and not really diverse. Not sure how true that is. she also had a problem with the massive amount of people recruited for sports. apparently they lacked in intellect.
I dunno. i was never much of a stanford fan. but she's so happy at SFS and is even taking a class taught by madeline albright</p>
<p>@letitbe18 - The SFS school at GT is the whole reason I applied there and the Maddie Albright class is 45% of why I love it so much! =D It's definitely not my top choice, but I'm glad to hear she's happy there!</p>
<p>aw i love sfs! it was my second choice right after barnard! I was kinda subconsciously hoping I would get deferred or something so that my sister and I could be at the same school but now there's some HUGE hoya-columbia rivalry</p>
<p>there's no point to transferring. from what i was told your diploma from Barnard says Columbia on it</p>
<p>When my D was a high school junior, Columbia was her #1 on paper. After visiting during the Boston-to-NYC death march during junior year Spring break, she applied to Barnard and took Columbia off her list. A data point. </p>
<p>She wasn't wild about Columbia's core and she felt that there was a qualitative difference between the students she talked to...in Barnard's favor. Not a single Columbia student she spoke to said anything about classes or professors; it was all about being in NYC. The Barnard students were more engaged, though there was the sense that both schools emptied out on the weekends. </p>
<p>I think this was one more small nudge towards unexpectedly (to me) attending a women's college.</p>
<p>
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Though the two student bodies are indeed very integrated, and classes can be and are indeed taken by both groups at both campuses, there are very real differences.
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Based on campus visits at both schools I would agree with this ... I would think for vistually any student after visiting both schools they would have a very clear preference for one over the other ... one would feel much more like home to them. BTW - before the visits I would not have said this ... I was thinking of the schools as essentially equals with Barnard having a slight admission rate advantage ... after the visits my view turned about 180 degrees as the differences between the schools was so apparent. To me both schools are terrific schools ... but definately different. I think having access to both schools is a huge benefit of attending either Columbia or Barnard.</p>
<p>3togo, I am curious as to what your impression was, exactly? When you say you initially thought they were essentially equal with Barnard having a "slight admission rate advantage", and then your view "turned 180 degrees". Do you now think one is easier than the other? Or just very different?</p>