If you are an international student and/or student of low income background, please do very thorough research when it comes to Barnard college. Unless you can afford to fly home to your home country every year for three weeks during winter break prepare to live on the streets. Whether you are on financial aid or not, cannot afford to fly home, or cannot afford to leave the job you are working, you will be kicked out of your room on the date the college sees fit. Barnard will not make this fact known when they are recruiting internationals, but will let you know that housing for you, any other resources when you need it is not their concern. The administration is cold, callous, fake, and unsympathetic. Across the street at Columbia, students can stay in housing when they need it, receive food points during fall break…they have more resources open to them than we do please don’t get the idea that you will be treated the same as a Columbia student!! There may be girls of different ethnic backgrounds but all the girls I know of low economic backgrounds and/or international students are suffering, there are no resources open and no one to understand how hard it is to live here… Some articles about Barnard and their housing policies see for yourself
That is very unfortunate. I was able to return to my senior dorm at Barnard, back in the Paleolithic Era, in order to get a headstart on my Thesis in January.
Did they promise to house you during breaks? It is normal procedure for dorms to close during breaks. Columbia is the only university I’ve heard of that doesn’t kick students out during breaks.
Harvard closes on-campus housing during the breaks but will allow a limited number of students to remain as exceptions. Exceptions must be approved in advance, and being an international student is one of the specified acceptable reasons for being granted an exception.
Then Barnard’s policy is the same as Harvard’s. http://columbiaspectator.com/news/2015/11/23/barnard-changes-winter-break-housing-policy
That dorm policy is not unique to Barnard.
Most colleges allow students to stay in the dorms for SHORT breaks like Fall Break & Thanksgiving. But I’ve not heard of any college that lets them stay for LONG multi-week breaks like Winter Break.
Have you checked yet with the Int’l Student Office at your school, which might help you find alternative housing during long breaks (like matching you up with a host domestic family)?
Oberlin College does allow students to stay over winter break or other long-term breaks for certain reasons such as being an international student or in the case of a college classmate, the need to spend the time analyzing source material and performing the write up of another draft in the process of completing his senior thesis.
The college does need to be notified ahead of time and there has to be a “compelling reason” like the two above.
I don’t know what the OP is griping about. The linked article says:
“Griping” ? Why don’t you go and educate yourself, do you think there are only 12 international students and housing insecure students at Barnard ? Many more students applied, 12 were accepted.
This is an old article. They put out an application in RESPONSE to OUR (students, alumna, concerned parents’) recent petition but most students that applied to that application were DENIED
I think GMT is pointing out that these are things that are known before going to the school. Appropriate planning must be in place for these breaks as most schools don’t open at all.
For low income, it is very important that you understand the true cost of incedentals prior to accepting a financial aid package to a school far away. Some consider this, some do not. Good warning for other kids to find out beforehand.
"The administration is cold, callous, fake, and unsympathetic. "- I think could describe most universities.
Reading the articles, if the dorms have some mission critical kids, it should be easier to offer more hardship openings. Otherwise buyer beware.
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Most colleges allow students to stay in the dorms for SHORT breaks like Fall Break & Thanksgiving. But I’ve not heard of any college that lets them stay for LONG multi-week breaks like Winter Break.
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@GMTplus7 I’m surprised that Barnard and some others do not have specified residence halls open during Winter (Xmas) Break, particularly schools that welcome int’ls. Alabama has 4 residence halls that stay open for Winter/Xmas break and Spring Break so that int’ls don’t have to either return home or scramble for housing. All halls are open for Fall Break and Thankgiving Break.
Bryn Mawr made at least one dorm available to international students over winter break when my daughter attended. I know because my daughter had to pack up her room so that it could be open to an international student not traveling home during the break. I don’t know how common that practice is but I think the OP is providing useful information to international students who are in the process of researching university options; certainly it’s something I’d want to know. I’m really surprised that the school doesn’t make some sort of accommodation for those who can’t travel home over the break.
The operative word is “planning”.
Every year, my dd’s school had a deadline for “winter break notices” of housing needs ~ mid September. The school had to plan for holiday staff to work during the break and prepare meals and clean buildings. They closed all of the dorms but one, and temporarily housed international students who gave notice early in the semester. Students that stayed had to pay a small stipend so that the money would, somewhat, cover staff hourly rates.
I’m going to be brutally honest and harsh: You are getting a fully paid, free education. Most US students don’t get that. The parents have to struggle to pay college bills. So, you feel entitled to complain while getting a free education. Would you be getting a free education and housing in your country? Who is supposed to pay for your break? Are US taxpayers supposed to cover your expenses?
Didn’t you have to prove to immigration that you had 1 year’s worth of money to cover your expenses just, in case, something like this occurred? Didn’t you ask your family what you would do or how you would handle time during the breaks? Most people with common sense ask. So did your family lie to immigration officials?
You are upset because you didn’t figure out any of this until now. Yes, the school should have forewarned you, but you assumed and didn’t ask about what would happen during the winter and, you assumed that you’d get free housing, during a time when most staff are gone for the holidays. You have no one to blame but yourself. You know you don’t have to be educated in the US. You can always finish your education in your country since this is such a bad deal for you.
@“aunt bea” Who told you I was getting free education? I pay 35,000 dollars a year thank you very much. I am an international student because my parents work for the foreign service and served in Afghanistan. We are American citizens and tax payers that live overseas.
I told you I would be honest and harsh.
@BCinternational you are not an international student if you are an American Citizen.