My daughter was accepted to Kenyon with a president’s scholarship and to Barnard with no money. We can afford to send her to Barnard.
She is a budding physics major (interested in astrophysics) but also an actress and award winning photographer. She loves NYC (we live nearby) and theater BUT she has been attending an all-girls school since middle school and I worry about the negative interaction between Columbia and Barnard and the potential that she will always feel like a second class citizen there. Kenyon seems beautiful and strong science but also in the middle of nowhere. any advice?
Of course they are both wonderful schools. Congrats on the acceptances. Seems to me the big question is can she be happy in Gambier, OH for four years – and only your D should answer that question. Hopefully a second visit when the schools are in session will make the choice clear as the locations provide very different environments.
Kenyon is not in the middle of nowhere. It is a 60 minute drive from downtown Columbus, a city with a population of 850,000 (over 2 million if you include its suburbs).
Kenyon is a great school and personally I see no reason to spend the money for Barnard. But, assuming that the money’s not a hardship and will flow easily:
I was a graduate student at Columbia and taught and worked with undergraduates at both Columbia and Barnard. There are definitely jokes that flow between the two schools about Barnard students’ positions on campus and social status, but quite frankly, I couldn’t tell the difference between the two in mixed company. There’s not much “negative interaction.” I’m not saying that there aren’t some weirdo Columbia students that have a pretentious attitude towards Barnard students, but on the whole, it seemed to be a relatively unified undergraduate campus community.
Is she the type to get out there in the city and participate in the city life, particularly theater? I knew a lot of undergrads who SAID they wanted to attend Columbia or Barnard for the city, but then they rarely left the confines of the 10 blocks between 110th and 120th. Remember also that theater tickets are relatively expensive unless she’s willing to invest the time going to tkts to stand in line and stuff (although come to think of it, Columbia students, including Barnard students, do get discounts on certain shows certain days. The discounts on cultural stuff in New York was actually quite nice).
Meh, I don’t know, Barnard might be worth it, if she’s got a really strong preference and is the kind of go-getter who will make the city life work for her. Columbia definitely has strong astrophysics, and there’s the option to work with renowned astrophysicists and have access to the observatory. You could also save the money for graduate school or a house/wedding/car/whatever, though.
My DD is a junior, but we are also looking at these schools. Have you considered whether to go abroad for a year? I wonder whether that makes any difference?
Thanks everyone. These comments are very helpful. I do realize that Columbus is nearby and quite civilized and even “cool” , I am told, but was also told that most students do not go there more than once or twice a year. My daughter goes into NY now on a regular basis, is a member of TDF, and has seen most of the current shows on Broadway, thanks to TKTS so I think she will definitely take advantage of the city.
She would do a semester or year abroad given the chance at either school, unless you are suggesting a gap year?
could definitely enjoy the cash for a house or a car! (but, will just hold on to it for grad school if she takes the scholarship)