<p>I went through all of this last year, and if you have any questions about the school, I can give you my perspective as a current first-year.</p>
<p>Haha did you interview with a senior interview or an admissions counseler? How did it go and what types of things did you ask/discuss? </p>
<p>Do you think the outcome of the interview significantly affected your chances for admissions positively? Why/why not?</p>
<p>Do you really think they read all the essays? I know that some colleges only read the supplements. I have serious faith in Barnard to read the common app essay, but I’m not sure how much they weight/consider the work exp essay. </p>
<p>My final question: So I have some college credits. According to the Barnard website, accepted college credits mean that you can’t take the equivilent course at Barnard, and that you can’t take easier courses. However, my college class is an upper level (300) elective. I actually aspire to major in that field in college (hopefully at Barnard! I know for sure at Barnard!!), and I was wondering how this may be factored in.</p>
<p>Basically, my question is: Do all major classes have to be taken AT the college you intend to recieve your major diploma from? Because with the credits that I have from another college, I would be able to bypass more than several major-completion requirements.</p>
<p>Currently, I want to major in Economics at Barnard. However, if both my AP and 6 college credits are accepted, I would be able to skip all of the following: Principles of Economics, Intermediate Macro, and one Upper-level economics elective. </p>
<p>In this situation, I would only have 5-6 classes left to complete my hypothetical econ major. Isn’t that a bit ridiculous? </p>
<p>Lol, you are only a first year, so I don’t expect a complete answer to my last question, but I’m still curious about the interviewing. Mine is next week–eep!</p>
<p>I interviewed with an alumna. I lived in Texas, and there wasn’t an alumna in the area, so I couldn’t to a face-to-face interview, and did one by phone instead. The interview went very well, I felt. We seemed to click, and there was great energy in the call-i was very worried that it would be an awkward phone call, since i’ve never actually met this person. We just talked about me. The alumna dont get any information besides your name and phone number, so they are probably going to ask you what you do, who you are, etc. Then we talked about Barnard,and why I chose it, what i’m interested in studying, stuff like that. It was very laid back, and just very interesting to talk to someone who already went there: feel free to ask them questions about anything as well.</p>
<p>I don’t know if my interview was the turning point, or anything like that. But I know it went very well. My alumna even said that “Barnard sounds like a perfect fit” (which was pretty awesome). I think it showed I was definitely serious about Barnard, which they are looking for. Your interview probably isn’t that big of a deal relative to your scores, essay, etc; but the way you come across to others is a consideration.</p>
<p>From what I hear, the essay is one of the most important aspects of the application. The essay can really show what type of writer you are, and also how you see yourself and the world. Its the way that you can express yourself and set other people apart. From all of the girls I’ve met here, most seem to have killed the essay. That being said, there are some who say that their essay was pretty horrible. Barnard wants a real person. They are looking for someone who will fit in here; and so everything on the application really matters. Your essay will give them a perspective that they can’t get through scores (which makes it very important), but your short answers will also help. Try to be as genuine as possible, and just make sure that your application reflects you as a person. </p>
<p>As far as credits go, policies are different for each department. Some students choose to take lower level classes, even if they have already taken the class because they want to have the foundation that Barnard/Columbia requires. I can’t give you a real, concrete answer, but once you get it that is something you can discuss with your advisor, a department head, or a dean.</p>
<p>i have a question-I’m not a strong writer, much more a science/math person, which is reflected in my science research EC’s and publications. Do I have less of a shot at Barnard than someone who is a great writer, but weaker in math/science?</p>
<p>Also, is it true that Barnard doesn’t care about scores? My high school is very grade deflated, so my gpa isn’t the greatest, but I did very well on SAT’s (2300, 800’s SAT II’s) to show my abilities. Will they take this into account?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Liberal arts schools usually get the rep for being all english, all the time. But its really about giving you a well-rounded education in all subject areas. My room consists of me, a photographing artsy-writer-type, a classically trained ballet dancer, a linguist, and a math/science person. Barnard doesn’t seem to have a set “type” that they are looking for. Everyone here just seems very passionate about what they like, and have big hopes and dreams. I doubt that loving math and science are going to be bad things. </p>
<p>Barnard cares about scores, but that’s probably not going to make or break you. It’s about you as a person. I got a 2010 on my SAT’s and had a GPA of 94.7. So, my scores weren’t record breaking. As long as you have “good” scores and are overall the person they are looking for, you’ll get in. There isn’t really a set formula for what it takes to get the big envelope, and if there is, only the admissions board knows about it. The only thing you can really do is do your best to make your application represent who you are, and what you are capable of, and Barnard will decide if thats what they are looking for.</p>
<p>I’m in a program called Emerging Leaders, and Dean Hollibaugh came to speak on our first meeting. She said (paraphrasing here) that everyone at Barnard is here because they deserved it. Barnard doesn’t throw anyone a bone, or make a decision on a whim. If you belong at Barnard, you will be here in the fall. </p>
<p>I hope I’m answering your questions! If you have any followups, please ask.</p>
<p>Thanks…I feel like I’m meant to be at Barnard, I’ve attended the summer program, am legacy, etc, but I’m just feeling a bit nervous! We’ll just have to wait and see.</p>
<p>thanks for starting this thread! it’s helpful :).
i have a question…! your stats are kind of similar to mine (i hope… SAT scores in 3 days! ><em><). and i really want to go to barnard and i’m pretty sure i’m going to be applying ED (i have to call and clarify some things) but a part of me is kind of worried that if i actually DO get accepted… i might struggle? because there’s a difference between BARELY getting in and getting in with ease, you know? not that i’m saying that you’re dumb or i’m dumb by any means ></em><.
i know college means work, no matter where i go… but barnard IS a good school. and i would prolly be taking classes at columbia as well. and barnard is my reach so i was just wondering what you thought about the difficulty of the classes& classes in general.
thanks again! :).</p>
<p>College is definitely WAY different from high school. You don’t have definitive assignments in most of your classes, so you need to keep up with work on your own, which is a bit of a challenge when there is so much other stuff you would rather be doing. In high school, you always knew what was expected of you, and in college the expectations are very different (ie. not always clear cut, and different for each class). </p>
<p>Schools (Barnard included) wouldn’t accept you if they think you won’t be able to handle the work. Its natural to feel intimidated by others, especially when you are surrounded by brilliant men and women. But if you are chosen to go here, you ARE a brilliant woman, and BELONG here. </p>
<p>The classes aren’t easy, and this semester is about getting used to the whole college workload. I think the easiest way to handle that is just to check CULPA when you are choosing classes, and take an “easy”, or not reading heavy class. Even though the classes are challenging, everything is absolutely manageable. All of my teachers are brilliant and wonderful at what they do. You get to pick your classes, study what you WANT to, and talk about what you want to; which is awesome. Your opinion matters, which is something you can easily forget in HS.</p>
<p>To what extent does Barnard feel like a community, given that it is in a big city? Are the weekends primarily spent out in the city or is there a campus culture as well? Also, is it possible to enjoy a social life at Barnard without a huge amount of money for going out to expensive restaurants and designer boutiques all the time?</p>
<p>Morningside feels very removed from the craziness of Midtown, or the posh-party lifestyle of Soho and the Village. But at the same time, you can hop on a train and be in the middle of whatever you like. You get to choose how much craziness you want, which is always a good thing. I think that Barnard feels like a community. It’s different from what you may be used to in high school. People are very nice, and I just feel very comfortable here. </p>
<p>I know that the rumor that EVERYONE has a trust fund, and does crazy expensive stuff all the time at Barnard. But that really isn’t true. You don’t need to spend vast amounts of money to have a good time. Most of the museums in the city are free with a CUID. NY is much more expensive than where I’m from, so that took some getting used to.There are girls who only dress in designer clothes, and go to shows all the time, that isn’t the majority. </p>
<p>Here’s an example of my splurge: the other week, I had a fancy dinner with my friends in Hell’s Kitchen at Gallo Nero (SO GOOD). We got a salad and shared 3 entrees for the four of us and split the bill ($20 each). Then we saw How To Succeed sat in the FIRST ROW! After the show we ran to the stage door, and I shook Daniel Radcliffe’s hand, talked to him, and got his autograph. Oh, and our tickets were only $30 (student rush tickets!). That was the most expensive outing I’ve had to date, but SO worth it.</p>
<p>There are ways of doing things around the city very cheaply. Sharing fancy meals, going to free/discounted events.New York may seem all glitz and glam, but you can have fun, and not spend buckets of money.</p>
<p>thanks for the answer! :)</p>
<p>does anyone have any other questions? it looks like a lot of people have been visiting the thread, and not posting. Even if you don’t have any specific questions, I can tell you more about how I find Barnard… just let me know!</p>
<p>What are the students like? The social life? The dorms? The food?</p>
<p>so I’m not naomiii, but I graduated from Barnard last year so maybe I can help. although - your questions are very general!!</p>
<p>1) the students: well, all women, obviously. in my experience Barnard students tend to be pretty self-selecting: pretty intellectual and ambitious. (no generalization is 100% true, of course.) Barnard students do come from a wide range of socioecnomic backgrounds, so not everybody is rich. New York is fun with or without money, believe me. I THINK English is the most popular major, and we have a very good English department, if that tells you something about the general population. (other departments are good as well and there are math/science focused people, too. but English is big.)</p>
<p>2) social life:this is a hard one because it really depends on what you want to do. there are parties (though fewer, I think, than at schools NOT in NYC, for obvious reasons: why stay in when you have a city to explore?) but it’s totally up to you. I spent a LOT of time exploring New York, seeing Broadway shows, working on theater productions and doing crazy New York things with my friends.
and there are boys, if that’s what you’re asking - Barnard/Columbia are very very close and for the most part there will be boys in your classes, boys in your extra-curriculars and possibly boys in your dorms. (I mean, ones that live there, not just visitors.)</p>
<p>3) dorms: well, housing is guaranteed through your four years and nearly everybody stays on campus because living off-campus in NYC is silly expensive and hard to find. first-years live in traditional dorm-style dorms, long hallways of doubles/triples/quads and communal bathrooms. past first year you can choose to continue living in this kind of environment (though most don’t) or you can live in a suite. because this is NYC, past first year most of the dorms are not technically ON campus, though they are campus housing. they’re anywhere from a block away to a 20 minute walk. suites hold 2-9 people, they have bathrooms and kitchens and some (usually small) amount of common space.
I think Barnard dorms are generally pretty nice, especially considering it’s New York. the very nicest dorm is also the farthest - it’s called Cathedral Gardens and it’s at the corner of 110th and Manhattan Ave (you can googlemap it, if you want.) unlike the other dorms, it has hardwood floors, a/c and dishwashers.<br>
anyway, I liked suite-style living. after my first year, I wasn’t on a meal plan which was nice and less expensive (and healthier.) I liked living with my friends, having a proper bathroom and space to hang out in.
first-year dorms are nice - it’s a quad but only 3 of the 4 buildings are for first years. one of the buildings has a/c but the rest don’t. they have communal kitchens and TV lounges.
too much information?? :-)</p>
<p>4) food: well, I ate in the dining hall every day of my first year and survived! the food there is good, definitely, and there are a lot of options. you can always have a burger or a sandwich or a salad in addition to the hot meal options. and it’s all-you-can-eat, which is nice. that said, it gets tiring when it’s all you eat day after day. but that would be true anywhere.
there’s the main dining hall (Hewitt) and you can eat at Columbia’s dining hall as well (John Jay) although I rarely did. the Diana Center also has a couple of cafes that are more for grabbing quick bites and open for lunch more than dinner, because that’s when people are on campus, looking for food.
I was happy to be off the meal plan just because I like cooking for myself, but I had friends who stayed on it. I was on a committee last year of students who worked with Dining Services, and there’s a lot of focus right now on being healthier, more allergen-friendly (and Kosher/Halal friendly) and more eco-conscious. they stopped selling bottled water last year, for example.</p>
<p>woooooooow this is long!!</p>
<p>Hello mrbc2011, I have some questions about the school. Is the Political science/International relations program good? I am looking to apply this winter for the fall but my GPA isn’t that great hopefully after this quarter it will raise to 3.2 and then after winter 3.4. I am at a CC right now set to graduate this June with a AA degree. </p>
<p>I have have read that a member on here, Nerdygirl got into Barnard with a good essay are essays very important for transfer students? I know I can write a good essay hopefully enough to persuade them? I’m also a minority student (African american) female, idk if that will help at all, maybe if I write down my life story to them in that essay it will be good enough…</p>
<p>hey Saraha - sorry, I can’t really help you. I did have a friend who majored in PoliSci and liked it, but I don’t know any specifics. I don’t think there’s an IR major, I think it’s a concentration, but I might be wrong.
and I don’t know anything about transfer admissions, though I would assume than an essay is as important as it would be anywhere else.</p>
<p>Hello! I have a few questions…
- I am from a small town (though I live an hour away from a large city). Did either of you come from a small town/city and, if so, how did you find the transition? New York has tons of opportunities and is a lot of fun to visit, but I don’t know if I’d like “city life” having lived in the country for so long…
- As you can probably tell from my username, I’m interested in English and Creative Writing
Can either of you elaborate on the English program - the courses, the professors, the internship and job opportunities for students and recent grads - and related activities (i.e. the school literary magazine)? - What were your favorite parts about Barnard?
Thank you! This is my first post so I hope I did this correctly…</p>
<p>hi creativewriter12!</p>
<p>I came from a suburb of Washington DC, so I’m afraid I can’t really tackle your first question.</p>
<p>However, two of my very best friends were creative writing majors and one was very involved in Barnard’s literary magazine (which is called Echoes.) So I can help with that! Creative writing is VERY strong at Barnard - we have a lot of very successful alumnae in that area (like Jhumpa Lahiri, Edwidge Danticat, Erica Jong, Ann Brashares and Mary Gordon - who is also a professor at Barnard) and the department itself is made up of amazing faculty, (nearly?) all of whom are published authors. They bring in adjuncts as well who are also published and specialize in different fields. As a rule, the Barnard English department is strong and the professors are great.
Creative writing is a concentration within the English major and you have to apply into it. (Not into the major, into the concentration.) You also have to apply into Barnard’s creative writing classes, by submitting writing samples. My friends didn’t get into every single class that they applied to, but they certainly got into enough and they really enjoyed the classes. They do require a lot of writing, but as that’s something you’re interested in, I’m sure you’d enjoy it!
The literary magazine is great. It’s not that old - I think it was started by somebody who graduated when I was a freshman - but it’s getting bigger every year. It’s entirely student-run, of course, and easy to get involved in. The submission deadlines are heavily advertised so you can easily submit any writing/art that you want to, but you can also get involved, for example, as a copy editor. It seemed to be a really great group of people who were all really committed to the project.</p>
<p>I don’t know if I could choose a favorite part about Barnard…too much to pick from!</p>
<p>do you know of anyone who has gotten a full financial ride to barnard?</p>
<p>Financial aid is need-based only. And I believe that a portion every loan package is almost always in loans. So I am not sure what you mean by “full financial ride”…</p>