Prestige of "Seven Sisters"

<p>Sounds like Barnard is Extension school division of Columbia U</p>

<p>Ummm, poxpox, you sound like a previous poster using the same old song but another screen name.</p>

<p>Taking #41 at face value:
It does NOt sound like "Extension school division of Columbia U". It DOES, however sound like an officially unacknowledged separate undergraduate college of Columbia U.</p>

<p>Extension schools are set up for older students, not grads coming straight out of high school. These students take all or the preponderance of their courses at the subject university, not their own college. Frequently they have non-disclosed admission stats. Many of these older students do not fully particpate in undergraduate student campus life, due to their age & life situation if nothing else. Many are going part-time, unlike the more conventional undergrads. And possibly taking more classes at night.</p>

<p>Though they take tons of Columbia courses as well, Barnard College students in fact generally take the majority of their courses at Barnard College. They are admitted typically straight from high school, and their admissions stats and criteria are made available. Evaluated on its own Barnard College is ranked #9 in the nation in LAC selectivity by US News & World Report.</p>

<p>I don't really see much substantive difference between the relationship of Barnard College to Columbia University vs. the relationship of one of Cornell's separate undergraduate colleges, eg its College of Industrial & Labor Relations, to Cornell University. Except in the latter case the university does not seek not to disclaim ownership for stats reporting purposes. In both cases, there are separate admissions with somewhat varying degrees of selectivity due to the specialized nature of the individual colleges. In both cases university life is shared and there is significant cross-registration to an extent that cannot be ignored.</p>

<p>The situation is very similar to Harvard College - Harvard Extension</p>

<p>Harvard Extension students usually omit the word 'Extension' on their resume and on other documents and say ' I got my undergraduate degree from Harvard "</p>

<p>I think Barnard student are doing exactly the same thing. Omiting the word 'Barnard' as much as possible and say 'I got degree from Columbia</p>

<p>In both cases, if a particular university grants you their degree then I think you are sort of obligated to accurately represent that fact. And recipients do have some discretion in how much beyond that they disclose. And many probably do use this to their advantage as they see fit.</p>

<p>In the case of Barnard, my understanding is that most people find advantage, and see fit, to put something like "Columbia University, Barnard College". That's what I myself have seen, when I have reviewed resumes. That would be unlike your description of Harvard Extension, where you allege that virtually every person does not indicate the division. I know from my own participation in hiring that many Barnard graduates do also indicate their particular college of the university that awarded them their degree.</p>

<p>I'm sure some also do not, depending. I bet all Columbia College, GS and SEAS grads do not necessarily add their college affiliation on their resumes either.</p>

<p>I used to wonder why Barnard graduates would put Columbia University on at all, since Barnard is an excellent college in its own right, and something to be proud of in and of itself. It sort of seemed peculiar. Also at that time I presumed it to be more separate from Columbia than I see now that it is. </p>

<p>But now that I've read all this CC stuff and know more about their relation, I see the issue. Their diploma is in actuality awarded by Columbia University, so it seems reasonable that they would have to say that in any event. And Barnard is in reality not independent of Columbia University, it is in reality a subordinate affiliate (read "division') of Columbia.</p>

<p>Harvard Extension probably does not award degrees either, I bet only Harvard University does. So there is some similarity to this limited extent, because in both cases the actual sub-division (or, technically, affiliate)of the university in question does not award their degrees, rather it is the parent university that awards degrees.</p>

<p>It would be wrong, as a matter of technical accuracy, for a Harvard Extension graduate to write AB, Harvard Extension School, or whatever, if in actuality his degree was awarded by Harvard University and Harvard Extension School does not award degrees. I would expect such graduate to write AB Harvard University. I have reviewed one such resume and was able to discern the actual division attended, but don't recall how.</p>

<p>In much the same way, many grads of Cornell's state-contract schools, eg Industrial and Labor Relations, just put "BS. Cornell University". While others choose to go on and say "B.S'. Cornell University, College of Industrial and Labor Relations". It's their choice. I think this situation is actually more analogous. YMMV.</p>

<p>The issue is that Barnard degrees are in fact issued by Columbia University. As long as Columbia is issuing them Columbia University diplomas you can reasonably expect the recipients to say so. Whatever else they say.</p>

<p>Monydad, I strongly suspect (judging from similar sytax and content) that poxpox is in fact a re-invention of a previous poster named "yellowhair". Same old very tired song and not willing to learn anything new...</p>

<p>Barnard Girls are not proud of their school ? Why do they desperately try to include the word 'Columbia' on their record ?</p>

<p>Barnard women are rightfully proud of BOTH the college AND the University that they attend, and all it represents. </p>

<p>The NAME of their college "Barnard College of Columbia University". </p>

<p>Many are proud to participate in and/or support athletic teams fielded by the "Columbia-Barnard Athletic Consortium". </p>

<p>Most are members and active participants of Columbia University clubs and associations. When my daughter and several other Barnard women went to Washington DC two weeks ago to met with congressional staffers, the Columbia Daily Spectator reported the event as "Ten Columbia students lobbied in Washington, D.C on Wednesday in a joint effort with Cornell University" ... even though two of the women quoted in the article attended Barnard; there were no angry letters to the editor protesting the error because there was none: Barnard students are also students of Columbia University just as their colleagues from Cornell probably came from different schools. </p>

<p>If my daughter were not attending Barnard, she would most probably be at Gallatin School of Individualized Studies -- and if she did attend that college and were asked which school she attended, she most likely would respond without hesitation, "NYU". </p>

<p>I do think that it would be nice if things were more clear, and for that reason I wholeheartedly support a name change for Columbia College, which now can easily be confused with similarly named colleges in Missouri, South Carolina, or Chicago. Perhaps it could revert to its historic name, King's College, or perhaps another name could be adopted. In any case, with a different name, the students might gain an appreciation of the difference in meaning between the word "college" and "university", as well as understanding that their college is but one of many colleges and schools that make up the university as a whole.</p>