What's with the all women's thing? Unfamiliar with the college, but interested in app

Colleges and Universities A-Z Barnard College
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<p>I want to live in NY and this is the only other college besides NYU that has fairly good sat scores and gpa’s on college board, so people will be at the same level as i am. although im not so sure about going to an “all womens” college. Is there more to it?</p>

<p>I’ve heard u can take classes at Columbia, so u’ll be with guys too.</p>

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<p>It definitely isn’t the only college in NYC that has good SAT scores… there is always Columbia and Cooper Union. Even Fordham isn’t bad. If you’re talking just NY in general, there are plenty of great schools with similar SAT/GPA requirements.</p>

<p>There is SO much to Barnard that I don’t know where to begin. I suggest you visit Barnard first before considering to apply… it’s one of those schools that either is a good fit or will never be a good fit. A lot of being at Barnard has to do with the type of person you are, and how passionate you are about what you love. Scores and GPAs should be one of the last things you consider when you’re thinking about Barnard because more of fitting in at Barnard has to do with your personality. The all women’s college is a definite perk, but because you’re living in NYC and taking classes at Columbia it’s not like you will always be around girls all the time.</p>

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<p>oh i meant that it was the only school that had good sat scores but not over the top. columbia is a bit of a reach for me. i only have an 1800 on my SATs, and my school isn’t really known to send kids anywhere good. Last year, i remember a girl applied to columbia, who was pretty much a top student involved in soo much (at least more than me, even tho i do do a lot), and she got deferred and then rejected.</p>

<p>well…i dont think i can visit it before i apply lol becuz i just came to see NYU in october…and got rejected. but what are some things U like about barnard?</p>

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<p>I’m sorry to hear about NYU :[ Where are you from?</p>

<p>Things I like about Barnard:

  • When I went to visit, the first thing I immediately felt on campus was passion and enthusiasm. It’s a strange thing to feel when you visit a college, but I definitely felt it, especially after talking to so many of the current students while I was there. They were all very driven and motivated to do well in school while also pursuing their individual interests. I met a really dedicated dancer the same day I met a girl who wanted to be an architect since she was six. I could really tell that everyone was passionate about learning for the sake of learning as well. They weren’t all about making the best grades, but more about shaping their lives and perspectives through education. Even though it is closely affiliated with Columbia, I never got that “elitist” vibe from any of the girls I’ve been friends with/met who go to Barnard. I’m sure everywhere you go you’ll meet some person who gives off that aura, but for somewhere so competitive, the girls are pretty humble.
  • In general, I like the all women’s aspect because I’m proud of my perspective and my independence. I feel like a lot of things I understand and feel are shaped by being a woman (like tracing the history of women’s rights, being more sensitive to the needs of others) and knowing how selective Barnard is, I’ll be around girls who are independent, intelligent, and passionate as well.
  • Barnard’s location is GREAT. New York City is my favorite place to be on the east coast. It’s located uptown, so it’s not TOO crazy with traffic and pedestrians at all hours of the night, but the subway because going anywhere in NYC accessible.
  • The campus is very cozy. They are working on a really cool building right now that will have a green room on top of the roof :] The dorms are nice, as are the dance rooms.
  • The “core” of Barnard is called the “Nine Ways of Knowing” and it’s not like a traditional core where they pick out the classes you HAVE to take. It’s really unqiue to each girl and really flexible, so you aren’t stuck fulfilling a requirement with a class you absolutely hate.
  • Being able to go to a small LAC with the resources of a big research university is also a huge plus. You already have to fend for yourself because you live in NYC, but it’s nice to come home to a tight knit community at Barnard, where you are more than just a number or statistic. You get to use a lot of Columbia’s resources, like their libraries and gyms, but you also have some of these resources at Barnard. You can always have a change of study setting if you wanted.
  • The size is great. It’s not too big and not too small, but small enough so every girl can have an advisor that can take the time to know a girl (something you may miss out on if you go to a big university). Even the admissions counselors went over how they reviewed an application–at least twice. They really pick a specific type of person who will fit into their community and thrive at Barnard while also giving back their own unique perspective and experiences. I go to a large public school right now (after ten years of Catholic school) and I know I learn better in a smaller environment. There aren’t as many distractions during class, and smaller class size means that it is easier to have discussions and personally talk to your professors.</p>

<p>Those are just some things that have caught my eye when looking at colleges. I hope this helped! The website is also informative as well.</p>

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<p>Your scores are on the low end for Barnard. I’m always telling people to apply anyway, because my daughter’s scores are low for Barnard, too – but she had about 1950 on her SATs. At Barnard the median 50% of admitted students have scores from about 1900-2200. </p>

<p>But my d. had a very strong GPA and in the top 3 of her graduating class – plus she had some particular qualifications that made Barnard a great fit for her. So without more info, I’d say that Barnard is reach for you. Keep in mind that Barnard is the MOST selective of all the women’s colleges, in terms of number of students admitted, and SAT scores don’t tell you the whole story. </p>

<p>I think you are making a mistake to be so focused on SAT scores. I think Fordham might be a better fit for you – your scores are midrange there – and if you definitely want to be in NY, take a look at Marymount Manhattan Iit might be a safety for you). </p>

<p>I think your statement about “so people will be at the same level” is misguided – college isn’t high school, and even if you enroll at a school where your stats are at the high end, you are likely to find many highly capable students there and you are likely to be challenged. Keep in mind that your high school prep is a factor --from what you say, your high school might be weaker than a lot of the schools other students at private colleges are coming from. So you may find that even at a school where the numbers seem lower, you might have some catching up to do, simply because of the limitations of your high school.</p>

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<p>Umm Barnard is more selective than NYU…
I don’t suggest applying unless you absolutely know why you want to go there. Barnard really values and takes pride in the women’s college experience. If it is a high reach, it might be better to apply BECAUSE it is a women’s college, rather than DESPITE it being one.</p>

<p>But yeah, you should definitely look into Fordham. It has two campuses, one in the city and one that’s more traditional and grassy in the Bronx. If I understand correctly, you can take classes at either campus. I know some very intelligent people who are dreaming of Fordham. Also, universities in general place more emphasis on test scores/numbers than LACs do, if that’s what you’re interested in.</p>

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<p>okay thank u evry1! ive decided that im not going to apply there (i didnt give my teachers the address to send the rec. there anyways) but the all women’s college doesn’t sound to appealing to me. i think id rather be in a co-ed setting, and if i do go to ny, i hope to go to nyu just becuz i visited the place and knew thats where i wanted to be. also, my sat scores dont match up with barnard’s (or nyu’s) but are more in range with nyu’s. despite that, my parents probly wont let me go to new york anyways. maybe it was best that i got rejected from nyu, so i wouldnt have to beg them to let me go. im thinking of just going in-state, actually i know i am, and then transferring hopefully to nyu if i get accepted. is it easier to transfer? (from community or private?)</p>

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<p>If you really want to be in NYC, you could definitely get into Fordham and they might even offer you some money. Going in-state to your public university isn’t a bad idea, just keep your grades up and reapply for Fall 2011. Good luck!</p>

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<p>thanx skittlerose…also for typing that huuge paragraph for me! : ] i appreciate it. it helped me make my decision. Yeah i’m probably just going to stay in california, although it would kind of suck to hope to transfer to nyu and not get in again lol even with A’s and B’s.</p>

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<p>You’re welcome :] </p>

<p>Haha I love California!!! Doing well at any of the UC schools would definitely help with reapplying to NYU. Keep your head up, it’ll all work out.</p>

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<p>lol thanx again. the ppl on nyu’s cc board were definitely not as nice as u. i would say the same thing u did to me, to sum1 else too. but they were all like “ur scores are to low, dont bother. u dont deserve it anyways. ur not gonna get accepted.” : / oh well…yeah im thinkin of loyola marymount in cali or occidental</p>

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<p>My daughter started her search focussing on coed schools and having an open mind about all women’s colleges … and then she visited Barnard and Barnard jumped to the top of her list (she eventually applied ED) … and seeing the community of women was definately a positive for the school (and having men acrosss the street certainly helped).</p>

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<p>babygrl - we were telling the truth. I’m not trying to be rude, you use college confidential as a tool to see where you stand, not for people to feel bad for you or tell you lies. It’s like getting a terrible haircut, don’t expect us to lie and say it looks great. This is college business and we’re not here to flatter you. Your stats were too low for NYU and we were correct, if you had accepted what we told you earlier, you wouldn’t be so disappointed about your rejection.</p>