<p>“And, of course, the Trustees could not foresee that New York would once again become a cultural mecca over the next years”</p>
<p>Good point, great leadership has its place for sure but the rise and fall of NYC has a significant tidal effect that is not to be ignored while everyone is patting themselves on the back. The institution that has risen the most in relative selectivity, from when I applied to colleges, is NYU. I don’t think Columbia’s fortunes had much to do with that. The area around Morningside Heights has a different reputation now than it did then, which effects all the schools there. Frankly the extent of Columbia’s rise in selectivity is a two-edged sword for Barnard, I think it may actually deter some applicants at this point. Some people probably would prefer not to share their Spanish class with the charming wifey99999999, et al.</p>