Barnard College

Barnard College Introduction

With applications soaring and physical plant renovations springing up all over the place, Barnard College is moving and shaking in all sorts of ways. President Judith Shapiro is spear- heading a major campaign for “Barnard of Tomorrow,” the benefits of which are already being felt on campus.

Recently, the greenhouse, gymnasium, and major lecture halls were refurbished and upgraded, student computer consultants are available around the clock in each residence hall, and Elie Wiesel and alumna Suzanne Vega (among others) appeared before large and enthusiastic audiences. Not bad for a college whose mission is to educate and support the growth of some 2,300 students, all of whom are motivated and talented, all of whom are women.

Paradoxically, it is easy to forget that Barnard is a women’s college, what with the intellectual excitement and the variety of activity on the campus. Barnard’s unique relationship with Columbia University means that Barnard’s women have access to a coed experience at all times, but on their own terms. It also means that the Barnard faculty and administration have as their main focus and attention the female Barnard student body, not the coed masses across the street (literally—Columbia’s campus is just on the east side of Broadway). Therefore, the Barnard student is taught by faculty members rather than teaching assistants. These scholars are experts in their fields and have immeasurable resources that they share with their students. Or, as one young alumna put it:

As a graduate student at [Ivy League School X], I advised undergrads on their senior theses. I tried to be helpful, but I only know so much. My thesis advisor at Barnard was the chair of her department, a wealth of information, and an all-around inspiration.

Add to this wonderful mixture Barnard’s New York City location—now considered the safest major city in America by the FBI—and one begins to see what all the fuss is about. A stroll down Broadway, a bus ride uptown, or a subway trip to Greenwich Village enables students to experiment in the most diverse cultural laboratory this side of the United Nations (where students regularly intern). The glamor of Fifth Avenue and the glitter of Broadway are equally accessible. And, as in any urban setting, opportunities abound to make a difference in the community: Barnard women serve as legal advocates to the homeless, tutors in the America Reads program, and providers of hot meals through the Community Lunch Program. So nice they named it twice, New York is a great college town.

Barnard’s unique position as a small independent college for women closely linked to a first-rate research university and located in one of the world’s major cities offers an extraordinary and unparalleled opportunity for those young women smart and savvy enough to avail themselves of it. The internship possibilities and cultural offerings of New York City are second to none, and the intimacy of the Barnard campus and student body provides a perfect home base from which to explore Manhattan. It is a literal and metaphorical oasis, a place where students can relax and learn to express themselves more and more fully.

Often described as “the best of both worlds,” Barnard students have the advantages of a women’s college—its nurturing and inspiring faculty, the sisterhood that stems from a unity of purpose in studying the liberal arts—while at the same time having full access to the facilities, activities, and social life of a large, coed, multipurpose university. Columbia provides research facilities, graduate programs, and a diversity of talents and backgrounds that no other small college can offer.

A recent article in Town and Countrymagazine featured women from the colleges still affiliated by their Seven Sister history. The interviewer asked a Barnard senior which one part of her education she would use most if she were stranded on a desert island. The student’s response?

Barnard does not educate women to live on desolate islands. Barnard educates women to make a real difference in the real world.

As this particular alumna now holds a master’s degree in Public Policy and is currently spending a year in China as a Luce Fellow, she is certainly living up to the ideal she expressed.

Whether your interests lie in the humanities, the social and natural sciences, or the arts, Barnard College offers a fertile training ground for young minds and ideas. If the current generation has been described as apathetic, you’d never know it by meeting Barnard students or visiting the campus. The intellectual debates that begin in the classroom and extend into a dining hall or dorm room are reflective of the involvement and curiosity of the student body. Close academic relationships with faculty and peers, and a supportive environment that actively and tacitly provides a foundation for the intellectual and social development of an extraordinary group of young women makes for a wonderful home base from which to explore Columbia University, Morningside Heights, New York City, and the world. Small wonder it is experiencing such a surge in interest and excitement!

Barnard College Academics

The admissions staff brings in class after class of students who dive into the curriculum. Graduation requirements ensure that a Barnard degree means something; all students must be competent in writing, quantitative reasoning, and in a foreign language. Beyond the depth provided by a major field (from which there are about sixty to choose, or students may combine or design their own), distribution requirements guarantee exposure to the humanities, social and natural sciences, visual and performing arts as well as to a variety of cultures and societies. Several of the requirements overlap, however, and students always have a choice as to how to fulfill them. Although all students must take First-Year English, there are several topical areas from which to choose (American Identities and Writing Women’s Lives are two of them). Its companion course, First-Year Seminar, is taught by faculty from all departments, allowing every first-year student the opportunity to discuss and write about subjects ranging from The Woman Warrior to The Psychology of Communication and from The Existence of Evil to The Crisis of Authority. Both of these courses are limited in size to promote active participation, lively discussion, and plenty of personal attention from the professors.

Barnard College Unique Programs

Dance, theater, and musical productions abound. From improv comedy to a cappella singing, Barnard women regularly appear on stage. Two annual events are Acapellooza, an a cappellajamboree hosted by Barnard’s own Bacchantae, which features groups from the university and selected others and results in a professional-quality CD, and Broadway Tonight, a benefit performance of Broadway selections that teams up Barnard students with professionals from the Great White Way. Off stage, students provide technical support and packed houses. This is one talented group of students, and a group appreciative of the efforts of their peers.

Barnard College Admissions

Barnard is, quite simply, “hot,” which is both exciting and daunting. Everybody and her sister seems to be applying, creating a stir among prospective students and the admissions staff. In recent years, the college has barely utilized its waiting list, indicating that the “yield” of students initially offered admission has gotten to a point where the ideal number of new students can be attained in one fell swoop. Barnard’s applicant pool has increased by 162% or 2.6 times larger than in 1991, making it the most sought-after women’s college in America.

Getting into Barnard isn’t all that easy, but there is no single criterion a student can point and know, “THIS is the reason I was admitted.” The application process is the usual, including personal data, high school transcripts, official copies of standardized test scores (either the ACT or the SAT plus two SAT Subject tests, and three recommendations—one from a principal or counselor and two from teachers (preferably in academic subject areas). To apply to Barnard, students must submit the Common Application in addition to the Barnard College supplement. If Barnard is the student’s first choice, she may apply for Early Decision (ED); the deadline is November 15. Applicants may be deferred to the general application pool if they are denied admission. The regular deadline for application is January 1.

The admissions staff at Barnard works hard to make sure that each student offered admission will thrive in her own way. The ideal applicant to Barnard has a solid record, pursues diverse interests, and shows promise that she will take advantage of the breadth and depth of experiences the college and New York City will offer her.

The High School Record

The high school record is the single most important part of the application. While overall achievement (that is, high grades) is important, the admissions staff makes it very clear that they care about a student’s demonstrated effort to challenge herself in the classroom. This means an A in a less rigorous class doesn’t mean as much as a B+ in one that is more rigorous. In addition, course availability is taken into consideration. For instance, if a particular high school offers twenty-five ways to exceed the minimum graduation requirements, and an applicant avails herself of only one or two, she doesn’t seem to indicate that she’d take advantage of the thousands of opportunities that await her upon matriculation at Barnard. On the other hand, an applicant taking the only two AP courses available at her high school can’t be expected to do any more, but those courses are important measures of her success. In addition, because the college expects students to study a broad range of subjects, evidence of that interest—four years of English, social studies, and math and at least three years of science and foreign language—is very important.

Other Criteria That is not to say that the Barnard experience is solely an academic one! The college takes pride in the amazing collective talent of its actors and athletes, debaters and dancers. Indeed, its strength comes from its unparalleled diversity—students hail from forty-eight states and forty countries, from around the corner and around the world. One in three Barnard students identifies herself as Asian American, African American/Black, Latina, or Native American. Participation and leadership in extracurricular activities—clubs, teams, youth groups, or community service opportunities—are part of the admissions picture. Holding down a part-time job is also considered in this category, as some high school students are active contributors to their family’s overall earnings. Multiyear commitment to an activity is always a plus; it shows your ability to stay with something for longer than it takes to get your picture taken for the yearbook. A liberal arts college wants to educate students to be good citizens, not simply good scholars. Participation in the community, which often translates into activity and volunteer participation, is a reality at Barnard, a positive reality.

Standardized Tests and the Essay

Now, about those pesky standardized tests. They are required, they count for something, and it’s a good idea to do your best on them. They are the one measure that can be used to compare students no matter where they’re from. That said, as the official admissions materials state, “no preconceived profile of an ideal student population limits the number of applicants accepted from any one group.” So when it’s time to fill out the personal part of the application, students should feel free to show some personality and let their individual quirks and interests peek through. The essays are a student’s golden opportunity to express herself, her views, and her goals—and not knowing exactly what to do with one’s life is a terrific place to start as a Barnard first-year student!

Barnard College Financial Aid

Private colleges are expensive. Barnard’s tuition falls in line with its peer institutions, but that doesn’t make the bill much easier to swallow. Unlike many schools, however, Barnard admits students on a need-blind basis, meaning that students are admitted regardless of their ability to pay. Moreover, they are met with a full-need financial aid package in keeping with the federal government’s formulas—once the Financial Aid Office has calculated the amount that a student and her family are able to contribute, it offers a package to make up the difference. Approximately fifty-three percent of the student body receives some form of financial assistance.

Generally speaking, this package has three parts. First, all students are expected to borrow money, but Barnard does not expect both the student and her parents to take out loans. Next, students are asked to work during the school year to contribute to their own education, with work-study awards focused on first-year and sophomore students in particular to assist in their getting to know the campus and its functionings; upperclass students are encouraged to find off-campus jobs relating to their majors or career interests. Summer earnings are also expected after the first year. Finally, the college provides grants—funds that need not be repaid—to bridge the gap. Forty-one percent of the student body receives grant monies from Barnard.

New York state residents who meet certain financial and academic criteria may apply as Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) students. This program, sponsored by New York State but largely funded by the college itself, provides intensive preenrollment preparation for Barnard academics as well as special counseling and support during all four years. About twenty-five students are admitted each year under the HEOP program and their graduation rate is on par with the overall Barnard student population.

Barnard College Students

The past president of Barnard College, alumna Ellen Futter, often characterized Barnard by saying, “This is not a cloistered enclave,” thus coining a slogan for the ages. While students find campus activities galore, they have never-ending access to the unquantifiable offerings of what is arguably the world’s greatest city; moreover, the college tries to make the city’s offerings affordable for the usually cash-strapped undergrad. Discount vouchers to firstrun films and the performing arts supplement the popular Urban New York program, which takes students to events such as Wicked on Broadway, opening day at Yankee Stadium, the New York Philharmonic, and even the circus, all for the price of the subway ($4.00 round-trip). Each trip is escorted by a member of the college or university faculty or administration, providing an extra opportunity to get to know a key member of the community in a relaxed, sometimes unconventional, setting.

Most students worry, to some degree or other, about making friends in college. If they can be generalized in any way, Barnard friendships are built to last. That said, the need for privacy inherent in living in New York City means that personal space is valued and respected. People don’t run right up to you to get to know you here, but don’t mistake that for unfriendliness. Attend any club meeting, event, or party and you’re sure to make a new acquaintance. Whether it’s the woman in your sponsor group during orientation, the friend of a friend from high school or summer camp who lives down the hall, or the person who wants to have coffee after orchestra practice, student life lends itself to the friendship-making process.

Housing

Barnard’s residential focus means a great deal of programming takes place in the dorms. First-year students are clustered together in the quad, a grouping of (surprise!) four halls that situated on the south end of the main campus houses a total of about 900 students. The main dining room is located here, in Hewitt Hall, and the Quad Café is open late into the evening for that much-needed burst of energy courtesy of Starbucks Coffee. Beyond the quad, which primarily features the traditional corridor style of dormitory living, upper-class students live in suites of various configurations in seven other residence halls surrounding the main campus. In every hall, Resident Assistants (RAs) sponsor floor programs and study breaks to foster social connections; movie nights and guest appearances by various peer education groups and speakers offer something for just about everyone. After the first year, students select their own living space through a lottery process. In addition, they may enter the lottery in groups, sometimes with their Columbia friends, for suite living on either campus. Another more competitive option is to participate in Special Interest Housing, meaning that students come together around a theme such as Community Service, Foreign Language, or Environmental Awareness, and sponsor programs in their residence hall for everyone’s benefit. The Housing Office offers forums early in the spring semester to help explain the various options.

Outside Groups

The amount and quality of activity sponsored by and for the college is inspiring. While the faculty and administration present lectures and readings by prominent and emerging scholars and artists, students themselves create and invite a great deal of programming. Thus, you’re likely to find both a classical musical recital and a concert by an alternative band, with a Barnard Bulletin(a news weekly) reporter on hand to interview the talent and audience as well. Barnard’s radio station, WBAR, broadcasts a college/alternative format and there are traditional activities such as the yearbook and student government (called SGA), which is responsible for the eighty or so student organizations. Cultural organizations and various other community groups come under SGA’s umbrella. That said, there are at least as many groups at Columbia, giving Barnard students the opportunity to work on a daily paper (the Spectator) or a jazz-oriented radio station (WKCR), to get involved in religious, volunteer, and political organizations (most of which are jointly sponsored by Barnard, but whose offices are physically located on the Columbia campus), and clubs galore.

The Greeks

The Greek system, including both sororities and coed fraternities, is open to Barnard students who want to experience more “traditional” collegiate life. Those who take part in them tend to rave about their experiences; however, the SGA constitution prohibits groups that limit their membership and therefore does not recognize the Greek system. There’s hardly a more concrete example of how student life at Barnard offers something for everyone!

Barnard College Athletics

Those who prefer their thrills on a court, arena, or stadium can participate on a number of levels. Barnard varsity athletes compete in Division I archery, basketball, soccer, field hockey, crew, tennis, lacrosse, cross-country, track and field, swimming and diving, softball, fencing, golf, and volleyball as part of the athletic consortium with their counterparts from Columbia College and the School of Engineering. We’re talking Ivy League here—no athletic scholarships, just sheer love of the game. Club sports such as Ultimate Frisbee, sailing, and rugby offer unique opportunities for intercollegiate competition and comraderie. Intramurals provide a great way to let loose, either in soccer, basketball, or even bowling (at Barnard’s on-campus alley). Finally, many students work out on their own or with friends by running in Riverside Park, taking a student-led aerobics class, or swimming a few laps in the Barnard pool. While obviously not an outdoorsy, let’s-go-skiing-this-afternoon campus, Barnard students enjoy breaking a good sweat.

Barnard College Local Community

And, all right, let’s not forget Barnard’s location. From poetry readings to film screenings, cafés and restaurants to galleries and museums, concert halls to night clubs, this is the city that never sleeps and always has something to offer. Parades, street fairs, festivals, and impromptu concerts are year-round occurrences. Professional sports teams have crosstown rivals, bookstores have cappuccino, and there’s nothing quite like a trip to Central Park, whether it’s for a visit to the zoo, rollerblading around the Loop, or iceskating at Wollman Rink. Even the lifelong New Yorker will find herself traveling to new places and trying new foods with her Barnard friends—and a welcome number of area restaurants deliver to the residence halls for snacking on sushi, tandoori, pizza, lo mein, or simply a nice deli sandwich.

Barnard College Alumni

Barnard women are staunch and loyal supporters of their alma mater, leading to an “old-girl” network that spans the country and the world. Organized Barnard Clubs in many regions sponsor faculty lectures and receptions for admitted students, but even more prevalent is the individual connection—the women who make themselves available to assist current students and fellow alumnae through informational interviews, internships, job contacts, and relocation support.

Several times a year, alumnae appear on panels to discuss their career paths, in fields ranging from psychology to law, from education to arts management. The BEST program, sponsored by the Career Development Office, not only organizes these panels and helps seniors with résumé and interview tips, but also offers workshops on building a business wardrobe, following proper etiquette at business meals, and even how to find a New York City apartment.

Thanks especially to the high standards and personal encouragement of the faculty, Barnard is one of the leading producers of Ph.D.s in the country. The most recent study of private undergraduate colleges and universities (done by Franklin and Marshall College for the period between 1920 and 1995) ranked Barnard third overall—second in the fields of psychology and foreign languages, third in anthropology and sociology, and fourth in English—in the number of its graduates receiving PhD.s. Not women graduates, all graduates. In terms of medical doctors, Barnard ranks fifth in the country in the number of women who become physicians, behind much larger institutions such as Cornell, Harvard, Stanford, and the University of Michigan. While no studies have been done on the field of law, Barnard boasts a remarkable array of graduates who go on to become lawyers and judges.

Prominent Grads

• Helene Gayle, Assistant Surgeon General of the United States
• Zora Neale Hurston, Author
• Atoosa Rubenstein, Editor-in-Chief, Seventeen Magazine
• Jeane Kirkpatrick, United Nations Ambassador
• Margaret Mead, Anthropologist
• Joan Rivers, Comedienne
• Martha Stewart, Author,Television Personality
• Twyla Tharp, Choreographer
• Suzanne Vega, Singer, Songwriter

A recent graduate who is currently earning her Master’s in International Affairs at Columbia recently said, “At Barnard, I learned I could do anything!” and this sentiment seems to echo through the generations. Barnard alumnae have authored more than 4,100 books and such best-selling novelists as Erica Jong, Mary Gordon, and Edwidge Danticat are among the ranks. In journalism, eight Barnard alumnae have won or shared the Pulitzer Prize, including Anna Quindlen and Natalie Angier at The New York Times, Eileen McNamara at the Boston Globe, and most recently, Jhumpa Lahiri for her book, Interpreter of Maladies. In broadcast news, Cable News Network’s Maria Hinojosa and National Public Radio’s Susan Stamberg are prominent contributors to their fields.

Former Dean of the College Virginia Gildersleeve helped to charter the United Nations; alumnae Jeane Kirkpatrick and Sylvan Foa became its first female ambassador for the United States and its first female spokesperson, respectively. While their names may be less recognizable, the women who lead Rockefeller and Company and the Ford modeling agency, the presidents of Bank Street College and the American Museum of Natural History, and one of the founders of the National Organization for Women all graduated from Barnard. But whether they have made big names for themselves or have pursued goals more privately, Barnard women make a difference in the world, an aspiration inculcated in them during their years on campus.

Barnard College Faculty

Again and again, Barnard students and alumnae praise their academic experiences at the college.

Faculty members are great. They provide so much encouragement, are more than willing to provide a recommendation or just some encouragement and ideas. One history professor even helped me get my first real apartment!

This kind of testimonial is available from virtually every Barnard student. Their close and productive relationships with the highly acclaimed Barnard faculty make Barnard a singular institution. Barnard students frequently collaborate with faculty as research assistants, so it is not unusual to hear a senior describe her work with an anthropology professor, or a junior discuss her experiences in the biology laboratory. Not long ago, a Barnard first-year student was asked to spend a semester at an astronomy station on Nantucket Island, where the other participants in the program were all graduate students.

During their first two years, Barnard students receive counseling from members of the faculty and the Dean of Studies Office.

My advisor helped me figure out what courses would be most useful to me in choosing a major and at the same time satisfying my general requirements. He also suggested I become a calculus tutor and helped me secure a summer internship at CBS news.

Advisors are well versed in Barnard’s policies and regulations, working closely with the Deans’ Office and the Registrar to ensure that all students are on the right track for graduation. At the end of the student’s second year, advisors are prepared to assist with the transition into the major. From then on, students are advised by a faculty member in their major department; a double major will have two advisors. Students can decide whether they want to establish a close relationship with their advisors or keep it strictly business. Advisors are prepared to provide the necessary and required parts of the job, but they have chosen this role because they want to be available to students in a more personal way. It is therefore not unusual for an advisor to write graduate school or other critical recommendations for students they never actually taught, but who they have come to know well over the course of several years together.

Partnership with Columbia

Barnard’s partnership with Columbia means that the curricular offerings of one of the country’s top research universities are available for the asking; courses in all departments are available for cross-registration. About equal numbers of Barnard and Columbia students do this, indicating a true academic parity between the two schools. Some celebrated professors have become major attractions; for example, Barnard’s Richard Pious and Dennis Dalton are quite sought after, both as noted scholars in their fields (the American presidency and Gandhi, respectively) and as regular teachers of first-year students in introductory courses. Barnard students especially join their Columbia counterparts in courses taught by luminaries such as Robert Thurman in religion. While some departments are particularly focused on one campus or the other (theater at Barnard, for example, or computer science at Columbia), the offerings by popular departments such as English, history, and political science amount to nearly twice the number of courses as would be available otherwise. In every case, academic advisors can help students make informed choices about their course selection.

Senior Theses or Projects

Each Barnard student’s academic endeavors are capped off by a significant culminating experience, which comes in the form of a senior thesis, project, or exam in her major. Preparing for and completing this terminal work presents true challenges, but that’s part of the Barnard way. It understandably unifies the class; the buzz of activity in the library, labs, and studios keeps the midnight oil burning senior year. The idea is that if a student can succeed in such a project, she can do it in just about any field she chooses after Barnard. All things being equal, an art history major could just as easily land a financial services job as an economics major; they both certainly have the verbal, research, and critical thinking skills such a position might require.

Joint Programs

Other academic attractions include joint programs with the Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music, the Jewish Theological Seminary, and various graduate and professional schools of Columbia University such as the School of Engineering, the School of International and Public Affairs, the Law School, and the Dental School. While entrance into these programs is quite limited and often extremely competitive, the students who participate in them not only benefit themselves, but they contribute an extra degree of depth and diversity to their Barnard classrooms.

Exchange and Overseas Programs

About thirty percent of Barnard’s graduates participated in study abroad, whether it wasfor a semester or two. Barnard’s official exchange programs in the United States include Spelman College and the Columbia University-Howard University Exchange Program, while overseas programs are located in more than thirty-five countries, including Argentina, Australia, Cuba, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Russia, and Spain. These programs are structured so that, for example, students may bring their financial aid packages with them; however, Barnard students’ diverse interests take them to such far-flung places as Russia, Israel, the Cameroons, Nicaragua, and Australia. The world, as they say, is their oyster. The Dean of Study Abroad meets with students individually and in groups, providing information and guidance before and after the experience.

After spending the spring term at the London School of Economics, I was feeling rather “out of the loop” at Barnard. When I attended Dean Szell’s special meeting in the fall, my advisor helped me realize that I wasn’t the only one feel- ing this way.

These kinds of touches mark the Barnard experience from start to finish. Whether it’s the personal letter sent by the first-year class dean upon matriculation or the handshake from the college’s president at graduation, the Barnard faculty and administration make a concerted effort to ensure that each student’s experience at Barnard is individual and special.

Carnegie Foundation Classification

Baccalaureate Colleges — Arts & Sciences

General Characteristics

Highest offering	Bachelor's degree
Calendar System	Semester
Years of college work required	N/A
Variable Tuition

Special Learning Opportunities

Distance Learning
ROTC — Army / Navy / Air Force	— / /
Study Abroad
Weekend College
Teacher Certification