Disappointed with Barnard
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Anonymous
| My DD is first year at Barnard and, though she loves being in the city, she is finding the classes pretty easy (and she came from a public school with a lot of grade inflation). She expected more rigor/to be challenged more and maybe that's still to come but she's underwhelmed. Anyone else? |
Anonymous
Rule of thumb: The harder it is to get into the easier the grading is. |
Anonymous
| My niece feels the same way. |
Anonymous
| Can you elaborate more on what's too easy or easier in her experience/opinion? We're looking at colleges. |
Anonymous
| Oh well. |
Anonymous
Isn't that a great result? Can't she cross-enroll in classes at Columbia College? Perhaps classes being easy will enable her to take a part-time job or internship in the City? |
Anonymous
Is your DD thinking about transferring? I know how it feels not to be challenged. Swarthmore comes to mind. Reed, Carleton as well but I think Swarthmore may be the best fit for your DD. Also, can she just transfer to Columbia college? |
Anonymous
| One more reason why Columbia > Barnard |
Anonymous
| She has only completed one semester. Too early to tell. Will she be taking high level science or math classes? |
Anonymous
| What a dumb comment. It has been one semester. I would rather that experience than the opposite extreme. You think you are humblebragging about how brilliant she is but you are just making her sound totally un-self aware. Since classes are apparently so easy perhaps she should spend more time socializing and working on her EQ. |
Anonymous
| It’s only been one semester, which means four, maybe five classes. Every semester has a shopping period so she can find the vigorous classes next semester. What classes did she take that she found easy? |
Anonymous
| There are a lot of ways to increase challenge. My kid does this by taking more classes, getting a job or two, taking higher level classes, and adding a second or third major. |
Anonymous
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My child has had the same freshman year experience at an Ivy (not Columbia so I can't speak to it's rigor). Classes are ridiculously easy even as a STEM major and many peers are not doing well in them (grades on tests as low as in the teens). All together a big step down in rigor and peer group from child's private high school. They got a job for 15-20 hours a week to fill the time.
I have no doubt that there are Ivies and other colleges that are still rigorous but many are not. I am not posting this to be a jerk or a snob at all but because it's been really eye opening. |
Anonymous
Please name the Ivy League school that your child is attending. Thanks ! |
Anonymous
| Yale |