Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 17:22     Subject: Barnard
Barnard is having financial difficulties. Tread carefully
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 17:05     Subject: Barnard
My DD goes to Columbia College and has taken a number of Barnard courses. She’s really liked every professor and she actually feels like the students there are a little more relaxed about learning and not quite so obsessed with getting an IB or consulting jobs.

She’s trying to convince her younger sister to apply there. Neither of them are lesbians fwiw.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 16:57     Subject: Barnard
Barnard has financial issues. Recently, rules have changed which restrict class registration for Barnard students taking Columbia college courses relating to ones major. This goes beyond core classes. Large and prominent lesbian population, so reputation is pretty accurate. Presence of men at columbia offers hetero women dating/hookup opportunities. Strong activist and judgemental vibe vs open inquiry. Many majors like asian studies and certain stem majors are very small and limited - and rely heavily on Columbia departments. Dance program well regarded. I know a lot of strong Barnard alums, but they all graduated before Columbia College went coed so they had no choice but Barnard. Columbia college first graduating class with women was in 1987, last in the ivy league to admit women. So today, women have a choice between Columbia College and Barnard. Barnard has a low acceptance rates bc it is a self selecting population and gets much fewer apps vs the college. It is a backdoor to columbia for straight women.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 16:41     Subject: Barnard
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Backdoor into Columbia.


OP, please disregard the above quote. It's nonsense. I went to Columbia and I was active in the student body; I had to learn about all the Columbia-Barnard details. Please forgive the length of this post.

Barnard is an independent college that is part of Columbia University. Barnard has its own campus and some of its own faculty. Barnard has its own endowment. Barnard has its own admissions office.

But Barnard cannot appoint tenured faculty, or start (or close) any degree program, without Columbia's approval. Barnard cannot and does not grant degrees - Barnard alums hold Columbia degrees and that's what they are awarded at their commencement. Columbia also names at least one but usually two trustees to Barnard's board. The Barnard-Columbia relationship is written in stone in both Barnard's and Columbia's corporate documents, and Columbia's corporate documents are a New York State law that Columbia can't just change. So Barnard is not some separate or back door to Columbia. Instead, Barnard is a financially independent constituent college of Columbia.

Barnard students can and do participate in an active housing exchange with Columbia (even though they're across the street from each other), and Barnard offers single-sex housing to those who want it. Barnard students can take any course open to Columbia College undergraduates and subject to no special prerequisites. Barnard students can also participate in Columbia extracurriculars and teams. Barnard students can major at Columbia. In terms of being there as a full-time student, there is no real practical difference between Barnard and Columbia unless a Barnard student wants there to be.

Barnard students have average numbers (GPAs, rank, SATs, etc) only slightly and not substantially below Columbia College students - the Barnard numbers are competitive with the Columbia Engineering and GS students, and the Barnard numbers are higher than the Columbia allied institutions that accept undergraduates (like the Manhattan School of Music and the Jewish Theological Seminary).

Barnard is an excellent college. If your DD is academically (very) solid, and very motivated, and has some "X" factor that goes beyond numbers, and would be a good fit in a demanding residential university, then you and she should be commended for thinking about Barnard and asking questions. Anyone should think of his or her DD being admitted to Barnard as an honor and a compliment.

Best of luck.



What a total wind bag. I bet your name is Shelley.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 16:15     Subject: Barnard
Best to ED
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 16:11     Subject: Barnard
It's actually 8 percent.

I graduated from Barnard in the 90s. A great college then and has only gotten better. Barnard women are sharp, savvy, independent, and driven, and well represented in law, sciences, politics, and literature.



Anonymous
Post 12/02/2019 08:07     Subject: Barnard
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Fantastic for a woman who wants to study in NYC. It is extremely (think 10% acceptance rate) competitive to get into. Amazing poli sci, art history, dance programs. Really upping its game in the sciences too. Very urban but the neighborhood is mellower than NYU.


Acceptance rate for Barnard is 16.7% - about the same as Georgetown.


That’s old data. Last year’s acceptance rate was 11.7 per their website: https://barnard.edu/news/barnard-welcomes-class-2023


when an acceptance rate is almost 12% you shouldn't be saying its 10%. Its a huge difference. Huge.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 23:14     Subject: Barnard
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Backdoor into Columbia.


OP, please disregard the above quote. It's nonsense. I went to Columbia and I was active in the student body; I had to learn about all the Columbia-Barnard details. Please forgive the length of this post.

Barnard is an independent college that is part of Columbia University. Barnard has its own campus and some of its own faculty. Barnard has its own endowment. Barnard has its own admissions office.

But Barnard cannot appoint tenured faculty, or start (or close) any degree program, without Columbia's approval. Barnard cannot and does not grant degrees - Barnard alums hold Columbia degrees and that's what they are awarded at their commencement. Columbia also names at least one but usually two trustees to Barnard's board. The Barnard-Columbia relationship is written in stone in both Barnard's and Columbia's corporate documents, and Columbia's corporate documents are a New York State law that Columbia can't just change. So Barnard is not some separate or back door to Columbia. Instead, Barnard is a financially independent constituent college of Columbia.

Barnard students can and do participate in an active housing exchange with Columbia (even though they're across the street from each other), and Barnard offers single-sex housing to those who want it. Barnard students can take any course open to Columbia College undergraduates and subject to no special prerequisites. Barnard students can also participate in Columbia extracurriculars and teams. Barnard students can major at Columbia. In terms of being there as a full-time student, there is no real practical difference between Barnard and Columbia unless a Barnard student wants there to be.

Barnard students have average numbers (GPAs, rank, SATs, etc) only slightly and not substantially below Columbia College students - the Barnard numbers are competitive with the Columbia Engineering and GS students, and the Barnard numbers are higher than the Columbia allied institutions that accept undergraduates (like the Manhattan School of Music and the Jewish Theological Seminary).

Barnard is an excellent college. If your DD is academically (very) solid, and very motivated, and has some "X" factor that goes beyond numbers, and would be a good fit in a demanding residential university, then you and she should be commended for thinking about Barnard and asking questions. Anyone should think of his or her DD being admitted to Barnard as an honor and a compliment.

Best of luck.

Barnard students are not allowed to take the Columbia core classes. Those are restricted to Columbia students only.



Not entirely true any more. Barnard students can take them, but Barnard students take them either as electives, or as Dean-approved subs for Barnard's own, similar core. Somewhat similarly, Columbia SEAS (Fu Foundation) students take only some of the core and have an additional 2 or 3 core-engineering courses.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 22:34     Subject: Barnard
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Columbia University consists of 4 separate schools - Columbia College, Columbia General Studies, Columbia SEAS, and Barnard. Barnard is one of 4 separate (and distinct) colleges that make up Columbia University.


You forgot Fu

(engineering)


Columbia SEAS is otherwise known as The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (popularly known as SEAS or Columbia Engineering.)
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 21:30     Subject: Barnard
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Backdoor into Columbia.


OP, please disregard the above quote. It's nonsense. I went to Columbia and I was active in the student body; I had to learn about all the Columbia-Barnard details. Please forgive the length of this post.

Barnard is an independent college that is part of Columbia University. Barnard has its own campus and some of its own faculty. Barnard has its own endowment. Barnard has its own admissions office.

But Barnard cannot appoint tenured faculty, or start (or close) any degree program, without Columbia's approval. Barnard cannot and does not grant degrees - Barnard alums hold Columbia degrees and that's what they are awarded at their commencement. Columbia also names at least one but usually two trustees to Barnard's board. The Barnard-Columbia relationship is written in stone in both Barnard's and Columbia's corporate documents, and Columbia's corporate documents are a New York State law that Columbia can't just change. So Barnard is not some separate or back door to Columbia. Instead, Barnard is a financially independent constituent college of Columbia.

Barnard students can and do participate in an active housing exchange with Columbia (even though they're across the street from each other), and Barnard offers single-sex housing to those who want it. Barnard students can take any course open to Columbia College undergraduates and subject to no special prerequisites. Barnard students can also participate in Columbia extracurriculars and teams. Barnard students can major at Columbia. In terms of being there as a full-time student, there is no real practical difference between Barnard and Columbia unless a Barnard student wants there to be.

Barnard students have average numbers (GPAs, rank, SATs, etc) only slightly and not substantially below Columbia College students - the Barnard numbers are competitive with the Columbia Engineering and GS students, and the Barnard numbers are higher than the Columbia allied institutions that accept undergraduates (like the Manhattan School of Music and the Jewish Theological Seminary).

Barnard is an excellent college. If your DD is academically (very) solid, and very motivated, and has some "X" factor that goes beyond numbers, and would be a good fit in a demanding residential university, then you and she should be commended for thinking about Barnard and asking questions. Anyone should think of his or her DD being admitted to Barnard as an honor and a compliment.

Best of luck.

Barnard students are not allowed to take the Columbia core classes. Those are restricted to Columbia students only.

Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 21:15     Subject: Barnard
Anonymous wrote:Columbia University consists of 4 separate schools - Columbia College, Columbia General Studies, Columbia SEAS, and Barnard. Barnard is one of 4 separate (and distinct) colleges that make up Columbia University.


You forgot Fu

(engineering)
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 20:46     Subject: Re:Barnard
Anonymous wrote:Op asked about Barnard, not just about its relationship w Columbia


The fact is they are inextricably intertwined - hence PP's very nice and thorough post.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 20:38     Subject: Re:Barnard
Op asked about Barnard, not just about its relationship w Columbia
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 20:29     Subject: Barnard
Columbia University consists of 4 separate schools - Columbia College, Columbia General Studies, Columbia SEAS, and Barnard. Barnard is one of 4 separate (and distinct) colleges that make up Columbia University.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 19:38     Subject: Barnard
Anonymous wrote:Backdoor into Columbia.


OP, please disregard the above quote. It's nonsense. I went to Columbia and I was active in the student body; I had to learn about all the Columbia-Barnard details. Please forgive the length of this post.

Barnard is an independent college that is part of Columbia University. Barnard has its own campus and some of its own faculty. Barnard has its own endowment. Barnard has its own admissions office.

But Barnard cannot appoint tenured faculty, or start (or close) any degree program, without Columbia's approval. Barnard cannot and does not grant degrees - Barnard alums hold Columbia degrees and that's what they are awarded at their commencement. Columbia also names at least one but usually two trustees to Barnard's board. The Barnard-Columbia relationship is written in stone in both Barnard's and Columbia's corporate documents, and Columbia's corporate documents are a New York State law that Columbia can't just change. So Barnard is not some separate or back door to Columbia. Instead, Barnard is a financially independent constituent college of Columbia.

Barnard students can and do participate in an active housing exchange with Columbia (even though they're across the street from each other), and Barnard offers single-sex housing to those who want it. Barnard students can take any course open to Columbia College undergraduates and subject to no special prerequisites. Barnard students can also participate in Columbia extracurriculars and teams. Barnard students can major at Columbia. In terms of being there as a full-time student, there is no real practical difference between Barnard and Columbia unless a Barnard student wants there to be.

Barnard students have average numbers (GPAs, rank, SATs, etc) only slightly and not substantially below Columbia College students - the Barnard numbers are competitive with the Columbia Engineering and GS students, and the Barnard numbers are higher than the Columbia allied institutions that accept undergraduates (like the Manhattan School of Music and the Jewish Theological Seminary).

Barnard is an excellent college. If your DD is academically (very) solid, and very motivated, and has some "X" factor that goes beyond numbers, and would be a good fit in a demanding residential university, then you and she should be commended for thinking about Barnard and asking questions. Anyone should think of his or her DD being admitted to Barnard as an honor and a compliment.

Best of luck.