Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 22:07     Subject: Disappointed with Barnard
LACs are just much easier than normal colleges. They are meant to be comfortable bubbles that coddle rather than challenge.

Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 22:06     Subject: Disappointed with Barnard
Anonymous wrote:Barnard has never been regarded as a demanding school.

Barnard's prestige stems from its NYC location and from its relationship with Ivy League Columbia University.


Yes, this is definitely at play here. The school isn't as strong as she was led to believe. It's not too late to transfer.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 22:05     Subject: Re:Disappointed with Barnard
Anonymous wrote:Realizing this may not be a popular opinion on this board, but a bit less stress that initial 1st semester may not be a bad thing.


Agree
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 22:03     Subject: Disappointed with Barnard
Anonymous wrote:I don’t really see why this matters. If she wants a demanding education, she can make her schedule as hard as possible taking physics, math, and upper div philosophy seminars. It sounds like Barnard is just easing the adjustment- which is fine.

Most schools aren’t Reed.


Maybe it is just the first semester, in which case I agree that it might be fine and they are just being gentle with these students during the first semester but I'd be annoyed if it continues into next semester. Students can't just decide to take whatever classes they want to increase rigor--they are restricted by what's available and college courses should be demanding across disciplines.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 21:58     Subject: Disappointed with Barnard
1st semester classes at LACs and most schools are transitional and meant to ease you in to the college experience.

Most schools require a freshman writing seminar or something similar. Much of it is meant to get you out of the HS mentality rat race and start to build a critiical thinking mindset which isnt designed to be 'hard' but rather to think a bit more about the way you can think, question and learn a bit more about yourself and the world.

But if you think academics are easy at Barnard, go talk to a 3rd year philosophy major and ask them how easy it is.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 15:34     Subject: Disappointed with Barnard
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote: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.

Which Ivy?

This was answered earlier: Yale.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 15:28     Subject: Disappointed with Barnard
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:One more reason why Columbia > Barnard


They can take the same classes, and are taught by the same professors. What are you talking about?


OP here- Barnard students can't take classes at Columbia freshman year.

FWIW, she took both STEM and non-STEM classes first semester. No talk of transferring--she loves NYC and knows that she can take classes at Columbia starting next year. She was just surprised at being underwhelmed (and this is not a humblebrag- she was a very good student but not tippy top at her public school and her scores were fine but she didn't submit them at the advice of her counselor).


Not an uncommon experience.

Students from one super elite prep boarding school handled the courses so well at Harvard (found the courses easy), that Harvard sent a team to the school to understand why.

Which school? What did they find?
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 15:25     Subject: Disappointed with Barnard
Also which major?
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 15:20     Subject: Disappointed with Barnard
Anonymous wrote: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.

Which Ivy?
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 15:11     Subject: Disappointed with Barnard
I don’t really see why this matters. If she wants a demanding education, she can make her schedule as hard as possible taking physics, math, and upper div philosophy seminars. It sounds like Barnard is just easing the adjustment- which is fine.

Most schools aren’t Reed.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 14:25     Subject: Disappointed with Barnard
Best advice I got which I passed on to my kid is to take easier courses first semester, to make the adjustment easier.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 14:23     Subject: Re:Disappointed with Barnard
Anonymous wrote:Realizing this may not be a popular opinion on this board, but a bit less stress that initial 1st semester may not be a bad thing.



Totally agree with this 1000%!
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 13:10     Subject: Disappointed with Barnard
Anonymous wrote: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?


Well, gender studies tends to be one of the easier majors, so…
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 13:09     Subject: Disappointed with Barnard
Barnard has never been regarded as a demanding school.

Barnard's prestige stems from its NYC location and from its relationship with Ivy League Columbia University.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 12:27     Subject: Re:Disappointed with Barnard
Realizing this may not be a popular opinion on this board, but a bit less stress that initial 1st semester may not be a bad thing.