Barnard College, a women's college affiliated with Columbia University, is located in New York City's Manhattan borough. Barnard offers students the wide course selection of a large university and extensive resources of a major metropolitan city in the atmosphere of a small liberal arts school. As one of the "Sister Colleges," a group of five top-ranked women's liberal arts colleges, Barnard appeals to independent, accomplished young women who are excited to learn and grow in an environment committed to the success of women in every academic field.

 

What's Barnard College Like?

 

Barnard is a small liberal arts college with 2,400 students. It is an all-women's school and is one of the largest women's colleges in the U.S. Consistently recognized for its challenging academic curriculum and selective admissions policies, Barnard currently ranks 28th on the "U.S. News" list of top national liberal arts colleges. Barnard is one of four undergraduate colleges within Columbia University, an Ivy League school.

 

What's the Barnard College Campus Like?

 

Barnard is located on a four-acre campus in the Morningside Heights area on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The campus is located along Broadway between 116th and 120th Streets and is surrounded by the rest of the Columbia University campus. There are many other colleges in that part of New York, giving the area a university town feel in the middle of a big city.

 

How Is Barnard Related to Columbia University?

 

Barnard was founded in 1889, located next to the already-prestigious Columbia University. At the time, Barnard was one of the few colleges where women could receive a similar education to their male counterparts. When Columbia began admitting women in 1983, there was discussion of merging the two schools, but Barnard has remained an independent entity. It is now one of the four colleges within the Columbia University system. Students interested in the college apply directly to Barnard, but once admitted, they can take courses offered by Columbia.

 

What Is Campus Life Like at Barnard College?

 

While Barnard is a women's college, students are not limited in their social or extracurricular lives. Barnard offers 80 student clubs, and students can enjoy the array of internships art and theater presentations, major league sports, and nightlife available in New York City. In addition, because of the college's location and relationship with Columbia, it is common for students to seek out clubs or sororities at Columbia if they aren't available at Barnard. Barnard students have access to 16 Division I varsity sports teams via Columbia's athletic program; no other small liberal arts school or women's college competes in Division I sports.

 

How Selective Are Admissions at Barnard College?

 

Like other small liberal arts colleges, Barnard employs a holistic method of review when making admissions decisions. This means admissions officers consider everything - high school grades, classes, admissions essays, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, unique perspectives, and talents. Barnard is classified as highly selective for admissions; recently, 20% of applicants were admitted. The middle 50% of admitted students had an unweighted GPA of 3.86 out of 4.0, and they earned SAT scores between 620 and 730 per section or ACT composite scores between 28 and 32.

 

What Are Some of Barnard's Unique Programs?

 

As mentioned above, Barnard students benefit from the close relationship with Columbia University, but there are other college exchange options in the area. For example, Barnard has a lesson exchange option that allows students to take lessons at nearby Manhattan School of Music or The Juilliard School.Another unique program is the Athena Center for Leadership Studies, whose goal is to help promote innovation in leadership among women. (Some Athena workshops and events are open to all students, not just women.) Athena Center programs offer extensive mentoring and enrichment opportunities. The Athena Scholars Program is designed specifically for students: It involves specialized academic courses, a leadership lab where students gain hands-on experience, and a required internship.

 

Most young women won't even consider attending a women's college, but with its strong ties to an Ivy League university and highly ranked academic programs, Barnard is a women's college with more options than many others can offer. The independent-minded, inquisitive, and academically accomplished students at Barnard feel they have the best of all college options.