Barnard College Admission
Barnard College Undergraduate Program
Barnard College Application

The Facts

Barnard College is a fantastic, all female, liberal arts college located in the vibrant city of New York.  Barnard is fairly small, being home to just 2,323 undergraduate students. The school is a big draw for feminists of the past and present, and they have a world-famous Center for Research on Women, which provides the chance to begin or participate activist projects and discuss issues with other women.  Furthermore, the school offers its students a massive amount of internship opportunities in the city: over 2,500 in fact.  The school also networks with other various colleges throughout the city; for example, music majors may qualify for a Masters from Julliard, and Barnard offers B.A. programs in political science and international affairs in conjunction with Columbia.  The school offers over 50 undergraduate majors; some of the most popular choices are psychology, English, economics, political science, and history.

Admission to Barnard is quite competitive, and only the best of the best are admitted.  Last year, over 5,000 women applied for admission, and 1,254 were accepted; of those, 554 students enrolled for the coming Fall semester.  The admitted students had an average combined SAT score ranging from 1280 to an impressive 1430, and an average comprehensive ACT score ranging from 28 to 31.  Over 99% of those admitted were ranked in the top 25% of their high school graduating class with an average high school GPA of 3.86.

Barnard is known for having miniscule classes, and it has an incredible student to faculty ratio of a mere 10:1.  Because the school is so small, it is rare to have any large lecture classes.  Most of the classes at Barnard are held in small discussion group form, with plenty of opportunities for personal teacher-student interaction.  Students are impressed with the lengths professors will go to in order to help their students.  Many teachers give out their personal email addresses and even phone numbers so they will be available whenever a student should require assistance.

The Social Scene

Of course, we all know the wonders of New York City, and the students of Barnard are no exception.  When they are not studying, students take advantage of the amazing offerings the city has, including world-class
museums, performing and fine arts, movie theaters, shops, restaurants, cafes, etc.   Students need not own cars, as the New York subway system is an incredibly efficient means of transportation.

The Barnard campus itself feels like a little European villa.  The university is situated around a courtyard, and most of the dorms are also in this little arena.  Students say the campus is a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the city, but all its pleasures are quickly accessible and at their fingertips.  There is no Greek scene at Barnard, but students don’t seem to mind one bit.  The city is their playground, and even if there were sororities, no one would probably belong to them.

The dating scene at Barnard is only vibrant if you are a lesbian, and for heterosexuals, New York has tons of cute guys for the picking (if they aren’t gay...).

What's Good

“The atmosphere here is one of those great feelings of intellectual camaradery, where everyone loves to sit around and talk about their opinions.  It’s fabulous.”

“The dorms are beautiful, and are a much better alternative to heading out and finding an apartment.”

“New York City is the best place on earth.  Who could ask for a better college town?”

What's Bad

“Not being around guys can be pretty annoying.  Girls can be really catty, and when they are in groups, it’s not a good thing.”

“There are a lot of snooty girls here who are claim to be raging liberals, but are really just as close-minded as everyone they claim to detest.”

“The city is so expensive, and your money is gone in a heartbeat.”

Let the Penn Group help you apply to college.

• View our services
• Send a request now
• Read articles about applying to college