Barnard College Top Questions

workaholics. but party-aholics, too. the range is huge. the secret is balance.

would appreciate more activism and work from the student body

The student body is extremely diverse in religion, ethnicity, geographical background and educational background. Barnard works hard to create an environment of acceptance. I don't think anyone would feel out of place at Barnard. It is more likely that someone would feel out of place in New York City. Some people show up in sweats every day. Some wear the typical leggings with boots and a skirt or sweater. Some people get dressed up for class every day. There is no expected dress code. Different types of students interact in classes and in the dorms. I think it really depends on your extracurriculars. If you choose to be part of an ethnic or religious group that is congruent with your own religion/ethnicity you will be surrounded by people who are the same as you. If you choose to branch out, there is plenty of opportunity for that. Four tables in the dining hall... breakfast: a table of swimmers who come over after morning practice; a table of girls frantic over their 9 am exam. Well, the dining hall is pretty empty in the morning. The campus is HUGELY politically active. I myself am not a politically oriented person. Had I known about the overwhelming political involvement, it probably would have been on the 'con' side of the list. BUT, now that I'm here, I have learned so much and I am a more educated and cultured person for it. There is a way to be politically aware without being overtly active. Columbia is LIBERAL.

I'm not sure that there is a type of student that would feel out of place at Barnard. From what I have observed, there are many different types of girls at Barnard, allowing everyone to find their place to feel comfortable. Most students seem to be middle or upper middle class, but there are also a lot of students who receive financial aid and participate in work study programs or work on their own, making it difficult for me to judge what backgrounds many of my fellow students are actually from. I would say that most of the population is at least politically informed, and generally speaking the campus is left.

I haven't encountered any racial or religious problems. And most students wear what I like to call the "Barnard Wear". This is the common style of most Barnard students. It is a very comfortable wear that includes tights, ballet flats, and baby doll shirts.

a barnard girl is independent, self-sufficient and driven. Most are from New York and the tri-state area, or california. There are few international students, and it would be nice if this number were raised. They are usually from a very high socio-economic class, which can be intimidating if you are not. But they are not a snobby group at all. Barnard girls can be intimidating in the classroom, as they may be aggressive in seminars.

Barnard is very diverse, although sometimes those diverse groups don't intermingle--although if you get involved in campus life (which you absolutely should) then you will have those experiences. I can't imagine anyone really feeling out of place, although those looking for the sports games every weekend and drinking constantly would not find that at Barnard. Students go out in to the city to socialize, drink, explore, etc. Students do dress up on campus--how you look does matter. Brand names are prevalent, sweatpants and a t-shirt/sweatshirt everyday is not common at all. Half of Barnard's population doesn't apply for financial aid-so yes, many students are well- to do, although there are also many middle class students, and a lesser amount of students from working class backgrounds. Students are definitely politically aware and some are active. Everyone is active in their own interests for sure, whether it be art, finance, business, music, education, scieces, politics, academia, etc. THe food at the dinining hall is good, and progressively getting better. Kosher and Halal are served.

Barnard has a really diverse student body. Again, this is coming from someone who went to a prep school with 90 kids in which I made up one of the 1.5 hispanics in my graduating class, so I'm not sure what other people might think. To me its certainly diverse. People here are from all sorts of racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, and while this may not be Lesbian College as many of my male friends like to imagine, there is certainly a prevalent gay community. The downside is that there arent a lot of boys, seeing as there are barnard girls AND columbia girls on campus. Its not too too hard to meet guys though. Just dont expect to meet tons through your classes. You have to join clubs and put a little more effort into it. There are also a good number of international students here, and I've found that a lot of students are from the New York area.

While Barnard is quite liberal and one of the most welcoming environments I have ever experienced, it is not particularly diverse. Most students are white and middle to upper-class, and a shockingly high proportion are Jewish. (It's rumored to be up to 45{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}.) That said, Barnard does a great job at highlighting different cultures with an active Office of Multicultural Affairs, and blatant prejudice on campus is pretty much non-existent. Students coexist fairly harmoniously even though some races are represented more than others.

i think that there are a lot of different students at barnard. it's great for jewish students, with the Jewish Theological School program, great for Islamic students (being an all girls school with the benefits of a bigger university), great for lower income students (with HEOP, a program for NYC residents), and of course a wide range of other students. the city attracts a certain type of person, and therefore a certain type of student is likely to be found at barnard. a friend of mine once commented that you can see a distinct difference between the girls at barnard from columbia. we dress quirkier, and seem more "hipster". i feel that one a whole, however, different students don't typically interact. i was lucky to be paired with a great roommate with was indian (i am not), so i got to know all her friends and i went with her to a lot of events on campus that i wouldn't normally go to, which was great. even though the website says that more than half of the student body has financial aid, i feel that a lot of students come from rich families. students are politically aware, and most, if not almost all, are liberal (it is ny, after all).