Barnard College Top Questions

I came into college knowing that I wanted to be an Economics major. What I didn't expect was that I would end up loving every professor in the Econ deparment. Over my 4 years I took over 10 classes in the Barnard Economics department and came to know all my professors very well. Close enough that I'd discuss their research papers with them during office hours, close enough that they'd invite our class to dinner at their homes, close enough that I could ask them advice about my future and know that they know me well enough for it to be trustworthy. I came into college expecting rigorous academics, I did not expect such personalized care. During my senior year, I was having doubts about whether I was choosing the right career path, and other concerns. I dropped by my advisor's office one afternoon and somehow we got into a discussion about God. Two hours later I left the office more confused than ever, but enlightened. My advisor always said that he loves to leave us more confused than when we entered because being unsure is how we truly learn about ourselves. I've loved having the opportunity to study with the most driven women i've ever met. Imagine taking all the courses you took in high school, history, english, etc... but now question it all from a woman's persepective. This is NOT about the feminist movement, or rewriting a misogynistic history. It IS about questioning the beliefs of the authors of our textbooks and exploring a viewpoint that has been supressed for so long. It is an experience that you cannot get anywhere else.

Barnard has this 9 Ways of Knowing curriculum. In that way, it's learning philosophy is distinct from Columbia's, where they have a strict Core Curriculum. Bnard basically has subject requirements. They've been fairly painless except for the lab science requirement: it is way too much for non-science people. Most people say that and I think it's something the student govt is working on changing. I've liked classes and not liked others - it really depends. I like my major, urban studies, but it's seen some neglect in the past year. There couldn't be a better place to study cities than NYC, though.

Class participation is common. Small classes, definitely have the chance to get to know world class professors. Also, we can take as many columbia classes as we want as columbia students can ours. Our professors also go through the same rigorous tenure process as columbia ones, so we're really getting all the advantages of a huge world class ivy league university but along with a tiny intimate environment dedicated to the advancement of women in the workplace and in the world. The professors care, the classe choices are wide and assorted.

I was really lucky this year. I loved all my classes and professors (except for one crazy French professor...what are you going to do). Most of my classes were pretty small, and the profs knew everyone's name and were extremely approachable. I took one class that had 200+ people in it, which was a little scary at first - but on the first day, the prof gave us his home number and told us to call him anytime. He was an amazing lecturer and it ended up being my favorite course. Students do study a lot. Though there's some grade inflation, academics at Barnard and Columbia tend to be difficult and by and large, students take their studies seriously. That said, we still know how to have fun.

Very good classes, I love my major (American Studies) and all of the classes that i have taken in that area have been great.

All my professors know my name and I find it very easy to approach them to discuss class.

Professor almost always know your name. Classes at Barnard tend to be smaller and more intimate than classes at Columbia (which can run up to 250 people). My favorite class was Intermediate Macroeconomics with Xavier Sala-i-Martin (taught at Columbia) or Money and Banking with PErry Mehrlin (at Barnard). Also, I have loved my Italian classes (with Paola Nastri and Seth Fabian). Severin Fowles is a great professor- he taught Origins of Human Society which fulfilled my cultures of comparison requirement. My least favorite classes were Econometrics (Dennis Kristensen- do not take it if avoidable- difficult and you learn absolutely nothing) and Intermediate Microeconomics (Rama Vasudevan- spelling?- easy but boring and you learn nothing). I am an economics major. To be honest, I think Columbia offers better economics classes and has a better econ department in general, but I have enjoyed most of my econ classes as a whole. One of my favorites, actually, was Economics of Education with Randall Reback. He was a great teacher who cared a lot about his students. Barnard's requirements are wonderful. With the 9 ways of knowing you can basically take anything. Over the course of 4 years, you must take a history class (I took American Civilization since the Civil War), a lit class (Harlem Renaissance literature), cultures of comparison (Origins of Human Society), quantitative reasoning class (basically all my econ classes fulfilled this, but Calc 1 worked), 2 semester science and 2 semester lab (i took astronomy), 4 semester language (italian), visual arts (i took women and film), frosh year seminar, frosh year literature (i took women and culture)...preetty sure that is all, but pretty much you will fulfill these requirements without even trying. Oh, and your major requirements and distributional ones can overlap! Academically, Barnard is wonderful.

Academics is taken very seriously at Barnard and everyone is constantly studying. Of course we all explore the city every so often, but less than one would imagine due to the vast amounts of work we receive. I feel lucky to go here because of some of the really neat courses offered. For example, I took an exhibit design class at the American Museum of Natural History this past semester! Where else but New York?

While most Barnard women take half their classes every semester at Columbia, the general consensus is that Barnard's faculty focus more on teaching and less on their research. This means fewer "superstar" professors, like Jeff Sacks or Alan Brinkley at Columbia, but our faculty are more accessible. Many students develop close relationships with professors. Barnard women are very competitive, less against each other and more against themselves. It can be a problem. Too many girls don't get enough sleep, and have real issues about getting "bad" grades.

I don't see the need of having the english requirement-> USELESS Professors usually know my name which is nice. Students study a good amount. Not much competition. Urban studies is very interesting! Education at Barnard is not geared toward getting a job which is a bit of an issue. The academic requirements are nonsense.

Depending on the class, professors will know your name (usually once you enter more advanced classes as juniors and seniors). Students seem to be studying a lot, but around midterms and finals time, naturally, the most. Most students are competitive, but usually not in a cut-throat way. One can schedule their classes so work takes a back seat to partying, or one can punish themselves with an impossible workload. Professors want you to do well. Class participation is very common. The academic requirements are easy to fulfill. I'd say the education at Barnard is geared for learning for it's own sake and not for getting a job (unless you want to become a teacher and do the education program). Many unique classes are offered, and one can always take advantage of the classes offered at Columbia.

Academics at Barnard are what you make them. I thought I would hate the "9 ways of knowing" core curriculum, but I have actually found I have loved my classes I chose to pick random requirements are the most interesting. I am Pre-Med at the moment which has been really hard, but for most people like me who science doesn't come naturally Pre-Med will be really hard everywhere. I don't like the the Introductory Pre-Med course are huge. I really like the dance department. It might seem unorganized or insanely just straight up odd sometimes, but if you really want to dance and really allow yourself to get into your different teachers' techniques you can really learn a lot. The dance department will give to you as much as you give to it. Its really what you make of it. The student run shows like Orchesis, and CoLAB are fantastic.

Yes, professors know my name. And i've only had one bad professor. I've learned so much and evolved in more than one ways because of my classes. Culpa helps.

I much prefer classes at Barnard to classes at Columbia. I'm not a big fan of the Nine Ways of knowing but I heard that they are decreasing it next year. The professors are all great and you know that you are going to get a good degree when you come here. I prefer seminars to lectures because I don't like big classes, but that's just me. I don't really feel a competitive vibe as of now.

The academic experience at Barnard is wonderful. In smaller classes, professors make an effort to know your name and to get to know you as a person. Participation is a huge part of most classes. I had the opportunity to form friendships with a few professors and advisors. Barnard's academic requirements make is imperative that you have a well rounded liberal arts education. You are required to take a certain number of classes in each of nine different discipline, but there are no "required" courses as there often are at larger universities such as Columbia.

Each professor becomes someone that know. The classes are mostly small and hte largest are lecture classes but even then you do not feel lost or forgotten. There are always office hours and chances to meet your professor face to face. The relationship with the professor's here at Barnard are what makes this school exceptional. There are also veryl commonly seminar classes which allow each student the opportunity to share their opinions and to speak their mind. These classes are very personal and you grow to love the girls in the class along with the professors. The students who attend Barnard are all here to learn. Though people party and go out to have a good time and take away stress, people are always studying and working as you must remember the future leaders of the country in every field imaginable are studying within these campus gates. There are academic requirements and although sometimes seem unnecessary and difficult to fulfill, can be. Each student is given an advisor who knows them by name and help you each year figure out your schedule and your future plans in the school. They are always there for you and helpful. Every student choses for themselves how they will take their classes and how they do in their classes. School is hard and students are asked for a lot of work and dedication but when you love the class you are taking be it Organic Chemistry, American History, or French you will do what you can to do well. Some people go through college with a job in mind but that is their choice, others take their time finding a major and dabble in multiple areas of interest. Whatever you decide to do is good for it is your learning experience.

Many classes are very small-- my largest (academic) class at Barnard this semester had nine students!-- and the professors are excellent. However, classes are easy, expectations are low and good grades are often undeserved. There's little emphasis on learning and analysis and applying knowledge to the world. I say this particularly in comparison to my first two years at a different liberal arts college.

Academics are amazing here at Barnard. I am taking 10 classes this semester, which is a bit unheard of for anyone, and i only have one class that is bigger than 20 people. And most of them are less than 10. Which means you get a lot of individual attention. The conversations always carry on outside of the classroom. In my Oral french class, when we see each other outside of class, we automatically start talking to each other in French, and from all of the seminar classes, its impossible to leave the class without having something to talk about with a friend! The professors here are incredibly thought provoking and encourage discussion which can sometimes lead to very interesting conversations at late night in Hewitt dining hall with your friends. Students here are very competitive, and really sleep for the amount of studying they do. A lot of people I know hole up in their rooms studying all day. But that's certainly not everyone! Barnard's academic requirements are nothing to complain about. When you even think complaining thoughts about having to take some required class, you remind yourself that you have it much better than your columbia friends and their core! Barnard also accepts a lot of AP or IB credit, which helps a lot with the requirements.

My classes at Barnard have mostly been small-ish seminar classes with about 30 people. On the whole my courses have been challenging and very rewarding, but one thing I've noticed about Barnard students is that they're sometimes shy about speaking up in class. This varies hugely, of course, but I have been disappointed sometimes with the lack of class discussion. On the other hand, this means that very few Barnard students are the kind of pretentious know-it-alls who just like to hear themselves speak and quote Foucault five times in one sentence (there are a fair number of these across the street). But just because Barnard students aren't jumping out of their seats to participate in discussion doesn't mean they're not paying attention: on the whole students here study A LOT. We take academics seriously, because believe it or not most of us aren't here to find a husband at Columbia. We're here to learn from some of the most brilliant and accomplished scholars in the world.

Very helpful in getting advice and internships