Barnard College's express purpose is to provide an unparalleled education for women. Here women can do or be anything. If you know a Barnard alumna, you know this to be true. A common thread is a fierce ambition to grow with a passion to make the world a better place. To accomplish this lofty goal, we use the tools we have developed and the experiences we have shared to achieve change both within ourselves and the world around us. Many Barnard alumnae have described attending Barnard as a transformative experience.
Program resources dedicated to Access, Opportunity and Success are outlined below.
ACCESS
Equally important to the Barnard mission is access to education. The Office of Admissions partners with college-access organizations nationwide to increase opportunities for the young women of color who show great promise and potential for success. Every Admissions Officer incorporates visits to organizations like these during her recruitment travel. In addition to meeting students who might not have otherwise considered a school like Barnard, we often conduct workshops about selective admissions, financial aid, and essay writing in partnership with these organizations.
Open House Programs
Each October, Barnard hosts two open house programs designed to introduce prospective Barnard students to the richness of opportunity available to our students and to the warmth of our community. Panels, tours, and speakers highlight resources, classes, internships, and experiences which foster growth, guide ambitions, and support students in meeting and surpassing their goals.
Barnard Bound
Also in October, Barnard hosts a program for high school seniors bringing students of color, low-income, and first generation college students, both those who live locally and across the country, to explore Barnard and parts of Manhattan. The program is scheduled as a preview to Open House. Limited travel scholarships are available and students must be nominated by their college advisor or guidance counselor. Email rpalacio@barnard.edu to add your contact information to our Barnard Bound counselor mailing list. Nomination forms are emailed to advisors and counselors in August.
HEOP Counselor/Student Breakfast and HEOP Family Information Session
The Office of Admissions and the HEOP (Higher Education Opportunity Program) Scholars Office host an informational breakfast every October for local high school counselors or college access advisors and their students. Attendees hear about life at Barnard from financial aid officers, HEOP counselors, and current students. College counselors, students, and families are all welcome to attend. (This program is generally held on a weekday morning to encourage counselors to bring interested students.) Detail on the NYS-funded HEOP program can be found here.
In November, students and their families are invited to campus for the HEOP Family Information Session to learn more about the HEOP Scholars Program. Attendees hear from current HEOP students about life at Barnard and get tips on application from admissions and financial aid officers. Tours of campus and question and answer sessions are offered in both English and Spanish. (This program is generally held on a weekend day to encourage more family members and guardians to attend.).
College Planning Day for Juniors
Each spring, we invite students and their parents to visit campus to learn more about not only Barnard, but also how to apply to college in general. College Planning Day is a full-day of workshops, hosted on a weekend, where students will learn about how to write college essays and how to conduct a college search. The program is free and accessible to all students and families. College Planning Day is scheduled for Sunday, April 29, 2012. RSVP information will be posted at the end of March.
Admissions Interviews
Interviews for first-year applicants to Barnard are optional, but may provide an additional opportunity to learn more. On campus interviews may be scheduled for high school seniors only from June through mid-December. For students who may not be able to afford to visit campus and/or may live in areas where we don't currently have alumnae interviewers, we can often accommodate requests via SKYPE or phone.
Undocumented Students
Undocumented students receive the same consideration for admission as any other application for admission to Barnard College. If applying for financial aid, undocumented students follow the same financial aid procedures outlined for international citizens. If admitted, we will follow the same procedures Barnard uses to grant need-based aid to international citizens.
OPPORTUNITY
We are looking for ambitious young women who have the ability, motivation, promise, and seriousness of purpose to take advantage of Barnard’s small learning community, the larger Columbia environment, and New York City’s countless resources. Part of the experience of being a student of Barnard is also being a New Yorker, which is, in and of itself, an incredible learning environment. Coupled with rigorous academics and support from faculty, students have endless opportunities to apply their interests and knowledge in an urban setting that prizes diversity.
We are committed to making Barnard affordable for all families. In fact, more than 50% of our student body receives some form of financial aid. We meet 100% of demonstrated need for all fours years of college, and do so through a combination of grants, federally subsidized and unsubsidized loans, and work-study opportunities. More importantly, admission to Barnard is 100% need-blind for all domestic students and permanent residents. For more detailed information about Financial Aid, please contact our Office of Financial Aid directly or download this financial aid flyer.
In accordance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, by October 29, 2011, each postsecondary institution that participates in Title IV federal student aid programs must post a net price calculator on its website that uses institutional data to provide estimated net price information to current and prospective students and their families based on a student’s individual circumstances. Each college's calculator is designed to reflect the resources and financial aid policies of an individual institution.
The calculator linked above will provide an estimate of what a student and her family may be expected to contribute toward college costs at Barnard. When the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is subtracted from total cost of attendance, the resulting calculation is considered to be a student's demonstrated financial need. It is important to know that the estimator is only as reliable as data submitted. It does not represent a final say in terms of the financial packages students and their families will receive, especially if estimated numbers and actual documentation of income or assets differ.
If you have questions regarding financial aid at Barnard College, please contact our Office of Financial Aid directly at 212-854-2154.
SUCCESS
Barnard is particularly sensitive to concerns about college readiness and success for all students. We understand the importance of persistence, and provide the necessary resources to enable all students to succeed. We also recognize that much of the growth that students will experience over the course of their time at Barnard happens outside of the traditional classroom walls. Our intimate setting reinforces the formal and information support systems designed to enable students to succeed, encourage independent thinking, promote leadership, and enhance students’ academic skills.
The Office of Academic Success and Enrichment Programs (ASEP)
The ASEP office is committed to providing opportunities that will enrich and complement the intellectual life of all students with a particular emphasis on achievement gap issues. Some of the programs under ASEP are:
HEOP/BOP
For a select group of scholars, the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) and the Barnard Opportunity Program (BOP) may offer an additional pathway to admission to Barnard. Students admitted to either HEOP or BOP exhibit the spirit, curiosity, and motivation characteristic of every Barnard student. These scholars have achieved academically, despite financial disadvantage, and are provided with additional services and academic support to nurture their drive and ambition. All students are screened during the application process, and will be contacted by the HEOP Office directly if further information is needed.
CSTEP
The Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) provides academic enrichment and research experience for students who are pursuing professional licensure and/or careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and health related fields. The program, supported by funding of the New York State Legislature, is intended for Barnard College students who identify as African-American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian or Alaskan Native or as financially disadvantaged. The CSTEP program provides services during the academic year and the summer.
If you would like to learn about the other programs under ASEP, please visit our website or contact Michell Tollinchi-Michel, Dean for Academic Success and Enrichment Programs (212-854-2024)
Additional support provided to all students:
Because students are not a number at Barnard, advisors will have read their students’ applications and are ready and available to counsel students on various issues, irrespective of how large or small. Advising also happens in informal ways. Students will have additional faculty, peers, and administrators who advise students in every aspect of their experience. Additionally, the Dean of Studies and Provost's office staff include specialized advising for students interested in pre-med or pre-health, pre-law, pre-business, study abroad, fellowships, and more.
NSOP (New Student Orientation Program)
NSOP is designed to help first year students from all the undergraduate colleges of Columbia find their way around campus, Morningside Heights, New York City, and their new academic lives. Students will be exposed to various topics as they relate to being a student in our community, including learning about resources available and participating in Perspectives of Diversity, a mandatory program for all students. Throughout the course of the week, students have many opportunities to get to know one other, including attending the Student of Color Breakfast, where Barnard students may meet other members of the incoming class who identify as students of color.
At Barnard, we realize that not every student finds it easy to face the academic challenges presented in new or advanced level subjects in college, compared to what they may have taken in high school. For this reason, we provide access to resources such as math help rooms, academic fellows (tutors), as well as writing and speaking fellows. Formal tutoring requests are most popular in math, science, economics, and foreign language courses, but many faculty members also facilitate group study and encourage student attendance at office hours.
Writing Fellows staff the Erica Jong Writing Center, a resource available to all students. Writing fellows are Barnard students specially selected and trained to assist their peers with the writing process. Students don't have to have a full draft of a paper to obtain help. They may bring notes, an outline, or an opening paragraph, and a Writing Fellow can help figure out how to move ideas to the next level. In addition, Writing Fellows are attached to particular writing- intensive courses in a variety of departments.
At Barnard, students are encouraged to find and use their voices. Speaking Fellows help students sharpen their presentation skills and learn to feel comfortable speaking in front of groups. In the initial session, students learn to recognize the dynamics of a presentation environment, including the leadership role of the presenter. They review the fundamentals of presentation-giving, prepare a mock presentation, and then practice engaging an audience, with personalized coaching.
ODS provides support services to students, faculty and staff in order to enable Barnard students with disabilities to become self-sufficient in managing their own accommodations. The staff serves students with visual, mobility and hearing impairments and students with invisible disabilities such as chronic medical conditions, learning disabilities/ADD, psychiatric disabilities and substance use/recovery.
Barnard College is committed to creating an inclusive campus community for all students, inlcuding Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, and Allied students, faculty, staff, and alumnae. A comprehensive list of student groups and resources can be found here.
Office of Diversity Initiatives
The mission of Diversity Initiatives is to promote and support a campus community that embraces its pluralistic identity. The staff seeks to enhance the social and academic experiences of Barnard students by encouraging and empowering them to explore complex issues of social diversity.
Mentorship and Networking Opportunities
Our commitment to Barnard students is for a lifetime. And, our alumnae find that their alma mater continues to serve their needs whether they choose to pursue graduate study, need career change advice, or hope to connect with other Barnard graduates. Alumnae of Color return to Barnard several times a year for dinners, affinity and networking programs, and reunion events.
Alumnae Multicultural Programs
PROFILE OF THE CLASS OF 2015
WHERE STUDENTS ARE FROM
39 states, plus DC and territories
27.6% New York
17.6% Mid-Atlantic
14.7% West
12.1% New England
9.6% South
8.7% Midwest/Southwest
21 countries represented
6.9% international students
2.8% permanent residents
3.1% U.S. citizens living abroad
HOW STUDENTS IDENTIFY THEMSELVES
Asian/Asian American (22.2%)
Hispanic/Latina (10.4%)
Didn't Indicate (3.1%)
African American/Black (8.8%)
Native American (0.3%)
Multiracial/other (0.8%)
Total Students of Color (42.6%)
Caucasian (54.4%)
One of more parent did not attend college or earn a bachelor's degree (25.3%)
OTHER IMPORTANT STATISTICS
FACULTY AND STAFF
65% of faculty are women (compared to 34% on average nationally)
49% of female faculty are tenured
17% of faculty of color are tenured
18% of full-time faculty are minority
7:1 student:faculty ratio (9:1 FTE)
72% of classes enroll 19 or fewer
50% of classes enroll 10-19 students
2% of classes enroll >100 students
0% of classes are taught by graduate students
EDUCATIONAL FINANCING AND RESIDENTIAL LIVING
Percentage of all students receiving financial aid (50%)
Percent receiving 100% of demonstrated need (100%)
Average loan indebtedness of class of 2010 $14,142 (2011, $17,416)
Barnard's share of the financial aid package (per student) $30,646
Average grant for all students (including federal, state, and BC grants) $35,430
Percentage of students living on campus (more than 90% - first years, 98%)
Sophomore retention rate - first years returning (94%)
Graduation rate (4 year - 78%, 6 year - 87%)
NEW YORK CITY
More than 150 languages are spoken in the 5 boroughs
Home to more than 8 million people, nearly 500,000 are college students
Nearly 36 percent of the city's population is foreign born
Contact
Rebeca Gomez Palacio
Associate Director of Admissions
Coordinator of Multicultural Recruitment
rpalacio@barnard.edu
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Partnerships, Memberships, and Affiliations
Wondering how to better connect with Barnard?
Throughout the year, we conduct campus tours and information sessions. If you are interested in a specialized session while visiting our campus or a themed workshop for your organization or school, contact Rebeca Gomez Palacio at rpalacio@barnard.edu to coordinate. Please give us at least 2 months advanced notice so we can plan accordingly.
If you can suggest other ways in which we can partner with your organization or school, please don’t hesitate to email rpalacio@barnard.edu directly.
