Former US ambassador to the UN Jeane Kirkpatrick, founder of one of the world's leading model agencies, Ford Models, Eileen Ford, and award-winning director Greta Gerwig. What do these prominent women have in common? They graduated from
Barnard College, the private liberal arts women's college in New York City. Since it was founded in 1889, it has stood at the forefront of women's education, becoming a valued feminist institution over time. Today, with its partnership with Columbia University, it continues to provide high-quality education to all women, regardless of their background and walk of life.
Source: Barnard College Facebook Page
History of Barnard College
If there's one thing to thank for the institution of Barnard College, it's Columbia University, specifically Columbia College. Since it was founded in 1754, Columbia College only admitted men as undergraduate students. As a response, Barnard College was established in 1889 to serve as an academic institution for women. Starting with only 36 students taking classes in a rented brownstone on Madison Avenue in
New York City, it didn't take long for the school to grow bigger and bigger, eventually becoming the legitimate and prestigious college it is today. It was also named after Frederick Augustus Porter Barnard, who served as Columbia's president for over 20 years and was one of the first advocates for co-education between the sexes.
What Does Barnard College Look Like?
While it's no longer on Madison Avenue, Barnard College has remained in Manhattan. Today, its campus is in Morningside Heights, one of the lesser-known
neighborhoods in New York City. Since it's technically part of Columbia University, the college is also part and close to various parts of the university campus. Barnard College students are even allowed access to Columbia's libraries. Nevertheless, the school itself is pretty distinct from the rest of the institution. There's the grand Milbank Hall, for example, which is famous for having served as a central point in American feminism and education.
Source: Barnard College Facebook Page
The Barnard College Student Body
Unsurprisingly, Barnard College has a small student body. It only welcomes around 3,500 enrollees per year, including both new applicants and returning students who have yet to graduate. Since the school only offers Bachelor's Degree programs, all of its students are also undergraduates, making it a fairly young student body too. At the same time, the college has retained its status as a women's college, which also means that its students are all women. It's worth noting that the school now accepts trans women too, further proving its devotion to liberal ideologies.
Barnard College's Best Programs and Courses
While Barnard College is best known as a liberal arts school, it's worth mentioning that its departments and programs extend beyond that. The school also offers Bachelor's Degrees in Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Studies, and Economics. Nevertheless, humanities and liberal arts remain at the forefront of this respected institution. Many of its most notable graduates are now known as famous actresses, respected authors, influential media personalities, and the like. Hence, its more artistic-leaning programs—e.g. Film Studies, Dance, Theatre, Music, Writing Fellows—tend to be the most popular.
Source: Barnard College Facebook Page
Barnard College’s Prerequisites
Barnard College's prerequisites are pretty standard. You need to fill out the application form, at least have a high school diploma, and most importantly, good grades. Barnard College is rather infamous for requiring a minimum GPA score of 4, which is comparatively higher compared to other universities, which only require a minimum GPA score of 3.5. At the same time, it's safer to have straight A's in your educational background to have a more competitive edge against other applicants. Despite how artistic many of its programs are, Barnard College is still an intellectual institution at its core.
How Much Does It Cost to Study at Barnard College?
Considering its caliber, it's no surprise that it's expensive to study at Barnard College. The school's tuition fee is $67,602.00 per year, approximately about $33,801.00 per semester. This is among the highest tuition fees in any university in New York City. The costs are even higher than those of Ivy League Schools in the state. Additionally, there are also comprehensive fees, which pay for classroom usage, computer laboratory fees, study material costs, and more. They add up to around $2,286.00 per year. And if you decide to stay in the school dorms instead of
renting an apartment in New York City, you'll have to pay around $13,122.00 (multiple/single occupancy) to $21,380.00 (for a single studio apartment) per year.
Source: Barnard College Facebook Page
Where is Barnard College in New York City?
As already mentioned, Barnard College is located in Morningside Heights on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Much like its more famous eastern counterpart, the area is among the more upscale parts of the
New York City borough. The Upper West Side is largely residential too, which gives the campus a quieter environment compared to other parts of the city. Here, Barnard students can study and stay near the school in peace, which isn't something students of other universities in New York City can say about themselves.
Barnard College's Famous Graduates
Barnard College's alumni practically reads like a who's who of the most prominent figures in American pop culture. Its slew of famous graduates who went on to get Hollywood careers alone is impressive. There's the legendary comic Joan Rivers, Oscar Award-winning filmmaker Greta Gerwig, Emmy Award-winning actress Cynthia Nixon, and influential TV personality Martha Stewart. These are women who were/are at the top of their game, marking their own places in the American entertainment and media industries. Beyond them are Laurie Anderson, a performance artist who's also NASA's first artist-in-residence, physician Helene D. Gayle, journalist Maria Hinojosa, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri.
Source: Barnard College Facebook Page
Way before it became the norm, Barnard College had already stood at the forefront of women's education. Today, it's now one of the finest colleges in New York City, providing the best liberal arts education for all women out there.
