Barnard College is, in many ways, a welcomed contradiction for its students: the school offers a strong and community-based, single-gendered liberal arts education, in conjunction with an Ivy League coed experience. As the all-female sister school to Columbia, Barnard offers a best-of-both-worlds experience by which students may enjoy the smaller charm and camaraderie of the college but still enroll in classes, play sports, and join organizations offered at the school’s Ivy League big brother. This wide array of options, paired with the school’s ideal location in the relatively quiet Upper West Side of Manhattan makes for an attractive option for many students initially unsure of what they may want out of their college careers. The college’s Center for Research on Women is a pioneer in the field, and the school itself is ranked among the top 30 liberal arts colleges in the nation.
In addition to the abounding academic opportunities at Barnard, students are also offered a wealth of cultural experiences. Students receive discounts at local on-and-off Broadway shows, sports, and concerts. In addition, the school features Urban New York, a program which takes freshmen to events around the city, as a means to ease students into urban living. As such, it should come as no surprise that Barnard’s student body is comprised by those who have grown up in cities and farms alike, each acclimating well to the new surroundings.
