Barnard College is the only women’s liberal arts college located in New York City. Founded in 1889 by Annie Nathan Meyer after Columbia University’s refusal to admit women, the college is a symbol of revolution. In 1900, Barnard became a part of Columbia University’s education system. Barnard students share classes, libraries, sororities, sports, and degrees with Columbia, but it holds financial and legal autonomy. Barnard College offers a Bachelor of Arts in 50 areas of study, along with a few Bachelor of Science programs joint with Columbia University. It has an excellent student-to-faculty ratio of 9:1 to provide proper emphasis to each student. Barnard is a part of Seven Sisters, an association of seven prominent Liberal Arts Colleges in the USA. You’ll have to have to work on each aspect of your application to get into Barnard. We’ve laid down all you need to know to do that in the following article.

English Proficiency Requirements

Barnard College requires non-native English-speaking applicants to submit English Proficiency test scores in their application. These are asked to access your ability to keep up in the university’s academic environment. Following are the English Proficiency requirements of Barnard College:

• 7.5 or above in the IELTS Academic
• 105 or above in the TOEFL Academic
• 125 or above in the Duolingo English Test 

Note: Barnard College doesn’t accept the TOEFL Essentials Test.

You’re eligible to get English Proficiency Requirements waived if:

• You recognize English as one of your first languages.
• You had English as the primary language of instruction in secondary school.
• You have enrolled or completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program or A-Level curriculum in English
• Obtained one or more of the following subsection scores:
  • 700 or above on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section of the redesigned SAT.
  • 29 or above on the English Reading and Writing section of the ACT.

If you meet one or more of the above conditions, your requirements will be waived in the application portal itself. If that doesn’t happen, email admissions@barnard.edu to have them waived.

ACT/SAT Requirements

Due to the challenges posed by the COVID 19 pandemic, Barnard College has temporarily adopted a test-optional policy. You won’t be required to submit your ACT or SAT scores while applying through the 2023 admissions cycle. You can self-report your scores on the application portal if you’ve already taken the ACT or SAT exam. Under normal circumstances, all applicants are required to submit their standardized test scores when applying. No particular score guarantees admission as that depends on your holistic profile. The average scores mentioned below are just to give you an idea of what you should be aiming for. 

Tuition Fee and Cost of Living 

Education costs at Barnard College are more than the national average. Plus, you can expect the living expenses in New York City to be high too. The following figures are just an estimate. Refer to the college’s official website for exact figures. 

The conversion from USD to INR has been made with $1=₹70. The cost may vary with changes in the exchange rate.

Application Portal 

You can apply to Barnard College through the following portals:

• Common Application (apply here at https://www.commonapp.org/).
• Coalition Application (apply here at https://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/).

Applications through any of the above portals will be treated in the same manner. Visit the portal link to proceed further.

Essay Prompts

Along with the academic and extracurricular details, you’ll also have to submit a personal essay on the portal. Not only that, Barnard asks all first-year applicants to respond to institution-specific supplemental essay questions. These questions may change each year and become available in summer.

Questions for Fall 2022 admission are mentioned below:

• Required: What factors encouraged your decision to apply to Barnard College and why do you think the college would be a good match for you? (300 words max)
• Required: At Barnard, academic inquiry starts with bold questions. What are some of the bold questions you have pondered that get you excited and why do they interest you? Tell us how you would explore these questions at Barnard. (300 words max)
• Optional:  Pick one woman — a historical figure, fictitious character, or modern individual — to converse with for an hour and explain your choice. Why does this person intrigue you? What would you talk about? What questions would you ask them? (300 words max)

Application Deadlines

The deadlines to apply for Barnard College as a first-year applicant are the following:

You must apply before 11:59 PM by your local time on the mentioned deadline. You may submit the application materials up to 15 days beyond the deadline without a penalty.

Conclusion

Barnard College is one of the most selective institutions in the United States. It is because the college aims to provide the best liberal arts education along with other benefits. So, you need to be at your A-game while crafting your application for Barnard. UniRely’s student mentors, already studying at Barnard, can prove to be of great help. Sign up at UniRely now for a bright future at Barnard.