Interested in getting into Barnard? Read on to discover everything you need to know about the school with a “fearless history.”
Barnard College, established in 1889, holds the distinction of being the first college in New York City to grant degrees exclusively to women.
Before its founding, a dedicated group of New York women had fervently protested for the establishment of a rigorous women's college. Their efforts eventually succeeded in persuading the Columbia Board of Trustees to create an affiliated institution, Barnard College, with the sole purpose of providing higher education opportunities for women.
Since then, Barnard has continued its path of boldness and redefined what it means to be a woman, activist, scholar, and leader. Want to know how to get into Barnard College? Read on to find out!
For the most recent year, 11,832 students applied, and only about 830 were granted admission, meaning Barnard has a low acceptance rate of just 7%. For every 100 students that apply, only 7 of them make it in every year.
According to the most recent stats, Barnard has a high early decision rate of 57% which could improve your chances of getting in. Although they have not released ED stats for the class of 2028, they typically accept about 40-45% of the first-year class from ED applicants.
Remember, early decision means that if you are accepted, you will be automatically enrolled at Barnard.
Don't be discouraged by Barnard's low acceptance rate; instead, see it as motivation for getting into an excellent school!
The reason for the low acceptance rate at Barnard is due to their commitment to admitting the most daring, engaged, and intellectually curious applicants who can maximize the benefits of the institution's resources.
Barnard currently has a test-optional policy, but if you score well on paper, this could bolster your application. If your scores are lower than the required minimum, you can compensate by taking high-level AP or IB courses and submitting strong supplementary essays that demonstrate your passions.
Most successful candidates had GPAs of 4.0 or higher, which is what you should aim for. Considering over 94% of admitted students ranked at the top of their classes, Barnard has high expectations of its prospective students.
Students who were admitted to Barnard in their most recent year had an average SAT score of 1480. To impress them even further, aim for the higher end of the scale.
Barnard is known for having some of the top students in its student body, which is exemplified by the ACT average of 34. Barnard values high ACT scores, so if you scored well, it’s a good addition to your application.
Barnard is a highly selective school. Only 7% of all applicants meet Barnard’s expectations and are granted admission to this prestigious school. You can improve your chances of getting in through early decision or acing your application.
Take our interactive quiz below to find out how likely you are to get into Barnard.
Barnard College maintains a highly selective admissions process for a purpose. They seek applicants who stand out in showcasing their personal qualities, academic achievements, and a genuine passion for education.
The college firmly believes in the potential of every woman, but how Barnard College evaluates applications depends on how this potential is demonstrated through the application process.
Barnard highly values academic factors, marking class rigor, GPA, application essays, and recommendations as “Very Important.” Character and personal qualities are also marked as “Very Important”--the only non-academic factor to be ranked as such. Try to use your essays to demonstrate your admirable character along with your high grades!
While securing admission to Barnard requires several key factors, your focus should be on:
Here is a full list of requirements to get accepted at Barnard.
An important part of learning how to get into Barnard is understanding the different types of applications that are available and keeping key deadlines in mind to avoid any delays.
Barnard also accepts transfer students. Here are the important dates associated with all of these applications:
Source: Barnard First-Year Applicants and Barnard Transfer Applicants
The deadline to apply for the regular decision is January 3. Considering you have a better chance of getting into the school with an early decision, you should aim for that deadline first.
To apply for the early decision, the deadline is November 1. You will be notified by mid-December whether you were accepted.
With an acceptance rate of only 7%, getting into Barnard College might prove to be difficult. Here are some tips to help you stand out and advance your application to the front of the list.
You can also download our guide to Barnard College, which offers tons of valuable tips and tricks to help you as you apply!
When preparing academically, go beyond mere test scores. Barnard values a well-rounded academic background.
Demonstrate your commitment to intellectual growth by taking challenging courses in core subjects like math, science, English, history, and foreign languages.
Tailor your course selection to your strengths while continuing to challenge yourself in areas of relative weakness. Consider how your academic pursuits align with the diverse education requirements at Barnard, covering literature, social sciences, language and the arts, and lab sciences.
Barnard seeks students with a thirst for knowledge. Highlight your intellectual curiosity in your application. Discuss how your interests extend beyond the classroom and contribute to your personal growth.
Every student has a unique background, so provide context to your achievements in your application by explaining the resources and opportunities available to you. Help the admissions committee understand how you've excelled within your school and community, emphasizing your personal story and growth.
In our webinar on how admissions are decided, admissions expert Arianna offers insight into why this is important.
“Your overall high school experience is a wide variety of opportunities to take advantage of. So, colleges want to see that you made the most out of those opportunities. Were you taking the hardest classes available?… They want to know that you applied yourself and made the most of these opportunities, and most importantly, why. Why did you choose to do the things that you did?”
Write an essay that provides specific ideas about your personal or intellectual life. Avoid a chronological list of achievements; instead, focus on a topic that reveals who you are and what is important to you. Use the limited 650 words wisely to convey a clear and concise message.
Barnard is interested in students who contribute to the living and learning community. Hone in on the work you’ve done for your community and why that makes you stand out above everyone else.
Admission to Barnard is highly selective, but it's not determined by a single score. Emphasize your personal qualities, intellectual capacity, and the rigor of your academic pursuits.
In addition to the personal essay, respond to Barnard-specific Writing Supplement questions. Stay within the word limits and use the opportunity to provide additional insights into your character and motivations. Be concise while ensuring that your responses reflect your authentic self.
Barnard values talents and abilities in addition to academic achievements. Highlight your extracurricular activities and tie them into your writing supplement or essays. Give them a well-rounded picture of yourself to demonstrate who you are beyond the page.
Darryl, one of our experts, offers the following advice on demonstrating well-roundedness:
“Show your passion. Take on more responsibilities as you’re able to do so, so that you’re showing, ‘I’m the kind of person who brings a lot of talent, but I’ve got the initiative to learn new things, do new things, make a new impact.’ And then, the things that you’re already good at, that you’re already passionate about--lean into your interests! Stick with some of the things that you’re already good at.”
Barnard College is dedicated to empowering women and preparing them for successful careers. Clearly articulate why you stand out as a top female candidate and explain the relevance of this distinction to your identity and aspirations.
Supplemental essays are a very important part of the application process. Make sure you don’t overlook them, even if they’re optional!
Barnard applicants can expect to see the following five essay prompts on their application:
1. Required: Our backgrounds and experiences shape how we navigate the world and see ourselves. Tell us about when, where, or with whom you feel your most authentic, powerful self. How might Barnard College further cultivate this version of you? (250 words max)
Analysis: The most important thing when answering this question is to remain genuine. The admissions committee wants to get to know who you are behind the statistics and the official documents, and this is your chance to show them!
Remember, character and personal qualities are very important in the admissions selection process. Use this essay to demonstrate those qualities and why you are a great fit for Barnard.
2. Required: Barnard College celebrates intellectual risk-taking, and we believe that academic inquiry starts with bold questions. What questions do you have about the world around you, and why do they matter to you? (250 words max)
Analysis: This question aims to explore your intellectual curiosity and passion for learning. Barnard wants to see that you are interested in the world and will bring your curiosity and passion to their classrooms. Think carefully about the kinds of things that intrigue you or raise questions in your mind.
3. Optional: As a college for women, “Barnard embraces its responsibility to address gender issues in all their complexity and urgency to help students achieve the personal strength that will enable them to meet the challenges they will encounter throughout their lives.” How have you thought about gender in your academic life thus far and how has it shaped your learning experiences? (250 words max)
Analysis: For this essay, you might find it helpful to research more about Barnard’s mission, vision, and values. Take a look at their mission statement and history and the reasons behind why they are a college for women.
Then, ask yourself why you want to attend in regard to your gender. How do you think attending a women-only college will enrich your academic experience? Think about past experiences you’ve had as a woman in academic spaces and how that’s affected how you think about academia and university as a whole.
4. Optional: Barnard College’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion mission statement says “Our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity has the potential to disrupt and transform entrenched practices and thinking.” In what ways have you challenged ideas, practices, or spaces? What did you learn from these experiences? (250 words max)
Analysis: This is a classic diversity essay that aims to delve into your experience with others who are different from you. Barnard wants to learn more about how you engage with different perspectives and how you’ve grown from exposing yourself to new spaces. They also want to see your initiative and willingness to confront “entrenched thinking” by asking about ways in which you’ve challenged ideas.
For this question, you don’t have to talk about a life-altering event, and you certainly shouldn’t make something up! Just be genuine and reflect on experiences you’ve had with engaging with opposing perspectives, even if it’s something small. Demonstrating growth is the most important thing.
5. Optional: Pick one woman — a historical figure, a fictitious character, or a modern individual — who you’d like 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 her? (250 words max)
The people we admire often say important things about us, mainly because we often want to emulate or be like them. Writing about your ideal conversation with a woman you look up to and respect speaks volumes about your own values and passions.
On the other hand, you could choose to write about a woman you do not admire and instead are merely intrigued by. This says something else about your personality entirely! Whoever you choose to write about, make sure to use this essay to demonstrate your personality and values accurately.
Although the last three questions are marked as optional, it is strongly advised that students respond to each of them. Given Barnard's status as an all-female college with a rich history of championing women's rights and justice, demonstrating the influence of notable women is very important to their institution.
Learning more about the women you admire can help them get to know you better and prove you share the same values as them.
As part of the Common Application, you must submit a personal statement. This statement should give the admissions committee more insight into your goals, values, and principles.
While there are many topics you can write about for this statement, there are a few tips to keep in mind to ensure you write an effective essay:
The Barnard admission interview is optional and mainly used as an informative tool to share more about the school and learn more about the applicants.
Barnard's interviews are booked on a first-come, first-served basis and are conducted virtually. Students are encouraged to avoid memorizing answers or following a script. Barnard's interviewers will want to have an engaged and more casual conversation with you.
For any remaining questions about how to get into Barnard College, read on to find your answers.
Students should aim to maintain as close to a 4.0 GPA as possible to be considered competitive applicants.
Barnard is mainly looking for students who are bold, intellectually curious, and unique! While they emphasize students’ academic performance, they also consider how students can bring fresh perspectives and ideas to their community.
These two schools are considered to have similar admission standards. Columbia offers more leniency with their GPA requirements by accepting scores in the 3.7-4.0 range.
Students must demonstrate strong academic potential to get into Barnard. Aside from maintaining a high GPA, students should join extracurriculars that can help them develop their knowledge base and hone their academic skills.
They should also use their personal statements and essays to share their journey and explain why they’re interested in joining Barnard. This explanation must include Barnard’s past pursuits and future visions to continue redefining what it means to be a woman.
Yes, Barnard only accepts students who identify as women into their programs.
Barnard is known for pioneering women’s education and intellectual growth in the United States. They are also one of the most selective Seven Sisters colleges.
Barnard College does not track demonstrated interest as part of its admissions process. If you want to increase your chances, focus on maintaining high grades and writing strong essays!
Not many colleges can claim to have played a significant role in shaping history and society, but Barnard is among them.
Renowned for its unwavering dedication to improving the lives of women and expanding access to opportunities, Barnard stands as a pioneer.
Follow our recommendations and tips provided in this guide on how to get into Barnard to contribute to the legacy of producing fearless leaders!
