Dear Student,

You get so much mail about the college process, we thought we'd give you a sense of what's important here at Barnard.

Imagine the application as a collage of a student’s effort and experience. Transcripts provide evidence of her hard work, within a context, as defined by the school and counselor. Test scores add a layer of data, a broader standard contributing another puzzle piece to the evaluation. Chosen teachers weave stories of the classroom, writing letters that aim to set the applicant apart from her peers. Activities reveal how she spends her time beyond the classroom. And, the depth of her application essay and short answers reveal how she thinks, topping off the collage and reflecting her unique background and perspective.

The bottom line, of course, is that the collage, when thoughtful and authentic, will help admissions officers evaluate multiple things about that student: how she might engage in a seminar class, participate in a research lab, create on a performance stage, or join in the life she develops within her residence hall. It will help an admissions committee understand how she might fit into the college community.

So, how does this kind of fit emerge for Barnard, outside of the metaphor?

Transcripts, curriculum, recommendations, writing, and test scores all tell us how you have engaged academically in your environment. These are crucial factors to us, given the type of student who would thrive on the Barnard campus. While there is no typical Barnard student, a few adjectives can capture the description of many: focused, inquisitive, thoughtful, savvy, mature, collaborative, passionate, ambitious, interested, aware, self-assured…we could go on. Think about how your traits will emerge through your application as you finalize your responses.

Numbers don’t capture characteristics, so do your best to show us your true colors.

With best regards,

The Office of Admissions at Barnard College