There are obviously various degrees to which such feelings exist, are expressed, or are perceived.
For a different perspective from the prior posts above, by actual Columbia students and alums, see post #17 here:
and go to the Columbia subforum and search for “Barnard”
For how it is perceived by Barnard students, this too varies, obviously.
Her is one old post from a barnard senior:
"Gwendolen, it exists, but I think largely in a satirical sense now. I’m a current senior at Barnard and I honestly have not run into a single person who noticeably looked down on me because of my school. Comedy groups will worship the so-called “tension” because more than anything, it’s a goldmine for jokes that elicit responses out of the student body. People recognize that there’s no truth to the animosity, and it’s more of a schoolwide tradition (Columbia AND Barnard) to laugh at it than it is a reflection of people’s feelings.
If you go online, though, people like to ruffle feathers and it will seem like there’s more to the rumors. You just can’t let it bother you. And definitely learn to laugh at yourself.
I’d go to Barnard fifteen times if I had the chance. I loved it here. "
Here is one old post from a Barnard parent:
“My daughters’ experiences can confirm what I think MD is saying. D1 was aware that there were some CC students, usually girls, who looked at BC students as there social inferiors. She barely noticed it, and only discussed it after I brought it up. D2 who is more socially aware picked up on it more. She found it more irritating than D1 had. She is now traveling in Europe with a good friend who is a CC student, so even for her it died off by the end of the first semester. Final exams are good social levelers.”
I can tell you that my D2 was in mixed classes with Columbia students, (language & other), dated a Columbia guy & interacted with his friends. Through these experiences she DID feel there was an overt problem. Most Barnard parents & students on these boards did not share her experience though, certainly not equally. I*'ve read that, to the extent this exists, it diminishes in later years. I don’t know, D2 didn’t see it through to that point.
As for meeting guys, this varies too. I remember when D2 had some friends over, they were all complaining about the social scene. , D2 complained too, and one of them said “that’s odd, since you are the only one here that is actually dating someone”.
The combined community is male-heavy. In my day, most college relations were formed in the dorms. Barnard dorms are single sex. The amount of class time and interaction they have with Columbia students varies. The guys are there, across the street, and clearly there is social interaction. But it is not completely the same as a fully co-ed school either.