Last day to decide!!!

chopsticks3092
Sat, 29 Apr 2006 16:35:14 +0000

I didn’t apply to Barnard, but I kind of wish I had. My best friend did, but she’s going somewhere else too. In the end, my decision came down to Pomona vs. Wellesley (I had already eliminated Berkeley and the U of Washington because of their gargantuan size). I chose Pomona over Wellesley primarily because I didn’t feel totally comfortable with the all-girls thing. At Barnard, this wouldn’t be a big deal because of the proximity of Columbia and being in New York in general. But Wellesley’s kind of isolated–it even takes a while to get into the town if you don’t have a car on campus. Wellesley didn’t quite fit my standards for vibrance and excitement…I got a very studious vibe there, and though I’m all for studying, I was afraid I might get bored if I spent 4 years at Wellesley. So if you want fun and excitement at your fingers instead of having to drive half an hour to get into a city, go to Barnard. Granted, academics at Wellesley are probably better, but realize that if you choose Barnard you’ll be able to cross-register at Columbia AND graduate with a Columbia University degree. I’ve heard of a negative view of Barnard students at Columbia, but in my opinion most of it comes from Columbia girls’ fear that Columbia boys will choose to date Barnard girls over them. Keep in mind, too, that there’s also a bit of a negative stereotype towards Wellesley girls in Boston. Actually, now that I think about it, there’s always going to be some discrimination against any all-female school. I definitely felt it at the Claremont Colleges, too, from the way Scripps women were viewed. I liked Wellesley, but it just ended up not being the best fit for me.

Hope this helps, and good luck with your decision! Let us know what you ultimately decide–I’m definitely interested!