Why I Chose Barnard in Regular Decision: Jessica's Story
Deciding where you are going to college can be quite stressful. After the regular decisions are released and you have to make a choice about where you are going to spend the next four years of your life, you can be overwhelmed by the options that you have. How I made my decision, and a piece of advice that I would give to others, is to make a list with the pros and cons of each institution you were accepted to and then decide based on the differences which school would be a better fit.
In my case, as a low-income, first generation, and international student, I was aware that I would only be able to consider going to a college that gave me a generous scholarship. Keeping this in mind, after all of my college decisions were released I had two schools to choose between. The main point that I considered while deciding between them was what I was interested in studying. Since high school, I was sure that I wanted to study economics and education during college. The other school had an amazing economics program, but since it was housed under the university’s business school, I would not have been able to study education. As such, Barnard gained a pro point in this category because I would be able to acquire an outstanding education in both subjects while at Barnard.
In addition, before committing to Barnard I was able to visit the campus and join a tour with one of our lovely BSARs. It was a great and remarkable experience as I could taste a little bit of what Barnard’s community is like and how it welcomes people from the most diverse backgrounds. During my visit, I noticed that by studying at Barnard I would always be inspired and empowered by talented women from the most diverse countries and cultures! Back home, I had never experienced a strong, diverse community of women. I was impressed by Barnard’s welcoming and rich community and played a strong role in my decision to attend Barnard.
Finally, Barnard’s location is simply perfect! When I visited its campus, it was also my first time travelling abroad and coming to New York City. I completely fell in love with the Big Apple and was sure that I wanted to spend my next four years living here. The city’s vibe and mindset made me feel that I needed to come here and stay more. In this way, as I learned how Barnard partners with many companies, institutions and also other universities around the city in order to help its students to take the most out of their experience in NYC, I was ready to commit to Barnard! I believe that the way Barnard connects its students with the city and supports us to also seek opportunities in the Big Apple makes it completely different from other institutions also located in NYC.
All together, it was Barnard’s extraordinary curriculum and classes, NYC and the community that caused me to choose Barnard. As you ponder your college decisions, I would recommend that you take some time and reflect about the schools you applied to! And if you are accepted to Barnard, definitely consider this amazing place to call home for the next four years!
-Jessica Moreira