Why I Chose Barnard in Regular Decision: Morgan's Story

Whether it’s through a campus tour, where you experience what it’s like to walk through campus, or through an admitted students overnight experience, where you spend the night living in the Barnard Quad bonding with potential future peers, there are a handful of reasons why individuals decide to make Barnard their home. Looking back at my own experience, I remember the constant inquiries from family and friends asking “which college are you going to?”, combined with my own concerns about where I would want to spend the next four years of my life, feeling incredibly daunting. As a current student, I can say that the seemingly overwhelming decision at the time definitely feels like a “pot of gold at the end of the rainbow” kind of scenario, and I feel incredibly lucky to be attending a college I feel is such a great fit for me personally. 

Through my college search, I knew I wanted to attend a liberal arts college, where I could find community and receive mentorship from incredible faculty and peers. After attending a boarding school, since my sophomore year, in the middle-of-nowhere and missing living in Hong Kong, an international and vibrant city, I decided to look for options in various cities in the northeast. Barnard checked both of those boxes, as a small liberal arts college in the heart of New York city.

For someone who didn’t expect to attend a women’s college, I applied to many more than I anticipated I would. Something about women filling the leadership roles, not as a question, but as a given and continuing to assume those roles in the professional world and life beyond college, sparked my interest. I decided to learn more about women’s colleges and what that would mean for me, as someone who desired an intellectually stimulating environment, and more importantly community-oriented, where I would be surrounded by passionate peers who want to support and lift each other up. 

After doing research and painting a clear picture of what I was looking for in my college experience, visiting Barnard and sitting in on a class helped put things in perspective. After scouring the website for opportunities beyond a tour to get to know Barnard better, I found Professor Cobrin’s, “The Writer’s Process” class, where students engaged in enthusiastic discussion, as popcorn and gummy worms were passed around the room. A smile was written across my face as I witnessed the intimate, collaborative class I didn’t expect to see in a college setting. Getting the chance to interact with current Barnard students and the professor, and fully put myself in the academic setting, helped inform my decision. 

Upon being waitlisted, my desire to attend Barnard grew even stronger. I was happy with my options, but after extensive research and accumulation of fantastic experiences on Barnard’s campus, I knew Barnard was where I wanted to be. I vividly remember feeling bored during rehearsal for my high school’s production of We Will Rock You The Musical, a bucket list thing I wanted to do before graduating, when my college counselor entered the room and told me Barnard admissions has been trying to call me. I abruptly excused myself from rehearsal and eagerly returned the five miscalls. I remember the words, “we would love to offer you a spot”, combined with uncontrollable happy tears streaming down my cheeks, and a phone call to my mom across the world at 5AM her time and telling her the news. I couldn’t wait to enroll and to this day, could not be happier with my decision.

Although we all have unique experiences, having been in your shoes and perhaps having some insight into what you may be feeling, I want to leave you with some advice. Keep in mind, this is your own personalized story, which means it is ultimately up to you how you will write it. I hope my story gave you some insight. Now it is up to you to consider where you envision yourself achieving your personal ambitions, making connections with passionate peers and field experts, and indulging in experiences that will help shape you into the person you strive to be.