The Seven Sisters

As you browse the Barnard website or attend information sessions with Barnard’s admissions officers, you might hear a certain phrase being tossed around: The Seven Sisters. Barnard’s membership in this category of schools is well-advertised, but who exactly are these Seven Sisters, and what does Barnard’s participation in this group mean?

Firstly, who (or what) are the Seven Sisters?

The “Seven Sisters” is the name given to seven highly-selective Historically Women’s Colleges (HWCs) located in the Northeast. These include: Mount Holyoke, Vassar, Wellesley, Smith, Radcliffe, Bryn Mawr, and Barnard. All of these schools were founded as women’s colleges in the 19th century and are noted for their academic excellence and their respective ties to Ivy League schools, institutions which at the time only admitted men. These schools were notable for their role in providing liberal arts education to women at a time when such options were limited. Although two of these schools, Vassar and Radcliffe, are no longer women’s colleges, they maintain their role in the Seven Sisters as early pioneers of women’s education. 

How does the Barnard community interact with the Seven Sisters?

There’s a certain kind of unity that comes from being part of a group of historically-women’s colleges, and that manifests itself in the interactions you can have with your fellow HWC students! Barnard works to strengthen this relationship by attending (and sometimes hosting) the annual Seven Sisters Conference, connecting students with other HWC alumnae, and celebrating the accomplishments of its sister schools. According to the students of the Seven Sisters, each school has a different personality (humorous depictions of which can be found on Instagram accounts such as @historicallywomens.c0m) as well as an integral role to play in the broader HWC community.

What can the Seven Sisters do for you?

The community of the Seven Sisters is incredibly supportive, as shown by the ways that alumnae and students continue to look out for one another, even after graduation. In recent years, HWC students have organized and donated to countless mutual aid funds for their fellow students, as well as provided regional resources for housing or food support. Additionally, alumnae are often thrilled to connect with HWC students over LinkedIn or through Facebook groups, helping them to find summer internships or postgraduate job opportunities. Your support network becomes exponentially larger with the support of your fellow Seven Sisters.

Overall, Barnard’s role in the Seven Sisters reminds us of our legacy of women’s empowerment, and we celebrate that shared history through our HWC networks. The loving and supportive community of the Seven Sisters is a testament to how the unique experience of attending an HWC can unite us as students and alumnae for the rest of our lives.