I Grew Up in NYC and Transferred to Barnard

Having grown up, and subsequently attended school in New York City for practically my entire life, I was really excited to be independent and start anew in college.  I was open to attending school quite literally anywhere but NYC, so when I reluctantly toured Barnard I was in for a shock.  How was it possible that I had passed the campus so many times, and yet I felt like I was in another world when I entered the gates?  How had I never realized a school so close in proximity to me had everything I was looking for in a college? 

My original goal was to attend a Big Ten school in the Midwest, but touring Barnard completely changed that.  Barnard prompted me to explore other historically women's colleges, which is how I ended up choosing to attend another small women’s college in New England – it seemed similar to Barnard minus the location.  

What I hadn’t accounted for as a seventeen-year-old was how much I had taken NYC for granted, and how much I would miss it.  I missed the incredible diversity the city offered, the ability to see my family more than just during school breaks, and the convenience of everything being so close.  Especially as a person of color, I hadn’t realized how isolating attending school in a predominantly white suburban environment could be.  

These realizations led me to apply to Barnard as a transfer student, and I can say with full confidence that this was the best decision I’ve ever made.  While taking the subway home takes me less than a half hour, and both my middle and high schools are farther from home than Barnard, I don’t feel stifled, stuck, or bored attending school so close to home.  In fact, I feel like I get the best of both worlds:  I can see my family and go home whenever I want, and yet the city gives me so much independence to explore new places, meet people from all kinds of backgrounds, and have access to enjoy the city’s unlimited number of shows, restaurants, concerts, parks, and museums.  

I worried attending college in NYC would feel too similar to my high school experience, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.  I’ve gotten tickets to a Broadway show, attended Columbia University Orchestra’s concert at Alice Tully Hall, used the New York Historical Society as an extension of the classroom, enjoyed a cruise around New York Harbor, and gotten to go on a historical tour of Chinatown – all for free.  Being back in NYC and attending Barnard has opened up so many opportunities to expand my perspectives, take advantage of the city’s resources, and make amazing memories with my friends.

—Sara DaSilva ‘24