First-Year Student Application Requirements

A recommended high school program would comprise four years of work in English, three or more years in mathematics, three or four years in a foreign language (ancient or modern), three or more years in science with laboratory, and three years in history. The remainder of the program would include additional work in these core academic subject areas with the possible addition of music and art. Students entering their senior year should be prudent about course selection. The admission committee evaluates course selection in terms of the rigor of the curriculum offered at each student’s high school and anticipates that the strongest candidates will pursue a balanced and challenging course load through senior year.

1. Submit the Common Application online at www.commonapp.org or submit the application by mail; a printable version may be found here.
2. Submit the Barnard Supplement for First- Year Students online at www.commonapp.org or by mail; a printable version may be found here.
3. Submit the $65 application fee online at www.commonapp.org, or send a check or a completed credit card authorization form by mail; a printable version of the form may be found at www.commonapp.org or here.
4. Submit official results from either the College Board SAT Reasoning Test with two SAT Subject Tests or the ACT Assessment Test with Writing. The College Board code number for Barnard is 2038.The ACT code number for Barnard is 2718. Students applying Early Decision should take all required examinations by November. Regular Decision applicants should take all required examinations before January.
   Note: If you are submitting an SAT Reasoning Test, then we require the results of 2 Subject Tests. If you are submitting the results of an ACT Assessment Test, no Subject Tests are required.
5. Submit the School Report and Midyear Report to your counselor or principal for completion.
6. Submit Teacher Evaluation forms to two teachers who have taught you in core academic subjects (English, foreign language, history, mathematics, or science) in your final two years of secondary school.
7. Request that all official high school and college transcripts be sent to Barnard College along with a school profile.
8. Optional: Interviews may be scheduled from June through December of the senior year by calling the Office of Admission. Alumnae interviews may be requested online.  Please remember, only one interview per student.
9. Optional: Submit supplementary material (art, music, dance, or creative writing) for review only when it represents a substantial amount of time, dedication, and energy. While DVDs, slides, or portfolios may be submitted, uploading photos or video onto a web-based media site may be a more cost effective alternative. Please provide the site address in your application. Original work should not be sent to Barnard, and all material should be clearly identified with the applicant’s name and address. Please note: Supplementary material will not be reviewed by Barnard faculty, and there is no guarantee it will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. To ensure we have a solid sense of your commitment, especially if they represent substantial time and focus, feel free to include a resume of relevant training and achievements.  Supplementary material is considered part of the application and will not be returned.

Common Questions Regarding Application Requirements

Standardized Testing and the Score Choice Policy

Barnard’s policy on score choice is simple. First, we expect students to choose a testing instrument, SAT or ACT, which allows them to test their best, and submit the appropriate test requirements. Second, we expect students to submit all of their scores and will use the best of those scores in our evaluation.  We have always practiced the spirit of score choice; but we prefer to see a student's full testing history.

Barnard has always utilized the highest scores from any test in the review of a candidate's application. Scores are considered in conjunction with the other parts of an application at Barnard. A math score will prompt us to look at the relevant math curriculum, grades, and any related teacher comments. A writing score will prompt close evaluation of students’ essays and comments from teachers that may address use of feedback, willingness to tackle difficult subject matter, even improvement in writing. Testing is one part of the application review process and having a complete testing profile can provide insight into students’ progress. Improvement in scores over a period of time, consistency in scoring, or the knowledge that a student took the test once (as a relatively high scorer or even a lower score) provides information helpful in the review process.

Contact Information to Request Official Score Reports

SAT Reasoning Test and Subject Tests
Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 592
Princeton, NJ 08540
Phone: (609) 921-9000
Internet: www.collegeboard.org
Barnard College code for score release: 2038

ACT Assessment Test
Phone: (319) 337-1000
Internet: www.act.org
Barnard College code for score release: 2718

TOEFL or IELTS
Official scores from the TOEFL or IELTS are required for students who have been in the U.S. for 5 years or less and English is not one's native language.

TOEFL Services, Educational Testing Services
Phone: (609) 771-7100
E-mail: toefl@ets.org
Internet: www.toefl.org
Barnard College code for score release: 2038

IELTS
Phone: (323) 255-2771
Email: ielts@ieltsintl.org
Internet: www.ielts.org/default.aspx

Fee Waivers

Students may request a fee waiver if the payment of our application fee would constitute a family financial hardship. First-year applicants should consult with their high school counseling or guidance office to confirm if individual financial circumstances fit those designated by NACAC or the College Board. On the Common Application online, qualified students should choose one of the two fee waiver options and mail the form directly to the Office of Admissions. If a form is unavailable, a letter requesting that a fee waiver be considered and briefly documenting the financial hardship preventing fee payment may be provided.

Supplementary Materials

Applicants have the option to submit supplementary material (art, music, or creative writing) for review. Material should be submitted only when it represents a substantial amount of an applicant’s time, dedication, and energy. Students should note that supplementary material will not be reviewed by Barnard faculty, and there is no guarantee it will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Original work should not be sent to Barnard, and all material should be clearly identified with the applicant’s name and address. Supplementary material is part of the application and will not be returned.

In terms of format, students may use any format they desire; we have no restrictive guidelines since our programs are all based in the liberal arts and sciences and do not lead to the BFA degree. While DVDs, slides, or portfolios may be submitted, uploading photos or video onto a web-based media site may be a more cost effective alternative. Please provide the site address in your application.

Early Admission

Early Admission allows exceptional high school students the opportunity to apply to Barnard in advance of their regular graduation date. Students who apply to Barnard as Early Admission applicants must demonstrate that they are academically and emotionally prepared for the rigors of college and must submit all required recommendations and supporting material from high school. Successful Early Admission applicants have typically gone well beyond the minimum requirements for high school graduation, exhausting much of the curriculum offered at their high school.