Credit for Advanced Study

Students who wish to receive advanced credit may not take courses at Barnard that cover similar or more basic material than the advanced work already completed, nor may a student receive credit for two exams that cover the same material. Credit for college courses taken, AP or IB results or other foreign exams will typically not be awarded until after matriculation. The following should provide some guidance for what to expect. In the case of transfer students, a preliminary Transfer Credit Evaluation is provided with an offer of admission.

College Course Credit

Enrolling students may not receive Barnard credit for any college courses taken in high school if the credits have already been counted toward the high school diploma. Up to 15 points of Barnard credit may be awarded for courses taken as a non-matriculated student at an accredited college in the United States, during the academic year. Such work will be evaluated the completion of one semester (at least 12 credits) at Barnard. Courses must have been given by a college professor on a college campus and have been open to college students. Summer school courses must follow the above criteria and must meet for at least 35 hours over at least five weeks.

Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate Credit

Barnard students may be granted as much as a year of degree credit (normally 30 points) for Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate. Students need to score at least a 4 on the AP exam to earn credit and/or exemptions from requirements (some exams may require a 5). Students who have received an International Baccalaureate diploma may receive credit for the number of points indicated on the diploma, up to a maximum of 30 points. For students who have taken IB courses, but do not have the diploma, credit is generally awarded for higher level IB scores of 6 or 7. (The maximum credit a student may earn is 30 points for AP plus IB credit.)

• Departmental policies for AP scores
• Departmental policies for IB scores

Credit for Select National Examinations and Diplomas

The equivalent of one year of Barnard credit is normally granted for students who complete the French Baccalaureate, the German Arbitur or the Italian Maturità. We may grant similar credit for the Israeli Bagrut. Credit is granted at the end of the first year. Each GCE A-level or A2-level grade is individually evaluated for college credit. No credit is given for O-level or AS-level examinations. Credit is granted at the end of the first year at Barnard College. Credit for other national exams or diplomas will be evaluated for college credit upon matriculation.

Home Schooled Students

Home-schooled applicants follow the same guidelines as all other applicants with the following exceptions:

1. If the student has attended high school for any period of time she must submit official high school transcripts of any/all high school work.
2. Like all applicants, if the student has enrolled in any college courses, she must submit official college transcripts.
3. In lieu of traditional teacher recommendations, the applicant may submit two letters of recommendation from individuals who have taught the student in some form of an educational setting, such as a tutor, a research adviser or an academic internship mentor.
4. In lieu of an official high school transcript, the student must submit a complete listing, by year, of all courses that were taught at home. The student should also list the books that she read and she must indicate how her performance was assessed and include that assessment (teacher comments, actual grades, etc.)
5. As parents are often the primary adviser for students who are homeschooled, a parent letter may substitute as the high school guidance counselor letter of recommendation.

Transcripts

In lieu of an official high school transcript, the student must submit a complete listing, by year, of all courses that were taught at home. The student should also list the books that she read and she must indicate how her performance was assessed and include that assessment (teacher comments, actual grade, etc.). If the student has attended a high school for any period of time, she must submit official high school transcripts of any/all high school work. Additionally, like all applicants, if the student has enrolled in any college courses, she must submit official college transcripts. Home-schooled applicants do not need to obtain a GED.

Recommendations

In lieu of our traditional teacher recommendations, the applicants is required to submit two letters of recommendation from individuals who taught the student in a formal setting. The instructor must answer all of the questions posed on the teacher recommendation form. Although parents are usually the primary teachers for students who are home-schooled, we do not accept parent letters of recommendation as the only recommendation. We must get a letter assessing the student's academic performance from a non-parent. If parents were the only individuals involved in teaching the student, then the student should get letters from employers (paid or volunteer work) or individuals with whom she may have been involved in volunteer activities.