Barnard College Acceptance Rate 2023 | Admissions, Requirements, & How to Apply

Barnard College acceptance rate is 13.9%.  For every 100 applicants, only 14 are accepted. This means that the school is extremely selective. 

Meeting the GPA and SAT/ACT requirements is very important to pass the first round of filters and prove your academic preparation.  If you don’t meet their expectations, your chance of getting in is almost zero as Barnard College acceptance rate is  just 13.9%.

Once you’ve cleared this hurdle, you’ll need to impress Barnard College application readers with other application requirements, including supplemental applications, essays, and letters of recommendation.

Why Choose Barnard College?

Barnard College, a liberal arts school, provides students with a solid foundation for learning with a diverse curriculum.  This college is located in New York, New York, a predominantly urban area.  Approximately 2,900 students are enrolled at Barnard College.

It may be noted that Barnard College is ranked 17th among liberal arts colleges in the United States, according to US News and World Report’s annual college rankings list. 

In addition, the average first-year student retention rate, a widely accepted indicator of student satisfaction, is an impressive 95%.

Statistics can never tell the whole story, but they strongly suggest that Barnard College is a respected undergraduate institution.

At the very least, you can be sure that the quality of education at Barnard is high, so earning a degree from this prestigious school will likely open many doors for you after you complete your undergraduate degree.

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Is Barnard College Hard To Get Into?

14% of those who apply are admitted to Barnard.  Competition for admission is very high and the college has elite admissions standards.  Check if your grades and scores are enough for admission.

Most students admitted to this school had an SAT score in the 1340-1520 range or were admitted with an ACT composite score in the 31-34 range. 

Based on the GPA data collected and applied, it is estimated that Barnard College’s average GPA range for admitted students is around 3.82 – 3.96.  Barnard College acceptance rate is lower than most schools and competition is high, with only 10 percent of students who apply being accepted into the school.

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What Is Barnard College Acceptance Rate 2023?

Barnard college acceptance rate is 14% and Barnard’s early decision rate is not much higher. You can expect Barnard SAT scores to be high.  In fact, the middle 50% range of Barnard SAT scores is 1430-1550, and the middle 50% range of ACT scores is 31-32. 

There is no official GPA for Barnard, but since Barnard is on par with Ivy League schools, it’s a safe bet that you should aim for a 4.0.

Taking standardized test prep is the best way to make sure you meet your Barnard SAT average.  However, there are ways to make your application stand out without reaching academic scores, such as an interview with Barnard. 

What Is Barnard College Transfer Acceptance Rate?

In previous years, Barnard College received a total of 763 transfer applications.  The school accepted only 166 students. The transfer acceptance rate for Barnard College is 21.76%.

The college received 1,013 applications for transfer to the graduation of 2025. From this group of applicants, 237 students were offered admission to the school.

This indicator is higher than in previous years.  For example, in the 2019 academic year, the college received 763 transfer applications.  They accepted 166 students from this group, which corresponds to an acceptance rate of 21.76%.

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Acceptance Rate By Major

Barnard College high selectivity and low acceptance rate mean that getting accepted into this college or university will be difficult.

• Research and experimental psychology9.7%
• Econometrics and quantitative economics9%
• Political science and government8.8%
• English language and literature6.9%
• Urban studies/affairs5.3%
• Art history, criticism and conservation4.8%
• History4.8%
• Neuroscience4.5%
• Computer and information sciences4.2%
• Sociology3.5%

All students must fulfill the requirements of the approved major.  Specific requirements for each major can be found on the science department webpage or in the Barnard catalog.  Specializations differ in the number of required credits. 

At least six semester (not summer) courses for the major must be completed while the student is in residence at Barnard.  Each course must consist of 3 or more credits.  Only courses with a grade of C– or higher will count toward the major.  Students may not elect credit for courses required for the major.

Barnard College Admission Requirements

• General Application or Coalition Application
• Personal statement
• Barnard’s Additional Essays
• Official transcripts
• High school report
• Barnard SAT or ACT scores (optional for Fall/Spring 2022 and 2023 applicants)
• Recommendation letter from the advisor
• Two letters of recommendation from teachers
• Official TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English test results for students for whom English is not their first language

Applicants have the option to submit additional portfolios and additional letters of recommendation.  Additionally, students are encouraged to fill out the additional information section of their application platform with anything they want Barnard’s admissions staff to know. 

Applicants may also request an interview with Barnard.  These supplemental application materials are a great way to stay competitive as an applicant if your Barnard SAT scores or Barnard GPA are below average.

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Barnard College Transfer Requirements

• Official Transcripts: Official college transcripts from all previous institutions as well as high school transcripts are required.
• Letters of Recommendation: One letter of recommendation from a professor who taught your academic class in the previous year is required.
• Essay: The Barnard Writing Supplement will be submitted with your Common Application.  Additional essays may vary from year to year and will be available in the summer of each year.
• Application Fee: $75 non-refundable application fee or fee waiver request
• Interview: The transfer application process does not include interviews.  We ask that you share any information that you think we should know in the context of the short answer questions or the longer application essay.
• Other Requirements: Interim Report: Use this form to submit grades for any college courses taken at the time of application from each faculty member.

What GPA Do I Need To Get Into Barnard College?

With a GPA of 4, Barnard College requires you to be at the top of your class.  You’ll need near A’s in all your classes to compete with other applicants.  Plus, you have to take tough classes — AP or IB courses — to show that college-level academics are a breeze.

If you’re a current junior or senior, it’s difficult to change your GPA in time for college.  If your GPA is below the high school average (4) or below, you will need a higher SAT or ACT score to make up for it.  This will help you compete effectively with other applicants who have higher GPAs than you.

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What Is The Cost Of Barnard College?

Tuition at Barnard College is $59,684.  Barnard College costs more than the national average of $43,337.  Included in these statistics are tuition and fees, commonly referred to as sticker price.  Library services, student gyms, student centers, technology resources, and campus wellness centers may be covered by a fee that varies by university.

What Are The Deadlines?

The application deadline for students who wish to begin classes at Barnard College in the fall semester is March 1 each year.  For those applying to transfer during the spring semester, the deadline is November 1 each year.

In addition to the application itself, Barnard Transfer students must also submit an interim report that includes the most recent grades they received at their previous institution.

The deadline for submitting this mandatory application to the school is April 1 of each year for fall semester transfer applicants and November 15 for students applying for spring semester enrollment.

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What Are The Decision Dates?

Barnard’s early decision deadline is Nov. 1.  You should not decide to apply early decision without careful consideration. 

As with other schools, at Barnard College, Early Decision applicants enter into a binding agreement to attend the college if accepted.  In addition, Barnard’s usual deadline for a decision is January 4.

Even though Barnard’s early decision rate is low, Barnard’s regular rate is even lower.  So, if you’re sure Barnard is the school for you, consider applying Early Decision to demonstrate your commitment. 

However, regardless of which Barnard admissions deadline you apply to, all applicants must submit the same materials.

How To Apply To Barnard College

In order to be a competitive transfer applicant to Barnard College, students must have a 4.0 grade point average, which means they have earned straight credit in most, if not all, of their previous courses.

To apply to transfer to Barnard, the first step students must take is to complete the online Common Application.  In addition, they must complete the Barnard Application for Transfer Students as part of the application.

The transfer application process also requires applicants to submit a number of supporting documents in the application package.  One is an official high school transcript, which must list all courses and grades earned in high school.

Transfer applicants must also provide Barnard with ACT or SAT scores.  International transfer students, or any other students whose first language is not English, must pass appropriate English language proficiency exams.

Next, transfer applicants must submit official transcripts of all collegiate coursework completed prior to the date of application to Barnard.  Along with the transcript, students must include a copy of the previous college’s course catalog with clear markings indicating which of the listed courses they have taken.

Finally, transfer applicants must provide two letters of recommendation.  One must be written by a faculty member at the current institution, and the other must be written by the dean or college counselor.

Conclusion

By comparison, Barnard College’s overall acceptance rate is 14%.  Because it’s common for a school’s transfer acceptance rate to be lower than the acceptance rate for regular freshmen, Barnard is somewhat of an outlier in the world of transfer admissions.

Thus, while admission to the school in general can be considered very competitive, transfer students actually have a slightly higher chance of being accepted at Barnard than other applicants.

Transfer students make up only about 2% of Barnard’s total student body, which may indicate that relatively few students choose to transfer to the school.  On the other hand, this number could also indicate that it is difficult to get into Barnard as a transfer student.

Barnard College Acceptance Rate 2023 FAQs

References

• vastlearners.com – Barnard College Transfer Acceptance Rate 2022: GPA, Recs & More
• collegeadvisor.com – How to Get Into Barnard Guide

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