You’re done with your Common App, but now it’s time to tackle your supplemental essays. As you work on tailoring your application for each school, you’ll want to make sure you have a good understanding of that school’s values and key programs so that you can demonstrate you’ll be a great addition to their community. If you’re applying to Barnard, here are some of Barnard’s values that you should know before getting started:
1. Intellectual curiosity and rigor
Barnard values students who are motivated and ready to tackle intellectual challenges. Because all Barnard students are required to write a senior thesis, Barnard looks for students who are ready to grow into mature thinkers and pursue an independent academic path. Additionally, Barnard students are able to take classes at Columbia as well as at Barnard, which opens up a wealth of opportunities for every student to explore different disciplines and styles of classes offered by both institutions. However, make sure to articulate in your answer that you’re interested in Barnard, specifically– not just its connection to Columbia.
2. Boldness and initiative
Barnard has a deep history of students who went on to become groundbreaking pioneers in their field, from writer Zora Neale Hurston to contemporary director Greta Gerwig. Its history as an all-women’s college means that Barnard has a strong core identity as a trailblazing institution. Barnard students are unafraid to approach challenges and carry themselves with confidence through every new experience. Programs like the Athena Center for Leadership allow students to develop their leadership skills and make bold decisions with the support of other like-minded peers around them.
3. Collaboration and community care
As a residential college, Barnard fosters an intimate environment where students are encouraged to continuously contribute to the school community. Whether its through various activities hosted outside Milstein Library, or during your first year living in the Quad, Barnard is known for its tight-knit student body.
4. Connecting learning to the world
Barnard’s location in New York City means that students are encouraged to take their ideas out into the world around them. Through various outreach and educational initiatives, as well as research opportunities and student activist groups, Barnard students are driven to actively interact with the broader community outside of the college itself. Resources like the Urban Teaching Program path offer students a unique chance to obtain a New York teaching certification over the course of their time in undergrad, preparing them to be the next generation fo teachers in New York City schools. Other opportunities include Beyond Barnard, a career hub that connects students with mentors, fellowships, and funding opportunities to help them develop their career.
How to Write Barnard College’s Supplemental Essays (2025-2026)
Choose one woman, historical, fictional, contemporary, or personally significant, whose views differ from your own. Imagine a conversation with her. What would you discuss, how might her perspective challenge or shift your own, and how could this new mindset influence your approach to learning and engagement at Barnard? (250 words)
This question is gauging whether you align with the integral parts of Barnard’s identity that make it what it is: a historical, revolutionary women’s college with a storied legacy of connecting women with educational opportunities, and with each other. Beyond this, through this supplemental essay, you’ll want to convey the intellectual curiosity that Barnard is looking for in its students. Here are some strategies to use as you write:
- Pick a woman whose perspective would genuinely challenge you, not someon you already fully agree with. Barnard isn’t looking for someone who is already comfortable with their point of view; part of the Barnard experience is understanding where you can learn more and pushing yourself to absorb challenging, unexpected ideas.
- Don’t feel pressured to pick a Barnard alumna for this answer; admissions readers will be able to tell if your answer is forced or trying too hard to appeal to the admissions readers.
- Show how you would grow from the exchange and draw a parallel between this growth and Barnard’s core values.
- End by connecting the mindset shift to how you’ll learn and collaborate on campus. What are you excited to learn that you haven’t yet been able to? What kinds of opportunities for learning will Barnard offer you that will truly push you, and who do you look forward to going through that journey with? Touching on the importance of why a women’s college experience is important to you is often a good idea here, as Barnard’s history as a women’s college is an integral part of the college’s mission.
Conclusion
With these tools and tips to help you along, you’ll be able to strengthen your Barnard supplemental essays and make them standout among a competitive group of applicants. Remember to be bold as you tackle these supplemental essays and show Barnard how you’ll thrive on their campus!
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Curious about how to write the rest of your supplemental essays? Check out more advice here.
About Kelsey
Kelsey Wang is an essay consultant at Essay Cafe with a B.S. in Data Science and a minor in Creative Writing from Stanford University. She approaches essay editing from both a data perspective (applying successful patterns from hundreds of essays read) and a creative perspective (making each individual student stand out) and has personally helped students get into top schools like Princeton, Yale, Brown, UCLA, Duke, Stanford, Columbia and many more.