B
#5 Best Private Colleges in New York

Barnard Admission Requirements

New York, New York

 1 Reviews

Your chances of getting into Barnard College

Admission Rate & Difficulty

Percent Admitted 

11%
Admission Difficulty for Barnard College
Measure Difficulty
Admission Standards Elite 
Applicant Competition Very High 

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at Barnard is 11%.  Its admission rate is the 5th lowest in New York and the 33rd lowest the nation.

Admission Selectivity

How hard is it to get into Barnard and can you get accepted?

Barnard is a very highly competitive school to get into with a low chance of acceptance for typical applicants. Last year, 1,192 out of the 10,395 who applied were admitted.

The school has exceptionally high admission requirements, generally admitting students who can score in the top 3 percent on standardized admission tests. Barnard College typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.85. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class or better. Of those applicants who were admitted, 65% enrolled. This indicates that the school is a top choice for many students who apply.

Check if you have the grades and scores to get into Barnard and calculate your admission chance.

Admission Requirements in Brief

To have the best chance of getting into to Barnard College you should:

  • Have a high school GPA of 3.85 or better
  • Earn A- grades in high school
  • Score 1490 on the SAT
  • Score 33 on the ACT
  • Graduate in the top 10% of your high school class
  • Submit letters of recommendation from your teachers

Test Optional

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Barnard College. If you submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 30% of students submitted SAT scores and 21% submitted ACT scores for admission for the 2021/2022 academic year..

Barnard SAT Scores

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range 

1425-1550

Applicants Submitting SAT 

30%
SAT Scores for Barnard College
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 25th 710
SAT Math 25th 715
SAT Composite 25th 1425
SAT Scores for Barnard College
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 75th 770
SAT Math 75th 780
SAT Composite 75th 1550
Average SAT Score 1490

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Barnard College?

Barnard College is a test optional school meaning you are not required to submit SAT scores with your application. The position on SAT scores from the college is "considered but not required".

Students who get into Barnard College score in the top 100 percent of all SAT test takers.. The SAT composite score range for the middle 50% of accepted students is 1425-1550 and the average score is 1490.  Barnard ranks #5 in the state of New York and #28 in the nation for highest average SAT composite score. You should target scoring 1490 or above to be competitive with most other applicants.

View other colleges which accept students in the 1490 SAT score range.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

The table below outlines your predicted admission chances based on SAT score alone. If you are an average applicant with a score of 1487, you have around a 11% chance of being admitted. A 1487 places you well ahead of most other applicants and gives you about a 19% chance of getting in.

Barnard College admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale) Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
1550 and Above Good >19%
1487 to 1550 Avg + 11%-19%
1425 to 1487 Avg - 6%-11%
1363 to 1425 Reach 3%-6%
Less than 1363 Low <3%
Calculate My Chances 
Connect with Barnard

Engage with counselors on a personal level to demonstrate your interest in their school and get answers to all of your admissions-related questions.

Sponsored by CollegeVine

Barnard ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range 

32-34 

Applicants Submitting ACT 

21%
ACT Scores for Barnard College
ACT Test 25th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 25th 34
ACT Math 25th 28
ACT Composite 25th 32
ACT Scores for Barnard College
ACT Test 75th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 75th 36
ACT Math 75th 34
ACT Composite 75th 34
Average ACT Score 33

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Barnard?

Barnard College is test optional. Students are not required to submit ACT scores with their application. The policy on ACT scores is "considered but not required".

Barnard regularly accepts students who score 32 and above on the ACT. These students typically score in the top 3 percent nationally. The ACT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 32-34.

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Barnard College admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
34 and Above Good >19%
33 to 34 Avg + 11%-19%
32 to 33 Avg - 6%-11%
31 to 32 Reach 3%-6%
Less than 31 Low <3%
Calculate My Chances 

Barnard GPA

GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA 

3.85*

Typical High School Grades 

A-

What GPA do you need to get into Barnard College?

You are required to have exceptionally good grades to get into Barnard. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Barnard College was 3.85 on the 4.0 scale. This indicates that primarily A- average high school students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #10 in New York for highest average GPA. Meeting these GPA requirements alone is not enough for you to gain admission as Barnard is a very selective school.

See additional colleges accepting applicants in the 3.9 GPA range.

*This school has not released high school GPA data for its incoming freshmen. In these cases, CollegeSimply uses an AI algorithm to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of college GPA data. 3.85 is a prediction of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.

High School Class Rank

89% of Barnard College freshman were in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class.

High School Class Rank for admitted Barnard College students
High School Class Rank Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class 89%
Top 25% of class 98%
Top 50% of class 100%
Data Source, Peterson's Data

Applying

Admission Statistics

Barnard College admission statistics
Women Men Total
Applied 10,395 0 10,395
Accepted 1,192 0 1,192
Acceptance Rate 11% ? 11%
Enrolled 769 0 769
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) 65% ? 65%
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Fall 2023 Application Deadline

Applications Due

Jan 1, 2023

Days left to Apply

None

The application deadline for Fall 2023 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 1, 2023.

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Barnard College is $75.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Barnard College and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Barnard College Application Requirements
Test Scores Considered but not required
High School GPA Considered but not required
High School Class Rank Considered but not required
Completion of College Preparatory Program Required
Recommendations Required
Demonstration of Competencies Considered but not required

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Barnard College
AP Credit Yes
Dual Credit No
Credit for Life Experiences No

Other Colleges to Apply To 

Students applying to Barnard College often consider these colleges

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=189097 IPEDS survey data for Barnard College.

FAQs

Does Barnard College prefer SAT or ACT?

30% of students submit their SAT scores to Barnard. 21% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.

What is my chance of getting into Barnard College?

11% of those who apply are granted admission to Barnard. Admission competition is very high and the college has elite admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.

What SAT score is required for Barnard College?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1425 and 1550. 30% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.

What ACT score is required for Barnard College?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 32 and 34. 21% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.