Barnard Supplemental Essays 2025-2026: Writing Tips + Examples

Barnard College is an all-women liberal arts college within Columbia University. While officially a college of Columbia, it has its own admissions process, which is ultra-competitive given its 10% acceptance rate for the Class of 2029.

So, how can you be a part of that 10%? You’ll need to craft a strong application, including the Barnard supplemental essay. This essay asks about your interest in the college, intellectual curiosity, and personal values.

In this blog, we’ll go over Barnard’s essay requirements and give you helpful tips and examples to inspire your writing. Plus, we’ll talk about some common mistakes to avoid so you can maximize your chances of acceptance.

• Barnard Supplemental Essay Prompts
• How to Write the Barnard Supplemental Essay #1
• How to Write the Barnard Supplemental Essay #2
• How to Write the Barnard Supplemental Essay #3
• Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Barnard Supplemental Essays
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

Barnard Supplemental Essay Prompts

Barnard asks all applicants to respond to one Barnard-specific short answer question in addition to their personal statement on the Common App or QuestBridge.

For the 2025–2026 application cycle, first-year applicants will respond to a new short-answer prompt. Here is the short answer question for first-year students:

• Rooted in a history of trailblazing women, Barnard College is a collaborative community of care shaped by bold women with a multitude of perspectives. 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? Share how this new mindset could influence your approach to learning and engagement both in and beyond the classroom at Barnard.

The Barnard supplemental essay has a word limit of 200 to 250 words.

Honestly, Barnard’s supplemental essay might be even more important than those of most schools. Why? Choosing to attend an all-women’s college is a distinctive decision. For many students, it represents both an exciting opportunity and a significant shift—especially if you’ve never been in a single-gender environment before. (Since Barnard students take classes across Columbia University, though, most of your academic experiences will be coeducational.)

Through the short-answer question, Barnard looks for students who are genuinely ready to embrace what makes the college special—a tight-knit community of thinkers and creators who aren’t afraid to challenge ideas, lead with empathy, and redefine what leadership looks like.

How to Write the Barnard Supplemental Essay #1

Barnard’s supplemental essay is about curiosity, empathy, and dialogue. The admissions team wants to see how you think across differences—how you listen, question, and learn from perspectives that challenge your own. They’re looking for:

• Intellectual openness. Curiosity about new or even opposing viewpoints.
• Respectful dialogue. Awareness that learning often begins with discomfort.
• Self-reflection. How your mindset or values evolve through the exchange.
• Connection to Barnard. How this experience shapes your future learning and engagement there.

Brainstorming ideas

Think about women who’ve made you rethink something. Not just famous figures, but anyone who’s changed how you see the world. For example:

• A historical figure (e.g., Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Marie Curie, Malala Yousafzai) who challenges your assumptions about courage or conviction.
• A fictional character (e.g., Jo March, Lisbeth Salander, or even Katniss Everdeen) whose worldview you question but admire.
• A personal connection (a grandmother, teacher, coach) whose values or life experiences differ from yours.
• A public thinker or creator (e.g., Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Greta Thunberg, or Margaret Atwood) who pushes you to think critically about gender, justice, or the environment.

Ask yourself:

• What do I admire about her?
• Where do our perspectives diverge?
• How could a real conversation with her challenge or deepen my own beliefs?

Essay structure + tips

This essay is your chance to show how you think, not just who inspires you. It’s less about the woman you choose and more about how you approach difference—how you learn from it, question it, and grow because of it. To make your response engaging and memorable, consider crafting a narrative that combines dialogue and reflection.

• Start with the meeting.  Set the scene. Imagine where you’d meet her and why this conversation matters. For example, “I imagine sitting with Greta Thunberg on a park bench in Stockholm, the air thick with quiet determination.”
• Describe the difference. Acknowledge where your views diverge; this shows confidence and honesty. You can say, “I care deeply about sustainability, but I’ve never been as relentless as she is. I often wonder if conviction requires sacrifice.”
• Reflect on the dialogue.  Show what you’d ask, what you’d learn, and how it might challenge your assumptions. Your reflection can include: “Her insistence on urgency would push me to confront my comfort—to see that awareness isn’t the same as action.”
• Connect to Barnard. Explain how this mindset would influence how you learn and engage in Barnard’s community. For example, “At Barnard, I’d carry that challenge into every classroom—asking harder questions and stepping beyond agreement into discovery.”

When writing this supplemental essay, remember that Barnard isn’t looking for the “right” woman to write about. They’re looking for your perspective. The goal isn’t to agree with her completely or to glorify her accomplishments; it’s to show how genuine curiosity can lead to growth.

Whether your chosen figure is a family member, author, scientist, or activist, use this essay to demonstrate that you’re someone who learns through listening, questions thoughtfully, and isn’t afraid of intellectual challenge. Those are the very traits that define the Barnard classroom—spaces built on dialogue, difference, and discovery.

Supplemental essay example

I imagine meeting Greta Thunberg on a cold morning in Stockholm, the kind of cold that makes everything quiet except conviction. She’d be clutching her thermos, eyes sharp but kind.

“How do you keep speaking up,” I’d ask, “when so many people refuse to listen?”

She’d pause before answering. “You don’t wait for the right time,” she’d say. “The planet doesn’t have that kind of time.”

I’d laugh nervously. “I post about climate issues a lot, but sometimes it feels pointless. Like awareness isn’t enough.”

“It isn’t,” she’d reply. “But it’s a start. The next step is staying uncomfortable until you do something about it.”

Her words would sit with me longer than I’d admit. I’d want to argue that one person can’t make much difference—but she’d already proven otherwise. Her focus would make my hesitation feel small.

Our conversation would end quietly, the kind of silence that feels like reflection instead of distance. Greta would remind me that conviction doesn’t have to be loud to last.

At Barnard, I want to bring that same persistence into the Environment and Sustainability major in the Department of Environmental Science. The program’s mix of climate systems, environmental policy, and justice-driven research feels like the place where ideas turn into movement. In a community that values curiosity and courage, I want to keep asking hard questions—and then act on the answers.

Greta would probably smile and say, “Good. That’s where change begins.”

How to Write the Barnard Supplemental Essay #2

For the second Barnard supplemental essay, you’re asked to think about a big question you’re passionate about, whether it’s about society, science, philosophy, or anything under the sun!

Explain why this question matters to you and how your studies, personal values, or experiences have made you curious about it. Admissions wants to bring in students who aren’t afraid to think critically and question the norm.

But what if you don’t have any bold questions? Of course you do. Bold questions are basically what makes you curious. They’re the kind of questions that make you think deeply and want to explore more.

Brainstorming ideas

Choosing just one bold question is tricky. You must brainstorm before answering this prompt. Start by writing a list of questions you’ve always wondered about.

• Think about what makes you curious. It can be anything from a social issue to a scientific mystery. Think about something that bothers you and needs to be questioned. For example, if you’re interested in sustainable energy, it could be, “Why are we still relying on fossil fuels when there are so many cleaner energy options?“
• Look at personal experiences. Have your personal experiences influenced the way you view certain issues? Think about how your background or life events made you question certain things about society or the world around you. Maybe growing up in a low-income neighborhood made you wonder, “Why do some communities get access to better education than others?“
• Consider global and local issues. What are the big questions that society is grappling with today? Is there a particular issue you care deeply about and want to explore further? If you love technology but value genuine relationships, you could say, “How can we balance technological advancement with preserving human connection?“
• Challenge the status quo. Think about questions that challenge the existing way of doing things or push the boundaries of thinking. This can be anything from political to philosophical. Perhaps you’ve always questioned why people equate success with money and status, so you ask, “How should success be truly defined?“

Tip: Avoid getting lost in endless Reddit threads while brainstorming. Instead, focus on one big question that truly keeps you up at night and use it to show how it reflects your curiosity and drive to understand the world.

Essay structure tips + examples

In your essay, use a clear structure that helps guide the reader through your thought process. Try to follow these tips:

• Start with your big question. Begin by clearly stating the bold question you’ve chosen. Your opening should grab attention and make the reader curious about your question. For example, you could start with, “How can we ensure that every student, regardless of background, gets a quality education? This question is the reason I care so much about education reform.”
• Provide context and personal connection. Next, explain why this question matters to you. Connect it to your personal experiences or observations. “Growing up in a school system where computers were outdated, and textbooks were in short supply, I saw how students from lower-income families often had fewer opportunities to succeed. It made me think about how we can fix this gap in education.”
• Explain why it matters beyond you. Now, connect your question to bigger issues in society. “Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty, yet millions of kids don’t have the same opportunities. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that 22% of public schools consider outdated computers or software a challenge. This issue affects our future society and the next generations of students.”
• Link to your future goals. Tie your big question back to your future. How does this question relate to your academic or personal goals, especially at Barnard? “I want to major in Education Studies and minor in English at Barnard so I can explore how literature and education intersect. My goal is to help create more inclusive teaching methods that allow all students to thrive, no matter their background.”

Once you’ve chosen your “bold” question, think about how Barnard can help you learn more about them. Are there any classes, professors, events, or activities at Barnard that can help you explore these topics? Make sure you connect your interests to what Barnard offers, showing that you’ve done your research and are excited about what the school can offer.

Supplemental essay example

Can technology solve problems it helped create?

It’s a question I ask often while reading about climate modeling software, watching debates on algorithmic bias, or even just noticing how social media fuels anxiety while claiming to build connection. I don’t think technology is inherently harmful or redemptive, but we need to be honest about its double edges and more intentional about how we design and deploy it.

My curiosity about this began in middle school, when I built a simple chatbot for a coding competition. It could answer trivia questions, but the more I tested it, the more I saw how easily it reflected my own assumptions—the language I used, the examples I gave. That small project made me realize how human bias doesn’t disappear in technology; it just hides behind it. Since then, I’ve followed conversations about ethics in AI and sustainable innovation, fascinated by how design decisions can shape social outcomes.

This question matters to me because I’m interested in building systems that do more than just “optimize.” I want to study human-centered design and ethical innovation, where success includes safety, equity, and accessibility. At Barnard, I hope to explore this through the lens of both science and policy—combining technical knowledge with questions about responsibility and power.

If technology can solve its own problems, it will require more than code. It’ll take reflection, collaboration, and the courage to rethink what progress really means—something I hope to keep questioning, and building toward, at Barnard.

How to Write the Barnard Supplemental Essay #3

Barnard College values students who are open to academic discussions and debates, but always in a respectful way. This question isn’t asking, “Talk about a time when you proved a classmate wrong.“

It’s natural to feel passionate about your beliefs, but you should remember that everyone has different viewpoints, especially when it comes to diversity of experiences and opinions. While making a strong argument is important, being a good listener and staying open-minded is just as crucial, especially in an academic setting.

For this essay, think of when you really took the time to listen to someone else’s opinion. It doesn’t have to be where you changed your mind, but just a moment when you paused to understand where the other person was coming from.

Brainstorming ideas

Here are some brainstorming ideas to help you get started:

• Pick a real conversation. Think about a specific moment when you talked to someone who didn’t share your views. This could be a class discussion, a talk with a family member, or even a chat with a friend. Maybe during a conversation with your sister about animal rights, she argued that eating meat is natural, and it made you think more deeply about the moral side of food choices.
• Consider the context. What was the situation? Were there things going on that made the conversation interesting or challenging? Perhaps at a youth group meeting, you discussed the concept of forgiveness. While you thought forgiveness was crucial for personal growth, a peer who experienced betrayal argued that some things were too unforgivable and deserved consequences.
• How did you engage with them? Show how you actively participated in the conversation. For instance, in a class debate about gentrification, you argued it was a way to revitalize neighborhoods, while a classmate said it displaced long-time families. You asked questions to understand their view and shared your thoughts on the benefits.
• What did you learn? Reflect on how the conversation changed you, even just a little bit. Did you rethink your beliefs or look at the topic from a new angle? For example, during a discussion on art’s role in society, you believed it should challenge norms, while your friend thought it should simply be beautiful, which made you realize art can serve multiple purposes.

Remember, it’s not about winning the argument or proving you’re right. Barnard wants to see you’re open to new ideas and ready to listen and engage with others about important issues.

Essay structure tips + examples

Once you’ve nailed down a conversation you want to write about, here’s how to structure your essay:

• Start by describing the situation. Begin by explaining where and when this conversation took place. Set the scene so the reader knows the context. “While talking with my mom at home, we discussed the topic of mental health days. I was burned out, overwhelmed with schoolwork, and thought taking a break could help me recharge.”
• Explain the other person’s perspective. What did they believe, and why did they think that way? This shows that you understood where they were coming from. “My mom believed that mental health days were a form of avoidance and that skipping school might not address the underlying issues I was dealing with. She thought it was important to push through difficulties rather than stepping away from them.”
• Describe how you responded. Talk about how you reacted during the conversation. Did you challenge their point of view, or did you just listen? Be honest about how you handled the situation. “I shared my perspective with her, explaining how a mental health day could help me recharge and handle stress better. I pointed out that sometimes taking a break can improve focus and productivity in the long run.”
• Explain how the conversation changed your perspective. Did you rethink your opinion or strengthen your beliefs? What did you learn from the exchange? “This conversation helped me understand the historical context of mental health and how different generations view it. I realized my mom’s perspective comes from a time when it wasn’t openly discussed, which made me appreciate how self-care is valued today.”

Whatever conversation you choose to write about, make sure you also answer the second part of the prompt. How did the conversation affect your view on the issue? Did you and the other person find common ground, or did it make you feel even stronger about your beliefs?

You want the reader to come away feeling like you’re someone who looks for common ground and understanding, even when the conversation is challenging or tense.

Supplemental essay example

During lunch, a classmate criticized my favorite clothing brand, calling it unethical and wasteful. “Some of us don’t have the money for slow fashion,” I said. I wasn’t trying to defend harmful practices. I just felt like the conversation left no room for people like me, who shopped sales out of necessity, not carelessness.

That exchange made me reflect on how often ethical conversations assume equal access. My classmate wasn’t wrong, though. Fast fashion does exploit labor and the environment. But affordability is real too, and solutions need to account for both.

Afterward, I kept thinking about how easily discussions about “doing good” can turn into moral hierarchies. I started reading about sustainable alternatives that acknowledge financial limits and discovered local clothing swaps and thrift stores as more inclusive options. I even organized a small swap at school, hoping to show classmates that sustainability can start small—and that awareness doesn’t have to come with shame.

That conversation didn’t change my financial reality, but it changed how I think about impact and inclusion. It reminded me that ethics means nothing if it leaves people out of the conversation. Now, I try to approach debates—whether about climate, policy, or fashion—with curiosity first. Change doesn’t begin with calling people out; it begins with calling them in.

Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Barnard Supplemental Essays

A big part of the Barnard application process is writing essays highlighting your personal story and qualities. But, many students don’t know the best way to approach these essays and make some common mistakes.

Here’s what you should avoid:

1. Sounding too formal

You’re still a teenager, about to finish high school, so Barnard doesn’t expect you to sound like a professor or someone with a PhD!

While you should choose your words carefully to express yourself, there’s no need to use those you wouldn’t usually say in everyday conversations, like “cognizant” or “juxtapose.” Trying to sound overly formal can make your essay feel fake and forced.

Your own voice should be coming through loud and clear in your supplemental essay. Piling on ACT/SAT vocabulary words that don’t fit would just annoy or throw off the admissions officer reading your essay.

2. Repeating information

This is super important! Your essay is your chance to show something about yourself that can’t be found anywhere else on your application, so make the most of it.

Many students write about activities or interests they’ve already covered in their personal statement and other parts of the application. It’s a missed opportunity! Try to pick something that gives a new perspective on who you are.

For example, if swimming is your top activity, don’t write about your fastest record or that big championship win. Instead, talk about a different aspect of your experience, maybe a lesson you learned or a challenge you overcame, like pushing through a tough training season after an injury.

3. Failing to proofread

Spelling and grammar mistakes (even small ones!) can leave a bad impression on Barnard’s admissions team. Don’t forget to proofread your supplemental essays to make sure they’re polished to perfection before submitting them.

It’s a good idea to use tools like Grammarly and ask a teacher, counselor, or even a professional editor to go over your work and catch any errors you might have missed.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does Barnard College have supplemental essays?

Yes, Barnard College has supplemental essays as part of its application. For the 2025-2026 cycle, you’ll need to write about a figure who has a profound influence on your life.

2. How many supplemental essays does Barnard College have?

You’ll need to submit three Barnard supplemental essays along with the other requirements for your college application. These essays have a word count of only 200 to 250 words. It’s not a lot, so plan out your responses to fit your personality into your response.

3. How important are Barnard College supplemental essays?

Very important! They’re your chance to plead your case to admissions. A strong essay highlights your personality, values, and interests—basically, what you’ll contribute to campus. With Barnard’s low acceptance rate, your supplemental essays could be your ticket to getting in.

Takeaways

• Barnard requires all first-year applicants to submit three supplemental essays of 200 to 250 words.
• These essays ask you to write about your interest in Barnard, a bold question you often think about, and an experience where you had a different view from someone else.
• Avoid common writing mistakes like sounding too formal, repeating what’s already covered elsewhere in your application, and failing to proofread before submission.
• Consider hiring a private admissions consultant to work with you one-on-one in refining your essay and making your overall application as strong as possible.