Class of 2028 Profile

We are delighted to welcome the 719 students who make up Barnard College’s Class of 2028. While the statistical profile below provides a snapshot of the incoming class, it does not capture the full breadth of their accomplishments, passions, and backgrounds.

Our Review Process

In our holistic review of applicants, we looked at a wide range of elements, including personal essays, short-answer responses to open-ended questions, available academic opportunities and performance, optional testing data, and recommendation letters. This helped us identify and select a promising and talented group of students from a range of backgrounds and lived experiences.

Read more about our holistic review process.

This was the first class admitted since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to end the consideration of race as part of a holistic application review process. In accordance with the law, the students admitted to the Class of 2028 were evaluated in a race-neutral process, even as Barnard remains steadfast in our commitment to maintaining a diverse student body.

Application Profile

First-Year Applicants

Total number of first-year applications: 11,836
Admitted students: 1,046
Admit rate: 9%
Class size: 719
Applied through Early Decision: 1,694
Percent of class admitted through Early Decision: 56%

First-Year Class Profile

Academic Profile

  • 91% in the top decile of their high school class rank (for those providing a class rank)
  • Testing Data (for those reporting under our test-optional policy)
    • SAT mid-50% range: 1470-1540
    • ACT Composite mid-50% range: 32-35

Demographics

  • 17% First-Generation Students (defined as the first in their family to attend a four-year college)
  • 14% Non-U.S. Citizens/Permanent Residents and Undocumented
  • Race and ethnicity self-identification for U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents, as indicated on a student’s application:
    • Black or African American: 9.5%
    • Asian American: 37%
    • Caucasian/White: 37.5%
    • Hispanic/Latinx: 10%
    • Native/Indigenous: 2%
    • Did not report: 4%
    • Total domestic students of color: 58.5%
  • 53% attended public high schools
  • 37% attended private schools
  • 9% attended religious/parochial schools
  • 1% homeschooled

Community-Based Organization Affiliations (CBOs)

  • Students in the Class of 2028 worked with over 40 different CBOs, including ASP Dallas, AVID, College Now, College Bound Initiative, Double Discovery Center, EMERGE, LEDA Scholars, Let’s Get Ready, Matchlighters Scholars Program, Matriculate, Minds Matter, Questbridge, Rainier Scholars, Seeds of Fortune, the TEAK Fellowship, the Opportunity Network, TRIO/Upward Bound

Geographic Representation

  • States:
    • Number of states represented: 46, plus the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico
    • Midwest/Southwest: 7%
    • Mid-Atlantic: 14%
    • New England: 8%
    • South: 21%
    • West/Mountain States: 13%
  • Countries:
    • Number of countries represented by citizenship: 36
    • International citizens: 14%
    • U.S. citizens attending high school abroad: 5%
  • Most represented states: California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington
  • Most Represented Countries: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Hong Kong SAR, India, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom

Financial Aid

  • Average Barnard College grant: $60,566
  • Percentage of students receiving a Pell Grant: 18%
  • Average federal financial aid indebtedness for the Class of 2023: $18,250

Transfer Applicants

Spring 2024

Total number of applications for Spring 2024: 208
Admitted students: 44
Admit rate: 21%
Total enrolled (Spring 2024): 35

Fall 2024

Total number of applications for Fall 2024: 1,261
Admitted students: 252
Admit rate: 20%
Total enrolled (Fall 2024): 154

All data is for students entering in the fall of 2024 as of October 1, 2024