Barnard College 2026-27 Supplemental Essay Guide

Barnard College 2026-27 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 Short answer of 50 words; 1 essay of 250 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Oddball

At Barnard, inquiry starts with asking bold questions about the world. What is one bold question on your mind and what about it piques your curiosity? (50 words)

Admissions wants to hear about the questions that keep you up at night. What thought keeps nagging at the back of your brain all day? What idea sends you to Reddit at 2:00 a.m. for answers? Are you convinced there’s alien life out there (or here!)? Perhaps you keep pondering nature vs. nurture in human behavior. Are you searching for a societal structure that would guarantee world peace? Perhaps you’re fascinated by climate change’s effect on bird migratory patterns. Thankfully, there is no right or wrong answer here! Barnard wants to learn more about what ideas fascinate you and, crucially, why, so whatever you write about, so long as you explain what draws you to that topic, you’re on the right track. 

Barnard College is shaped by trailblazing women with a multitude of perspectives. Think of a woman – historical, fictional, contemporary, or personally significant – whose views or approach to problem-solving differ from your own, but who excels at bringing people together. What lesson from her approach would shape how you show up at Barnard both inside and outside of the classroom? (250 words) 

You’ve probably been asked a version of this question before: Who would you invite to an imaginary dinner party? If you could summon anyone from the grave, who would it be? In this case, unsurprisingly, Barnard wants you to write about a woman. Surprisingly, they want to hear about someone whose views don’t quite align with yours but who could bring people together. A question like this one is probing for an insight into how your brain works. What kind of qualities do you value? Who might challenge your mindset and how? Who approached a problem totally differently than you would have but still achieved the result you both desired? The key here is to be confident and genuine for memorable results. Don’t second-guess your own perspective or strain to write about a person simply because you think it will impress admissions—spoiler alert: they’ll be able to tell. So, set a timer for five to ten minutes and jot down every woman who comes to mind: George Sand, Tarana Burke, your great-great-grandma, your biological mom, Cleopatra, Annabeth Chase, Princess Donut…no idea is too absurd during the brainstorm; and historical, local, or fictional femmes are equally welcome! Whose problem-solving methods differ from yours? Who excels at bringing people together? Which person would give you a chance to reveal something new about yourself to admissions, like an otherwise unspoken interest in politics, fashion, or ancient history? Maybe you disagree with Margaret Thatcher’s hard-lined economic policies in the 1980s, but acknowledge that she pulled the UK out of a recession and won reelection several times. What does this teach you about your own approach to solving problems? Finally, be sure to address how your takeaways from this figure’s viewpoints and problem-solving methods would impact your approach to your time at Barnard.