Undergraduate / Barnard Supplements - my need to be in an empowering, tight knit community of ambitious women [3]

Barnard Supplements- too vague? too repetitive?

A. What factors influenced your decision to apply to Barnard College and why do you think the College would be a good match for you? (100-250 words)

Barnard satisfies my needs

My high school experience has taught me to value individualized study and personal relationships with teachers, as well as the intellectual liberation ardent interaction with my classmates can grant. I seek a college experience that gives me a chance to not just let my voice be heard, but to learn from the voices of distinct peers.

I have perused the Barnard website, first falling in love with the Nine Ways of Knowing, then with Foundations. I love the collective growth found in a structured, rigorous curriculum. I seek an education that is given by experts, through a breadth-y and depth-y study. I seek an education that empowers me to become my best self.

I cannot envision myself in a large city without a beacon of 'Home'. But I cannot envision myself anywhere but a city- one that never sleeps; one that is constantly hustling and moving; one that is saturated with diversity, exploration (urban, self, etc.), and constant growth (architectural, personal, communal, etc.).

It is essential to be in a liberal arts college. I seek an enriching experience, focused on social involvement and taking action to make positive changes- whether it be through volunteer tutoring, teaching ballroom at a retirement home, or interning with a senator.

Barnard satisfies my need to be in an empowering, tight knit community of ambitious women; a yearning for the capital of the world; and an emphasis on liberal arts and global impact.

Undergraduate / Barnard supplement- possibly too obscure; questionable structure? too idolizing? [3]

Barnard supplement- possibly too obscure; questionable structure? too idolizing?

B. Pick one woman in history or fiction to converse with for an hour and explain your choice. What would you talk about? (100-250 words)

Emma Goldman.

The "Priestess of Anarchy"; the woman who was arrested and jailed several times yet continued to advocate for her fringe views; one who overcame Soviet limitations and created her own culture among likeminded revolutionaries.

One minute: I introduce myself.
Five minutes: I ask if she was involved in the assassination of President McKinley.
Ten minutes: I avow the effect she's had on me as a young woman, from her feminist ideologies and obstinate character to her rejection of communism. The latter would make a particularly compelling tangent- after reading 'My Disillusionment in Russia', I explored various 'ideal' economic systems, some of which are an antithesis to anarchism. Her rebuttals to my points would be the most validating bit.

Twenty minutes: we discuss anarchism in light of recent political activity (assuming she is aware of current news), and the far left leanings towards socialism. This would not be heavy... I just want to hear her speak about what she believes; to witness one of her speeches, albeit a personal one.

Seven minutes of female angst met with wise reassurance: I confess that an ex-boyfriend cheated on me- only because I haven't told anyone this. It was assumed our relationship flickered out because we were a reserved couple. She would understand my frustration, because she, too, was cheated on.

Seven minutes: I ask about the influence of Judaism on her life.
Two minutes: a hug.
This plan gives an eight minute buffer in a conversation with my idol.

Undergraduate / Brown Supplements: Why studies; places you've lived; community you've been a part of [2]

Why are you drawn to the area(s) of study you indicated earlier in this application?

Literature was my first love. At first, it broke my heart. I didn't understand the English letters and couldn't produce sounds I should've been making. I couldn't read. Then, I deciphered Junie B. Jones. While crying in frustration, I laughed a bit at the slapstick humor these books provided. I found friends in fictional characters, and a relatable truth in an ostracized, 'weird' girl.

Eventually, I began writing to find catharsis. I started by imitating my favorite poets and short fiction writers (Emily Dickinson, Etgar Keret, Ernest Hemingway, et al.) until I found my own minimalist voice in creative writing.

English is my second love.

Prose yields repose in a constantly moving world.

Poetry yields expression in abstraction.

Essay writing triggers analytical cognition.

I am passionate about all forms of writing and literature, whether it is The Declaration of Independence, The Dadaist Manifesto, or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Tell us where you have lived - and for how long - since you were born; whether you've always lived in the same place, or perhaps in a variety of places. (100 word limit)

I have lived in an apartment overlooking the Verezano Bridge on the West and Coney Island on the East. I had a red wood boudoir, three shelves of books, purple walls, a queen sized bed. My family was evicted in 2012 from our home on the sixteenth floor.

I lived with my mom and her family for a year. I slept on an air mattress (there were two bedrooms for five people). My clothes were never unpacked (there was no closet).

I live with my grandmother and aunt in a Boynton Beach townhouse since 2013. It is finally home.

We all exist within communities or groups of various sizes, origins, and purposes; pick one and tell us why it is important to you, and how it has shaped you. (100 word limit)

I belong to a tight knit group of kids who have felt the frustration of being the first graduating class and taking a high level course the first year it's offered- AICE kids.

This group of <50 peers has made me an empathizing leader. I was able to step out of my shell when I first began to engage in classroom discourse, and again when I initiated AICE study groups. I have seen the same people on Monday mornings and Saturday afternoons. Who knows if these friends are friends for life, but they have definitely been friends for four years.