THTR UN3150 (Critical Histories of Drama, Theatre, Performance) available for Fall 2026!

Hello First-Years!

Please see the flyer down below for an upcoming course offered by the Theatre Department for this Fall if you are interested in enrolling in a theatre course and is available to incoming First-Year students!

Best,

The First-Year Team

Math Placement for Incoming Students

Hello, First-Years!

This information is from the Math Department website, and it thoroughly covers their recommendations for math placement: 

For placement purposes, the Mathematics Department considers the following equivalent to Calculus 1 and 2 at Columbia:

• • A score of 5 on the Calculus BC Advanced Placement.
  • A score of 7 on the IB Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL exam (2021 or later) or a score of 7 on the IB HL Mathematics or Further Mathematics exams (2020 or earlier).
  • An A on the A-Level Further Mathematics exam in the U.K.

  Students with any of these scores should begin with Calculus 3, Accelerated Multivariable Calculus, or Honors Math A. They do not need to take Calculus 1 or 2.

• For placement purposes, the Mathematics Department considers the following equivalent to Calculus 1 at Columbia:
  • A score of 4 on the Calculus BC Advanced Placement exam.
  • A score of 4 or 5 on the Calculus AB Advanced Placement exam.
  • A score of 6 on the IB Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL exam (2021 or later) or a score of 6 on the IB HL Mathematics or Further Mathematics exams (2020 or earlier).
  • A score of 6 or 7 on the IB Mathematics: applications and interpretation HL exam (2021 or later) or a score of 6 or 7 on the IB SL Mathematics exam (2020 or earlier). This does not include the IB “Mathematical Studies SL” exam.
  • An A on the A-Level Mathematics exam or a B in A-Level Further Mathematics exam in the U.K.
  • A grade of A in a full year of high school calculus.

  Students with any of these scores may begin with either Calculus 2 or Calculus 3. Note that such students who decide to start with Calculus 3 may still need to take Calculus 2 since it is a requirement or prerequisite for other courses. In particular, they MUST take Calculus 2 before going on to Calculus 4.

NB: These guidelines are for placement purposes only. If your major requires a Calculus course that you have placed out of, you must take a replacement course. A replacement course is any class that lists that level of Calculus as a prerequisite—for example, any MATH course numbered 2000 or above. 

For other questions, please be in touch with Professor De Silva at desilva@math.columbia.edu.

The First-Year Team

Apply to Fall 2026's Creative Writing Workshops, featuring Jhumpa Lahiri, Paul Muldoon, Maria Hinojosa, Zaina Arafat, and more!

Hello, Class of 2030!

See below for information from the English Department about writing workshops suitable for first-years!

Applications are now open for Fall 2026's creative writing courses, and all Barnard students are invited to apply! Our offerings include workshops in prose, poetry, and playwriting, taught by acclaimed writers including Pulitzer Prize winners Jhumpa Lahiri*, Maria Hinojosa, and Paul Muldoon, Lambda Literary Award winner Zaina Arafat, former New York State Poet Laureate Patricia Spears Jones, and more! All experience levels are welcome, with introductory workshops geared towards beginners and advanced workshops intended for more experienced writers. You can see all of our course offerings here and apply to up to three workshops via the application form. The more workshops you apply to, the higher your chances of being placed in one of your choices. The form will close at 11:59PM on Sunday, August 2nd, and all applicants will be informed of their status on Friday, September 4th. Waitlisting is only required once workshop assignments have been made and applicants notified. If you have any questions, please contact mkumarad@barnard.edu or see our FAQs for First-Year students (login required to view) here.

*Please note that only 30 applications will be accepted to Professor Jhumpa Lahiri's Fall 2026 creative writing workshop, "Fiction and Personal Narrative-For Man is a Centaur: Reading Primo Levi". Please click here to see more information on the workshop and to submit your application. There are still a few application spots remaining!

Best,

The First-Year Team

Barnard Basics: Strategies for Success in Your First Year!

Hello First-Years!

We are so excited to welcome you to Barnard College! The Deans' Office for Advising and Support is committed to supporting you every step of the way through its Academic Coaching program. We are happy to provide a virtual pre-orientation program called Barnard Basics: Strategies for Success in Your First Year, hosted by the Program Coordinator for Academic Coaching, Allie Johnston.

In this one-hour session, you will learn skills and tools that will help you not just in your academics, but in every aspect of life here at Barnard. Topics include time management, adjustment to Barnard, study strategies, imposter syndrome, and more! Please see this RSVP form to sign up for a day. If there are any conflicts or questions, feel free to reach out to Allie at ajohnsto@barnard.edu.

Best,

The First-Year Team

Columbia Classes available to First-Year Students (beginning September 4, provided space is available)

Students may not generally take a class at Columbia in their first year unless they EITHER:

a) Need to take one of a short list of introductory courses (see below); 

b) Intend to take a language not offered at Barnard or a level of a language not offered at Barnard, or;

c) Intend to take musical instrument instruction not offered at Barnard

Other exceptions are not likely to be approved. Please consult with your summer adviser or reach out to first-year@barnard.edu if you have questions. 

Exception Reason #1: Introductory Courses the Following Departments 

These courses will be coded so that Barnard students can register for them directly through Vergil on Friday, September 4:

ASTRONOMY 

ASTR UN1903- Astronomy Lab I

COMPUTER SCIENCE 

COMS W1404 Emerging Scholars Program Seminar

COMS W3134 Data Structures in Java

COMS W3157 Advanced Programming 

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 

EESC UN2100 Earth’s Environmental System: Clim Syst

EESC UN2200 Earth’s Environmental System: Solid Earth

MATHEMATICS  

APMA E2000 – Multivariable Calculus

Math UN1207 Honors Math A + Math UN 1217 Honors Math Recitation

Math UN 1205 Accelerated Multivariable Calculus + Math UN 1215 Accelerated Multi Recitation

Math UN2015 Linear Algebra and Probability

PHYSICS  

PHYS UN2801- Accelerated Physics I (please consult with the Physics Department about eligibility for this course) 

SLAVIC

SLCL UN3001 Slavic Cultures

STATISTICS 

STATS UN1001 Introduction to Statistics

STATS UN1101 Introduction to Statistics

STATS UN1201 Calc-based Intro to Statistics

Exception Reason #2: Language courses not taught at Barnard

Languages (or levels of languages) that are not taught at Barnard will be available for incoming first-year registration at Columbia starting Friday, September 4th.

Students with a background in a particular language should take the relevant placement exam before registration opens (if possible).

Exception Reason #3: Musical Instrument Instruction 

Musical instrument instruction (excluding voice lessons, which are taught at Barnard) is only taught at Columbia; therefore, students interested in taking music lessons will be able to register for them on Vergil beginning Friday, September 4th.