Registration reopens and Pre-Major Adviser Assignments on September 4th!

 

Hello, Class of 2030!

New Student Orientation is fast upon us and we are excited to see you on campus! You should have already received your schedule from the Orientation folks last week. We wanted to highlight next steps for registration and advising. Please read on for important information:  

📌Registration reopens on Friday, September 4th 

Registration will open at 10AM next Friday on September 4th. You should not have any required NSOP events that morning and, if you need to do so, you can use this time to refine your schedule. 

Please keep in mind the following:

 

• During this window, courses at Columbia that are approved exceptions to the First-Year@Barnard rule will be available for registration on Vergil. If space is available, you may sign up for them.  

• This is the last opportunity to change your section of First-Year Writing or First-Year Seminar. First-Year Experience classes do not run waitlists and instructors cannot overenroll their sections. 

• Academic advisers will be available in their offices for consultation from 9:30AM-12:30PM on September 4th, if you have immediate questions. Details will be provided as we get closer to Friday morning.   

• Looking for a new or different course for your Fall schedule? We’ve profiled a few great options with open seats on the First-Year blog.

📌Pre-Major Advisers

You will learn the name of your Pre-Major Adviser on September 4th. Your adviser will reach out to you by email between September 4th and September 9th to invite you to schedule a mandatory meeting during the first two weeks of the term. Please be on the lookout for this invitation, as this meeting is required of all students. Your Pre-Major Advisor will be a crucial resource as you find your academic footing at Barnard and work towards major declaration next year.

📌First two weeks of the term (add/drop period) 

Registration will remain open from September 8th through September 18th, which we also call the add/drop period. You may continue to make changes to your schedule during this time, but remember that your section of FYS or FYW cannot be changed at this point.

• Here are some tips from Sophia about how to manage waitlists during the add/drop period. 

Important deadlines to note: 

• September 18th is the last day to add a class. 

• You must also have your mandatory meeting with your Pre-Major Adviser by September 18th. 

 

📌Lastly, we have another Cybersecurity newsletter from our friends at BCIT to share with you this week, which you can read in this document!

We can’t wait for your arrival next week! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us anytime at first-year@barnard.edu

Best,

The First-Year Team

Managing waitlists!

Good morning, Class of 2030!

I know registration can be super stressful—but don’t fret! It will all get figured out, even if it’s not your first (or second, or maybe even third…) choice class. 

One thing that is almost guaranteed is that you will end up on a waitlist for a class. I certainly was not prepared for this eventuality when I came in Freshman Fall (and almost lost my mind when the schedule I had so carefully curated was nearly up in flames). However! This is normal!! The great news is that there are so many options that you will all surely find something to make the first semester meaningful!

That being said, if you are on a waitlist for a class or two, there are some things you can do to increase your chances of getting in:

1. If the waitlist is auto-fill (so it’s essentially a line of “who got there first”), make sure you attend the first few classes. Often, many people shop more credits than they ever plan to take, so seats inevitably open up in these courses.  

1. Going to every class in the add/drop period makes sure you don’t fall behind if that seat does open!

2. If the waitlist is instructor-managed, it can often help to do a bit more than just showing up to the first few classes.

1. Email! If you really, really want a class and have been waiting your whole life to take it—let that professor know! Be courteous and eager, and send a great email about why you want to be in the class and would take it seriously.

2. Introduce yourself! This is often a struggle for me, but it can be very helpful to put a face to a name if the course means a lot to you.

At the end of the day, it is only your first semester, and you will have plenty of time to get into a class, should it be full this semester. But also know that a waitlist isn’t a no!! 

Best,

Sophia

Available biology course for Fall 2026! ~ BIOL 1009, Plants in Life and Laboratory ("Plant Life")

Hello First-Years!

Please see the flyer down below for an upcoming biology course available this Fall term to incoming First-Year students!--BIOL 1009, Plants in Life and Laboratory ("Plant Life"). We had previously advertised this course earlier this summer back in June and we wanted to give it another push to help encourage more student enrollment, especially if you happened to miss it during your first registration period and may be interested in taking it this fall!

Best,

The First-Year Team

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It is designed to be friendly to incoming first-years, and generally is a lecture+lab option for non-majors. This would be an appropriate option for students connected with HEOP, Access Barnard or others who may want a gradual and more welcoming on-ramp for exploring a variety of STEM majors. It would prepare such students well for the rigor of pre-requisites such as the Fall or Spring halves of our 1500-level sequence.

If you have any questions about the course, please contact Professor Hilary Callahan at hcallaha@barnard.edu

Course Available for Fall 2026! ~ EAAS 2367 (The Modern Girl)

Hello First-Years!

Please take a look at the flyer and information down below for an upcoming course being offered by the Asian and Middle Eastern Cultures Department for the fall term!

Best,

The First-Year Team

Days & Times: Tuesday and Thursdays 1:10pm - 2:25pm

Location: 409 Barnard Hall

Instructor: Tani Barlow, Asian and Middle Eastern Cultures

Description: This course clocks the prehistory and history of the “modern girl,” a physiologically and biologically understood, anatomically correct, commodity-defined, human rights bearing person that revolutionized how we define women. Beginning with the early modern global trade networks that created the material conditions for womens political action, the course moves through imperialism and colonialism, Cold War gender formations, and the contemporary consumer cultures of Asia and their global entanglements. 

Our focus this semester is Asia and beyond and our central questions are (1) how did gendered commodities –machine fabricated, internationally circulated– lay material conditions for womens political action and liberation struggles; (2) how is commodification of the girl figure a blessing and a curse; (3) is the modern girl one subject of feminism and how does socialist feminist theory and political movements historically connect to the modern girl phenomenon? 

In this class we figure out how to analyze 20th century new media e.g., silent films, phonograph records, lithography, commercial brand images, lantern slides, and, of course, the fashion and advertising industries. We will develop historical tools to help us understand how cultural forms deliver material political impacts and results. This is a lecture course with time set aside for your visual presentations and your analysis of the readings, images, and ideas.

English Department First-Year reception on September 17th!

Hello First-Years!

The Barnard English Department will be hosting a First-Year Reception on Thursday, September 17th from 1-2PM in Milstein LL001

Please see the flyer down below if you are interested in attending!

Best,

The First-Year Team

Start Strong with Alcohol Wise!

Hello, Class of 2030!

See below for information from the Furman Counseling Center about Alcohol Wise, the program that has already been sent to your inboxes!

As you prepare for an exciting year at Barnard, take a few moments to complete Alcohol Wise—an interactive online program offered through Barnard's Alcohol and Substance Awareness Program (ASAP). Designed to help you thrive, Alcohol Wise provides personalized feedback, practical information about alcohol, and strategies for making informed decisions while supporting your health, safety, and well-being throughout your college experience. Watch for your weekly reminder emails for your unique access link, then log in using your Barnard University credentials to complete the program. We look forward to supporting you as you begin your Barnard journey!

Best,
The First-Year Team

Deadline extended! Fall 2026's Creative Writing Workshops at Barnard, featuring Paul Muldoon, Maria Hinojosa, Zaina Arafat and more!

Hello, Soon-to-Be First-Years!

See below for an update from the English department regarding creative writing courses!

L-R: Zaina Arafat, Farnoosh Fathi, Nellie Hermann, Maria Hinojosa, Brionne Janae, Patricia Spears Jones, Ellen McLaughlin, Paul Muldoon, Idra Novey, Nina Sharma, Weike Wang, and Kate Zambreno

We're accepting applications for Fall 2026's creative writing courses until August 10th, and all Barnard students and Columbia undergraduates are invited to apply! Our offerings include workshops in prose, poetry, and playwriting, taught by acclaimed writers including Pulitzer Prize winners Paul Muldoon and Maria Hinojosa, 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 (Columbia students will need to submit an access request, which will be approved within 24 hours), 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 8:59AM ET on Monday, August 10th, 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, and they will be glad to assist you.

Best,

The First-Year Team