Maya Mohan
North Bureau Chief
Nya Hitchman, a senior with the College Academy at Broward College, has achieved so much during her short time with Broward College, with her acceptance to Barnard College being monumental. Barnard College is a private women’s liberal arts college located in Manhattan, New York City. They offer small class sizes, world-class educational facilities, and a supportive community to uplift their students and encourage them to pursue their educational and personal goals.
Barnard College is special because of their unique partnership with Columbia University.
All classes at Columbia University are open to all Barnard Students and vice versa, allowing for a unique blend of opportunities for students at both Barnard and Columbia University.
With an acceptance rate of only 11 percent, Barnard College is extremely selective, which further shows that Hitchman’s acceptance was well earned through her extraordinary accomplishments and positive mindset.
“Throughout school I kept a good balance…however, if I had to choose, I would say that my extracurriculars are where I showed most of my personality.”
Extracurriculars and essays are tools that colleges use to demonstrate an applicant’s personality. It is important to participate in activities that show passion, commitment, and character in order to craft a competitive application.
Hitchman was interested in Barnard College for a number of reasons, the most important being that “Barnard offered me, much like College Academy, the small school with plenty of resources. It’s a liberal arts college within the bigger university of Columbia. The fact that it was a historically women’s college was also important to me because I hope to specialize in women’s health. Within my education I don’t want to feel confined, and Barnard offers me that opportunity to study things outside a strict binary.”
Barnard has a specialized mission to make sure that all students have a diverse education. They do this through their “foundations curriculum,” which ensures that students are exposed to a wide array of disciplines which is perfect for Hitchman’s goals of going to medical school.
“It’s been a dream of mine to work in medicine since a really young age, and I hope to specialize specifically in pediatrics or gynecology.”
Balancing the challenging classes at Broward College and college applications can be tough, especially while trying to enjoy senior year. Time management is crucial during this entire process to make sure that applications and classwork are submitted on time.
Time management is also key to avoiding stress and the overwhelming feeling that the college application process can bring along.
Hitchman had to balance her academics and extracurriculars all while trying to write personal statements and supplemental essays for Barnard College.
“The fall semester of my senior year has been the hardest yet, but it has also been the most rewarding. I tried to find time where I wasn’t only focused on applications and went out with friends, even if it was just a trip to Dunkin’ Donuts. I would tell anyone that this time is just something that you have to get through unfortunately. When you take your last final of the semester alongside submitting your last application, it is going to be the most euphoric feeling.”
