Best Biology undergrad?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi, I'm a high school junior looking schools that have an excellent biology program, maybe a concentration in genetics? Thanks =]</p>

2

<p>Brown…</p>

3

<p>For fields as common as biology, the “usual suspects” (top-ranked) schools are pretty sure bets, perhaps with a few exceptions. But you can also look for schools that might not be big names academically, but are particularly good in certain subjects. I’m pretty sure the U of Colorado would fit in that categoy for biology.</p>

4

<p>You have the usual Harvard, Stanford, Caltech, MIT, Berkeley etc…</p>

<p>Yale, Johns Hopkins, UPenn, and UChicago are each very very strong in Genetics as well. </p>

<p>UCSD, UWisconsin, etc… are ranked among the top 10 as well according to the NRC ranking.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.upenn.edu/almanac/v42/n4/gradrank.html[/url]”>http://www.upenn.edu/almanac/v42/n4/gradrank.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

5

<p>There’s no “best” for undergrad really, but Hopkins is pretty hard to beat for an education in biology.</p>

6

<p>Add Duke to Phead’s list as well</p>

<p>[IGSP</a> Undegraduate Programs - Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy](<a href=“Duke Center for Genomic and Computational Biology | Duke Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics”>Duke Center for Genomic and Computational Biology | Duke Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics)</p>

7

<p>Rhodes has a very strong program, even for a LAC, and part of it is due to the partnerships with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.</p>

8

<p>Cornell recently had a $400 million infusion into its life sciences programs.</p>

9

<p>

Correction: molecular biology</p>

<p>Unlike Cornell, Stanford, Duke, Berkeley, and several others, Hopkins does not have a well-rounded biology program. Its offerings in ecology, botany, zoology, etc. (which are to my mind at least as important) are virtually nonexistent. It’s a bit like claiming to have a strong Classics program while only offering Latin.</p>

<p>It is no surprise that everyone is suggesting their own college. MyOpinion is from Brown, eatsalot is from Duke, lynxinsider is from Rhodes, and collegehelp is from Cornell. While they each certainly do have strong biology programs, keep in mind that most people think their own college is good, and without some further idea of what you’re looking for, you’re going to continue to get similar suggestions. </p>

<p>I agree with Schmaltz. Virtually any top 100 university and top 50 LAC will have a decent biology program, particularly in genetics. You need to be looking at:</p>

<p>– Size
– Location
– Cost
– Difficulty of admission
– Other extraneous factors (e.g. presence of an athletic culture, no Greek life, etc.)</p>

10

<p>thanks for all the advice. I forgot to mention however that I’m kind of different from most college juniors. I’m in a program where by the time I’ll graduate my hs, I’ll already have over 70 college credit hours. The credits are just the basics gen eds (chem, physics, english, calc 1 and 2). I’m not sure if that would have any effect on admissions into certain schools…so if anyone has any ideas on that it would be helpful.</p>

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<p>high school juniors*</p>

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<p>yeah warbler I forgot to mention that. It’s just that the trend for biology nowadays seems to be that the most funding is going into molecular/cellular bio, which is hopkin’s specialty</p>

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<p>Well srry!

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14

<p>

No need to apologize. Like Rockefeller, Carnegie Mellon, and other specialized biology programs, Hopkins is quite good at what it does.</p>

<p>I never said it wasn’t strong, mind you. I simply said it was not the best undergraduate program, nor could it ever be in contention for that title, because it has let its organismal offerings slide into oblivion. A pity for a school that graduated the likes of Rachel Carson, in my opinion, but I am not in charge of JHU biology. It is certainly not a new development; Hopkins got rid of its zoology, botany, and plant physiology departments around 1940 and has channeled all of its research funding into specific fields ever since.</p>

15

<p>Hopkins, aside from the usual suspect of Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Berkeley and Caltech molds.
Also this one too - <a href=“http://www.scripps.edu/e_index.html[/url]”>http://www.scripps.edu/e_index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;