Best in Sciences?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Bryn Mawr College
1

<p>Hello! I was originally planning on applying to just one women’s college, Wellesley, and the rest co-ed, but upon reading what others had to say about Mt. Holyoke and Smith, I think I am starting to consider all of the top women’s colleges…but I would really like to know which college has the best science program overall.</p>

<p>What I’m really looking for is a school that will allow me to really pursue the science in-depth. I am planning to major in Biochemistry and I hope to do medical research. Thus, scientific research opportunities and scientific facilities available at a college are very important to me.</p>

<p>Although I love science, I also love English and French. I may choose to double major in Biochemistry and English–yes, they are quite different from each other, but I hope that the college I attend would encourage me to pursue both if I choose to double-major. I would also like to have room to take a variety of courses that may not be included in my major.</p>

<p>With that said, I don’t really mind a core curriculum or course requirements as long as it still allows for flexibility and an acceptable amount of freedom.</p>

<p>I would love to hear your opinions and maybe even first-hand experiences. Thank you all very much.</p>

2

<p>I am an Archaeology/Mathematics double major here at BMC who has never encountered anything but encouragement for my chosen major paths. </p>

<p>Bryn Mawr has excellent science programs and facilities, and access to those at Haverford as well (which offers, from what I understand from many sciency friends of mine, great courses in BioChem all the time). Students are encouraged to do research, and many students choose to stay a summer or two here at the college to help professors in their own research. Additionally, Bryn Mawr is one of many colleges that pre-Med students who have finished their undergrad work, but have not taken all of the pre-Med requirements, come to to take their remaining science courses before heading off to medical school. This, presumably, indicates that BMC has a strong science background and resources. Since I am not a science major, that's about all I can tell you about BMC in that respect.</p>

<p>As a double major in two totally different subjects, I can tell you that this plan almost works to the student's advantage when it comes to fulfilling course requirements. Bryn Mawr requires 2 Humanities courses (Archeaology, English, History, etc.), 2 Social Science courses (some Psych, Political Science, Sociology, etc.), and 2 Natural Sciences courses-- one lab and one quantitative (Bio, Chem, Geology, Math, etc.). Many students double majoring in similar subjects, especially those in the same division (humanities, social sci, nat. sci) have trouble finding and taking interesting courses to fulfill those requirements. But, those who choose to do differing double majors pretty much automatically fulfill those requirements really easily, and then only have to find classes for the remaining division to take (which is not hard since there are many very interesting courses in essentially every dept. here).</p>

<p>One drawback to double majors is that, essentially, that's 20 or more courses of your 36 or so already taken. Add in the two for the remaining division not already covered in the 2 majors, and that only leaves a few elective classes. However, if you come in with AP/IB/community college credits, or place well into your science major, this problem is mostly alleviated. </p>

<p>I've just found the link to the Chem major's page, where it explains BMC's offer for a concentration in Biochem : <a href="http://www.brynmawr.edu/chemistry/majors.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.brynmawr.edu/chemistry/majors.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>If you have any more questions, feel free :)</p>

3

<p>Lots of information...very nice! Thank you very much. :)</p>