<p>What are schools with good biochem programs? Are there "second tier" schools with good programs?</p>
<p>Strong science and tech schools with good research opportunities</p>
<p>I can see from the zero response to my own question about this exact same thing that nobody on here knows the answer.</p>
<p>So I am taking matters into my own hands. </p>
<p>I picked up a U.Va listing of all courses offered, and the requirements for the major (mostly chemistry, a smattering of biology courses) and I noticed that U.Va has all this equipment--many spectrometers, and some lasers. </p>
<p>Undergrad research, I picked up on these boards, is essential to getting admitted to grad school.</p>
<p>So now I am emailing the colleges I have in mind, and asking their chemistry departments to tell me about their equipment, and how often the undergrads get to use it. I can compare their equipmetn list with u.Va's book. I realize u.Va. doesn't always have the best reputation in terms of whether their engineering stacks up to other colleges, but I would think their chem dept would--let's hope.</p>
<p>I have just started my campaign of emailing chem depts. I will follow up with what equipment they tell me they have, and how often the undergrads get to use it--both essential to know to see how good the biochem program is vis-a-vis top colleges. Another college with no doubt top of the line equipment is Texas-Austin, and they will be getting an email from me, as well as U. Florida, U. Southern Miss (free ride for an NMF), I probably ought to ask Rice what they have got, etc.</p>
<p>Will report back soon.</p>
<p>^Looking forward to your findings. Prospective major at the moment is Biochem. If I don't get into my ED school, this will be valuable info.</p>
<p>I'd recommend Northwestern or Emory for an research-related majors. UIUC might also be a good choice for you, but it's expensiver for out-of-state applicants.</p>
<p>What is UIUC--Oh, wait, is that U. Illinois Urbana Campus? I'm getting BETTER AT THIS!
I wish people would stop with the acronyms, though. I am just not so familiar with some of these colleges, and so I have to pause and try to figure them out.</p>
<p>Northwestern is a great idea, didn't know about Emory, but unfortunately, when a person asks a question like this, about second tier, likely as not it is because they are trying to get merit aid, and don't qualify for financial aid as they are not poor enough.</p>
<p>Northwestern and Emory may have a few merit aid scholarships, but I would hazard a guess that they give more FINANCIAL aid, which doesn't do the middle class any good. </p>
<p>We middle class types are trying to avoid going into debt for undergrad college.</p>
<p>I have sent off emails to the following colleges:
Arizona State, Ohio U, Va Tech, Case Western Reserve, U. alabama-Huntsville, William and Mary, Iowa State, Univ of Iowa, Boston Univeristy, Univ Wisconsin, U. Texas at Austin, Louisiana State U, and trying to get ahold of Univ of Florida.
I'm seeking National Merit finalist award plus trying to ascertain the quality of the biochem/chemistry dept.
Will start getting resopnses soon, I trust, and will post as they arrive. Someone has to ascertain in some manner which ones have the best research equipment! That at least is one factor in deciding who has the best biochem undergrad education. Quality of teaching is another variable, but I can't very well write and ask the chem depts how well they teach!</p>
<p>Can't wait to learn what you find out whyhaveaa</p>
<p>"many spectrometers, and some lasers."</p>
<p>HAHAHA, seriously? Spectrometers can be bought for TI-89's and plugged in...usually in intro level chem classes. Don't inquire about research equipment unless you know what you want to be researching and what the equipment is used for. Spectroscopy is it's own research field entirely and lasers can have many different uses and abilities. You probably won't know for sure what you'll be researching until you take a few classes and meet with an advisor. I'm sure every research lab at any big research University will have the necessary equipment.</p>
<p>Can I make a recommendation :) Ramapo College of New Jersey. They have an excellent biochemistry program. There is hardly any rep for the college in CC. But I feel their biochem dept is the tops. And they have a lot of scholarships and focus on undergrad research.</p>
<p>I applied to Penn because of the Vagelos Scholars Program in Molecular Life Sciences. It is a very intense program resulting in either a double major or a master's degree.</p>
<p>It is heavily based on research - 2 summers of required research at Penn. Rutgers also has a very respectable biochemistry program. Rensselaer as well.</p>
<p>I can't get into Penn and Northwestern, but Ramapo and Rutgers are definitely possible. Anyone know how Seattle University's program is?</p>
<p>glad you can smirk, Mr. Bojangles, but how would YOU ascertain the quality of programs in biochem?
A spectrometer for a CALCULATOR? Isn't a TI-89 a calculator? Oh, I think universities don't have to resort to that level of a spectrometer, if in fact it's possible to link up some made-in-China spectrometer to a calculator.</p>
<p>After comparing the listing of equipment at U.Virginia to what's available at UAlabama Huntsville, well, U.VA has a bit more access to lasers, but UA-H seems to have a decent quantity in the labs.</p>
<p>You'd be surprised...I was just saying thats what they could mean by spectrometers. Obviously you're not going to use a TI-89 spectrometer for research (or maybe you do...thats not my research field). But I'm just saying a bunch of spectrometers and lasers doesn't mean it's a good program. </p>
<p>I'd look for the place that has the best undergrad research opportunities. Plain and simple. In the 3 years I've been biochem I've seen some smart people not go to good grad schools because they didn't do research. You want a program that has research materials that fit what you're interested in. You can go to a biochem dept that has a huge genetics lab, with many positions open for undergrad research...but you wanna research neurotransmitter signaling, and the dept has limited funding in that...then you're S.O.L.</p>
<p>I am 'whyhaveaa'. I am not using that screen-name anymore.<br>
Unfortunately, my d is a blank slate. She 'loves organic molecules'. It reminds her of her 8th grade science class.</p>
<p>Sigh. Not much to go on. She doesn't spend much time on this, either. She'd rather be writing. </p>
<p>So take one open-minded slight-biochem-interest daughter, match with any school with some kind of decent undergrad biochem program, and she will either adapt to that school's interests or else drop out and go into English/creative writing. (except she fears to be a full-time writer at this point in her life, as she likes to eat)</p>
<p>Given that situation, is it any wonder I'm looking at # of spectrometers and lasers? What else do I have to go on?</p>
<p>Oh, and even if she were raring to go in biochem and had been interested for years in it, there will be no undergrad college debt accrued at a 'big name' school, and that is that.<br>
Second-tier is just fine. Even 3rd-tier. Because I think science is probably one of those fields that is somewhat well-funded everywhere. I would just like to find the universities that have equipped their biochem depts pretty well, as opposed to less funding there and more in, say, geology.</p>
<p>State flagship U's are what I'd call a big name, and usually big research, schools that gets lots of money to stock the departments. And those are usually very cheap if you're in-state. You already named a bunch in your other post. But being out-of-state at many of those schools will rack up the debt big time.</p>