Which one of those colleges will a better fit if I want to study physics and computer science? why?
Hamilton appears to offer the most key, upper-level computer science courses on a frequent basis:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19190340#Comment_19190340
Hamilton, Haverford and Bucknell have supported Apker Award recipients; Hamilton and Haverford have produced Nobel Prize winners in a science field:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19894594#Comment_19894594
Hamilton and Haverford appear in a Princeton Review sampling, “Great Schools for Mathematics Majors,” and would have science departments well-informed by this foundational discipline.
but considering the fact that hamilton doesn’t give BS in computer science, shouldn’t Bucknell and Lafayette be more attractive?
OP tell us about yourself and what you are looking for in a college
These are all highly ranked liberal arts colleges, and they are all capable of providing excellent undergraduate-level instruction in physics and computer science. The only caveat here is that the physics and CS depts. at these schools may be relatively small; for example, the Hamilton CS dept. consists of only four faculty. So if there is a specific subfield of physics or CS that you are particularly interested in, you should check each school’s course catalog and faculty research interests to see if it is covered.
Otherwise, to determine which school will be a “better fit”, you should be more concerned with other factors, for example:
- Haverford is close to a major city, Bucknell is quite rural, Hamilton/Lafayette are in between
- Haverford/Hamilton are harder to get into than Bucknell/Lafayette
- If you play sports, Bucknell/Lafayette are D1, while Haverford/Hamilton are D3
- Bucknell/Lafayette also offer classes in engineering, while Haverford/Hamilton do not
- Hamilton is significantly smaller than Bucknell, Lafayette, or Haverford+Bryn Mawr
The BA/BS distinction often pertains to institutional tradition as much as to course content, much as a BA/BFA distinction would. In Hamilton’s case, they have decided to award a BA diploma for all of their arts and sciences programs. Their sciences and math curriculum, however – from proof-based linear algebra to calculus-based physics – would nonetheless be rigorous and, as far as I know, structurally similar to the curricula at schools that offer BS diplomas.
I’m looking for a good reputation and instruction at the mentioned fields. So, what about whashington and lee compared to the above?
but isn’t a BS better than BA in the sciences? for employers and graduate schools?
No. Many top liberal arts colleges only offer the BA degree. A BA degree program commonly has less major-specific coursework than a BS degree program, but this provides more freedom to take courses in other fields. If you wanted to double-major in CS and physics, for example, this would be easier at a school that only offers BA degrees (like Hamilton) and harder at a school that offers only BS degrees.
It’s likely that a high percentage of Hamilton students graduate with double majors. I couldn’t find the exact number, but at Williams (another NESCAC school), it’s 42%.
http://communications.williams.edu/media-relations/fast-facts/
Haverford probably would be the top choice of those. It is no 6 in the nation in the percentage of its students who go on to get a PhD in physics. In addition, you could take courses at Swarthmore and Bryn Mawr for a broader selection of class offerings.
Corbett, I meant from the perspective of graduate schools and employers, shouldn’t a BS be better in the sciences?
If you are at Haverford, you actually can also take classes at UPenn. It’s apparently not the easiest thing in the world, but it’s done.
These are all fine schools. Look at cost, environment, social vibe, and (obviously) courses offered and curricular requirements.
Nope. If you have a bachelor’s degree in sciences from a highly ranked school, no one will care whether it is a BA or a BS. No one is going to argue with a Princeton science degree, for example, even though Princeton only issues the BA in science fields (technically Princeton calls it an AB, but it’s still a “Bachelor of Arts”).
The BA/BS distinction is significant in engineering: a BS in engineering typically has ABET accreditation, while a BA in engineering (which is much less common) typically does not. Engineering grad schools and employers commonly do specify ABET degrees, which typically means the BS. However, this is not a factor in CS or physics. There is ABET accreditation in CS, but it is considered optional; many top schools (like Stanford) don’t have it.
will the colleges I mentioned have the same reputation as princeton?
This article relates (by content, not title) to computer science departments and employment prospects:
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4546120
In terms of teaching quality, note that two current Hamilton professors co-wrote a computer science textbook, Analytical Engine, that has been used nationally.
Not quite, I’m afraid, but no one will care about the BA/BS distinction, just as they don’t care with Princeton.
You can assume that almost any highly ranked liberal arts college, including W&L, will have a good reputation and will offer excellent undergraduate-level instruction in CS and physics. The big difference with W&L is that it is located in a different part of the country than your other four schools. Lexington VA is a very different environment from Haverford PA.
@AbdelHady will the colleges I mentioned have the same reputation as princeton
The handful of most elite colleges, certainly Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Chicago, Stanford, Columbia, MIT - those few schools pretty much stand alone in reputation.
The top handful of LACs like Williams, Amherst and Swarthmore fit right in with the remainder of the top 20 national universities like Duke, Johns Hopkins, Brown, Cornell etc.
Of the four schools you listed, none are in the very tip-top of the LAC rankings. Haverford and Hamilton will have a better reputation than Bucknell or Lafayette, but you can get a great education at all of them. Reputation is only a small part of the puzzle.
– If you want to study computer science and/or physics you should take the time to review the course catalog (can almost always be found online) for each one of these schools to be sure they have the classes and depth that you want.
–I would strongly suggest visiting each school you are interested in. They are all excellent. But we found that each LAC has a bit of a different vibe and fit is important. If you can’t visit get your hands on some good college guide books such as Fiske, Princeton Review, Insiders Guide and start reading.
– In terms of the BA/BS question it is more of a matter of what courses you take than the name of the degree a school confers. If a college only offers a BA degree that is totally fine. My D went to Lafayette and for some majors there was a choice of getting a BA or a BS in the same subject where the BS was more science heavy - and if that is the case then it may be preferable in some fields to get the BS. BUT it is important to note that even in the case I described, it is not the name of the degree that matters, but the coursework that stands behind it.
For full disclosure, my D went to Lafayette and loved it there.
As a baseline for your comparisons, W&L appears in the vicinity of Hamilton and Haverford by selectivity factors, and all three of these colleges place highly when compared to national universities:
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-610-smartest-colleges-in-america-2015-9
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-50-smartest-colleges-in-america-2016-10