<p>I don't know where to start my searching. I am a senior. I have narrowed pretty much all of my public schools to ucsd, ucla, uci,cslub (safety). I plan to major premed or a biological science. My question is are there any really good biology programs in california that are private but with good pricing. Stanford is really out of reach, and usc is a little pricey. I have a 4.0 1900 sat 1 sat II 780:bio 730:ushistory.</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>As far as good bio programs go, Harvey Mudd in Claremont is awesome. It's really pricey, but you can always apply for financial aid and see what you get. The other Claremont Colleges are also very good, though pricey.</p>
<p>CalTech is one place you should look, I know they will get you into med school, some else will have to comment on just how good their program is, but know CalTech, it's good.</p>
<p>Also note that CalTech was ranked at having the 3rd best financial aid, with the majority graduating with less than $10,000 debt, that's better than all of the UC schools interms of the amount of debt you'll graduate with.</p>
<p>Cre8tive1, that is all rubbish, we know Caltech is nothing compared to Harvey Mudd ;).</p>
<p>JK, but seriously I do respect Caltech, although they are a fierce rival, as I am an 09 Mudder. I do encourage you to look at them at least, oxnerd.</p>
<p>tiyusufaly, I would have said Harvey Mudd, but you said it already, and plus, whose gonna give him the money?</p>
<p>a 1900 wont get you into caltech.. sorry bud.. caltech has highest average sat in the country.</p>
<p>I've seen it happen, with a 4.0 and 780 Bio SAT II, his chances are completely gone, I mean, I know a 1330 and 1310 that got into Harvard.</p>
<p>Cre8tive, You've seen someone with a 1900 get into Caltech? Come on, you're joking. The BOTTOM 25th percentile at Caltech is 700 verbal and 750 math, and only 3% of Cal tech folks score below 700 on the math portion --- a 1900 doesn't translate into those scores. I'd love to talk to the person you know who got into Caltech those kind of test scores.</p>
<p>To the original poster: Unfortunately, A 1900 is also low for Harvey Mudd. I'd suggest you look into Occidental, Pepperdine, and the Unviversity of San Diego for private schools that have strong biology programs. If you're willing to consider the pacific northwest, look into Willamette, Lewis & Clark, Whitman and Reed. All four have outstanding bio programs.</p>
<p>USC is abit pricey but they are usually generous with aid. I think it is worth applying to. If you are accepted, you have one more choice and they may possibly give you a generous aid/scholarship package.</p>
<p>700 math and 560 verbal, but he also had patented two projects by his senior year...don't know what those were, but he was alwas in the paper, it's likely those inventions boosted his applications. SATs aren't everything, even at a school like CalTech, girls get into Wellesley with 1050's, I know one personally.</p>
<p>yea thanks for the help, i was just looking for an alternative. basically right now my reach school is ucla, but he one t hat seems like a good match is ucsd. WHat are my chances there?</p>
<p>I guess my mind is just in the gutter, but when I read the title of this thread, I was not thinking about colleges.lol</p>
<p>Yea i heard usc gives good packages. My E.C. are pretty good and hmc is recomended by some people i know. keep em coming if there are more.</p>
<p>bump.......</p>
<p>As far as "pricey" USC is no more pricey than Stanford, Pepperdine, Loyola, etc. I believe that the claremont schools are probably at the top of the scale in California, but it is all relative as you need to look at financial aid. I think you can obtain excellent aid packages at USC, Pomona, Claremont McKenna to name a few, whereas I think you'll receive less at say Pepperdine. Need to look at a given school's endowments, policies etc. to see what the REAL cost is.</p>
<p>As far as your "stats", IMO you need to also factor in any other "hooks" you may have. do you play a sport, a musical instrument, have you split the atom yet. Most private schools don't just look at the black & white numbers of gpa/sat. If you are in the "range" and bring something else to the mix, you may have a shot.
Good luck.</p>