I’m trying to decide where to go to college, but the whole thing is kind of a mess. I’ve narrowed it down to two options:
The University of Utah or Colby College
The University of Utah Pros
-Totally free
-Close to home (kind of a pro and a con)
-Accepted into a summer research program
-Big course selection
-Salt Lake City
Colby College Pros
-Top ten Environmental Science Program
-Jan Plan
-Maine (I’ve always wanted to live there)
-One of the top feeder schools for graduate school
-really small classes
-COOT
-really pretty campus
-high ranking
The University of Utah Cons
-Not ranked as high
-bigger class sizes
-Close to home
Colby College Cons
-Waterville
-Not as big of a course selection
-A little more expensive (About $4,000/yr)
-Really snowy
These are just a few of things I can think of off the top of my head. I plan to major in biochemistry and environmental science then go to graduate school.
What do you guys think? How did you decide where to go? I could use all the help I can get.
Congrats for having two reasonable choices. It sounds like you are getting a bargain at Colby - a selective private for almost the price of your home okay but not special public?. I would pick that. Having an away experience for college is really a great opportunity. Colby will help you achieve your full potential You will have close relations with profs for research, advising and the grad school recs. I did not know they are so reputed in enviro sci but that is a big plus. Nothing wrong with Utah and you are smart to have that choice but I pick colby for you, you are welcome. (Maine is gorgeous and Portland a fun city when you get the chance-- I loved it)
Yes because usually the profs are doing research and will work with and train the undergrads and you have no grad students to compete with. Also there are institutes they work with where you will have opportunities like at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences. At state schools the resources are usually directed to the grads. There may be programs for undergrad research you can enter, or you may be good enough and persistent enough to get involved but it will be more a given at Colby. Also you can apply for REUs at other research institutions for summers.
adding…I just took a look at your posting history and saw you didn’t quite make it where you wanted the most and were thinking of a gap year. If I were you I’d take Colby up on the offer and don’t look back. If you are killing it there and you find the upper div resources are too lacking (and I’m not saying they are, just that you will see after you go and push yourself) then you will have a very good case for transfer to one of the ‘meets full need’ schools for a possible transfer. You will be coming from a rigorous school where you will get all the training you need to prepare. There will be plenty to learn and take advantage of as well as get your core writing skills really to an advanced level. Just keep grades up, take advantage of opportunities and get involved with the college life.
@BrownParent Thanks so much for your input! I don’t know how to get involved in CAPS, but that definitely looks like it’s something worth looking into.
It looks like all students are considered for CAPS and are notified on a rolling basis starting in April. Does anyone know of anyone getting accepted into this program?
Colby, in a heartbeat. The caliber of your peers, the opportunities and resources, the energy there, the fact you’ll discover a new area of the country… wow, lucky you!
And yes you’ll have more research opportunities at Colby than at U Utah, because Comby is a top LAC (ie., lots of research gets done there) and because professors are also hired because of their ability to work with undergrads on their research.
