<p>My Senior in High School is over a 4.0 (AP classes) and looking at U of W Madison in a couple years. Looking at the web site for Biology, there is a degree from the College of Letters and Sciences and another option with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. What are the differences which would be better for him?</p>
<p>Ag offers some advantages in size and fin aid. Make sure exact major fits. BIO has many subareas.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about it at all at this time. He applies to the university as a whole so which college/school he chooses doesn’t matter. CALS and L&S have slightly different graduation requirements- he can read up on them once he is at UW. Sort of like deciding between the BA and BS within L&S. He could do any one of the three- it all depends on a few courses. Same with Biochemistry. I see no advantage in the size- you become acquainted with the department of your major when you start taking the upper level courses.</p>
<p>Curious- presume a HS senior this fall. Why not apply to UW for his college freshman year? Then he will be sure all of his credits will go towards a UW-Madison degree. Also note there are many different biology related majors at UW- most choose a subfield and not just general biology (which includes both plants and animals). The major within biological sciences will in part determine which degree he seeks. A BA means more foreign language than a BS, it does not mean a specific major (eg I got a BA in Chemistry- could have had either one eons ago). He may choose to wait until he has Organic Chemistry so he can take the Honors Biocore sequence instead of an introductory Zoology course. If he chooses another college first he won’t get the advising from UW to decide which biology courses suit his interests best.</p>
<p>Unless Wis75 has new information that has just been released over the past year, you actually do apply to CALS rather than to L&S. Many of the top science students - those focused on research in particular - will find the advising in CALS to be much more available, very detailed/accurate, and supported by club and one-credit courses that enable the student to refine their interests and secure the right research path at the university or through one of the “institutes”. And you do need to keep in mind that the Genetics major is only offered through CALS - not an inconsequential reality. The advising in CALS is simply better/more available and it is a coincidence that CALS is a smaller college than L&S. But there is little doubt that you do not get burdened with some of the liberal arts requirements that L&S requires. And if your student is a top student with significant AP credit, frankly, they have already covered a lot of the required L&S territory in high school. The science programs in L&S are perfectly fine for students who are preparing for medical school and you won’t do as well anywhere else in the Big Ten, but if the student is preparing for a research career or a PhD, I recommend CALS over L&S. IMHO</p>
<p>Not to mention CALS has better fin aid by far for undergrads. I agree with bohlingtomack74 completely. CALS IS the hidden gem of UW. And I did see that play live and in person. Best ever into the '94 Rose Bowl.</p>
<p>You apply to the university as a whole- acceptance is not determined by which school/college you put on your application.</p>
<p>Advising depends on more than one factor. The L&S Honors program has its own advisors at SOAR. Those who know more of what they want will be able to get better advice, regardless of which school/college they are in. Pick your college based on more than playing the odds of advising and scholarships. Once at UW changes can be made at any time before graduation so this is NOT a critical decision for a student. It depends on which courses planned to meet graduation requirements along with the major. Most entering students are placed in L&S unless they know of another school they want and are eligible for. No matter which college a student starts in the same courses can be taken freshman year- for a biological science most likely to be in L&S.</p>
<p>So, wreini, as Wis75 backs into it, since you understand what it is that you want from the university, you do choose between colleges where you apply which was part of your question in the first place. And the main avenue for approximating the CALS advising experience in L&S is to sign up for the honors program - that is how I would read the previous post. Unfortunately, the honors program is not a priority academic objective for life science majors, as it is for humanities and social science undergrads. In the life sciences the objective is to hit the books hard and qualify for Bio-Core, followed by securing a position working in research. The more direct questions I would ask, were I in your shoes, is not whether you can get into L&S honors but how you qualify for and complete Bio-Core as a mid-career undergraduate transfer, whether you apply to CALS or to L&S, and then how can you identify a research track. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Another factor- since your son apparently plans to attend another U next fall and then transfer to UW-Madison presumably for the second half of his college career- your questions are moot at this date. At that time HE will figure out his intended major and choose the college that most suits him. Remember that by the time he is in college everything will be handled by him, not you- you will be lucky if he keeps you informed of things.</p>