Colleges and Unis with Cognitive Science major

I am totally into cognitive science and am looking for universities and colleges in the US that provide a cognitive science major. Also, please recommend the universities that are generous in financial aid and also have a good environment for international students.

https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/best-colleges-with-cognitive-science/

This isn’t the best cognitive science but best colleges that have cognitive science.

Aid will be tough. International students are cash cows. Here’s a list.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-list-college/articles/universities-that-offer-international-students-the-most-financial-aid

1 Like

Well, Niche’s definition of “best”. We should always remember that they define Duke as a “Christian College”, and claim that American University is the most liberal college in the USA…

2 Likes

Duke has affiliation is with the Methodists. So is Americans. And American leans liberal.

All rankings - no matter the ranker - is based on whatever methodology they use.

You missed the point. I was providing the OP a list of schools that have cognitive science - but i was letting them know this isn’t a cognitive science rank, so the top ranked school may not be strong in cognitive science. That list will give them schools that have a program that they can go further research.

3 Likes

It was just a qualification as to the “Best” part.

Oddly enough, The Christian Post also identifies Duke as a Christian College. Something’s happenin’ here . . .

American University was also listed as having one of the most liberal student bodies by Princeton Review several years ago and it consistently appears on PR’s lists of most politically active campuses. If understood for what they are, the Niche lists can be useful. Like PR, their lists of most Liberal and Conservative students is based on student surveys. Take them for what they’re worth.

1 Like

Exactly my point. Their individual data is decently informative. However, their methodologies to create “best” lists are often ridiculous.

Aren’t all “best” lists basically ridiculous?

This reminds me of Michael Hart’s book, “The 100: A Ranking of the 100 Most Influential People in the History of the World”. My favorite is his argument for Cai Lun, the inventor of paper, at #7 to be ranked ahead of Johannes Guttenberg, inventor of the printing press, at #8. Hair splitting at its finest to determine a ranking that means absolutely nothing! Fun nonetheless. :grin:

2 Likes

Based on your criteria, look into Vassar.

1 Like

Wasn’t debating lists. Was just providing a list of schools that offer the major. Niche was convenient. That’s it. I couldn’t fully answer the intl aid question but provided another list for that :). Just providing a starting point.

2 Likes

Yeah, that worked out for me. It’s really helpful. Don’t know how this debate rose, I couldn’t even understand half of it.

Thanks for the suggestion!

1 Like

You did not give any stats so we could not focus better for you on specific schools.

I haven’t given the SAT yet. Will give it in Aug 2020. Right now I’m getting high 1400s in the practice tests. My cumulative GPA is coming out to be around 3.7. Also, I’m involved in research and innovation and have presented my innovation at the international level including ISEF.

OK - I would start on page 2 of the Niche list and down from there when looking at target (and some stretch like Vassar) colleges. You will probably find few with good aid for international.

But if you look at a school like Wisconsin - Stout or Henderson State, you’ll find low regular tuition.

Of course, look at international aid for schools on page 1 but with a 3.7 and even 1500 SAT, you’re unlikely at any. Doesn’t mean you can’t apply though. Those top schools might - you have to check - have an intl aid program that could help.

The good news is - few schools offer that major specifically - so your research can be more focused and you can narrow on the affordable ones for you.

2 Likes

Just asking how is the general lifestyle of an international student in state universities. I think they are less diverse and that may cause some problems in the college experience. Might just be my bad assumption, would like it if you can clear it out.

Very very few US colleges have an international student population of more than 15%; most are in the 8-15% range, whether public or private, large or small. You find more international students than you might expect at large state universities: for the same reason that people are suggesting them to you: the costs are often lower, in part because they are often in places with a lower cost of living, and in part because the incremental cost to the university of each additional student is relatively small.

There are challenges to being a non-national student anywhere in the world: most of your classmates are nationals, and while everybody is learning about going to school/university together, and learning the academic material together, you are also learning how to live in that culture and adapt to the local way of doing things.

It takes commitment on the part of the non-national student to develop real friendships- people will generally be friendly, but it is definitely the outsider who has to make more of the effort: to keep putting themselves out there, figuring out the social cues, not over-weighting what might or might not be deliberate slights, etc.

Thanks to frequent international moves, we have done this many, many times in our family, I have seen it and/or experienced it at every level from pre-school to doctoral programs, across 4 continents. It will be hard, whether you are at a small private university or a large public university, and there’s no point pretending otherwise. IMO, it’s worth it- but it’s important to go in with realistic expectations.

2 Likes

I’m looking at with a 3.7 and 1400, unless you have other hooks, where you’ll get into.

You need aid you said - for international that’s tough. Perhaps a top school will let you in - but that’s because if you’re paying cash.

I sent you the list in the first link of who works well with international.

If you want to study in the US but those schools are out of reach academically or financially, you may have to go where you wouldn’t want to.

Anyway, the list isn’t long - so research and just have your stretches (page 1), matches (for the most part page 2) and safeties (page 3).

1 Like

Thank you. This helps!

So is it really that the top schools who say themselves to be need blind for all, take only those paying full tuition?