<p>Hi I am interested in all of the schools I mentioned, however, I wanted to know if Cornell is a better place as far as science goes. I wanted to know specifically the success that Cornell students have at earning their PhD's vs those schools. I am interested in Neurobiology, and all sciences except Chemistry. </p>
<p>Thank you in advance.</p>
<p>You’re comparing a research university with 3 liberal arts colleges.</p>
<p>Really now?</p>
<p>Good luck trying to do neurobiology if you can’t do chemistry too.</p>
<p>Well will that research university be a research university for its undergrads? I mean to be a PhD in Cornell is different than to be just an undergrad, I am sure. By my post I meant which schools provides a better education for sciences? College of Arts and sciences or those three liberal arts?
Thank you.</p>
<p>By even HAVING the research there pretty much will suggest that the sciences will be stronger.</p>
<p>just compare the courses you will be taking at cornell vs. liberal arts colleges…</p>
<p>According to Wikipedia:</p>
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<p>Whether or not people notice it, Cornell is a very science-y school. It is also very well-rounded, with its breadth and depth (top-ranked in MANY fields) in humanities, liberal arts, and other areas. But, in my opinion, its reputation draws heavily not only on its ability to produce graduates successful in a wide variety of fields, but also doctors, scientists and engineers. </p>
<p>Undergraduate education in the sciences at Cornell is pretty good in my experience. Good research and good teaching are not mutually exclusive. If you are a good student, you will find more research opportunities than you would at a small college.</p>
<p>Thank you. I have to ponder on which school to apply ED again. It’s a hard decision to chose a college. I am not at all worried about financial aid, since my parents can’t really afford it, so if I’m in, they will probably give me a full ride. How hard is it to get good grades in Cornell so to end up with a GPA of 3.7+? How large are classes? Are grades curved? Do a specific number of people get A’s?</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>Whatever happened to the learning experience?</p>
<p>These questions vary way too much to give you one answer to each. Classes can range from a few people to hundreds. Professors and departments choose the curve or lack of.</p>
<p>hahaha lollerpants you do have a good memory! Yes all that is important, and one major fear I have is the class size, and the relationships professor and students make. Also about my previous comments on learning experience, I was not at all interested in Cornell back then, but Liberal Arts, so learning experience was and is and will be what I will make my decision based on. Just wanted to learn more.
Thank you.</p>
<p>For your first two years or so if you’re mostly doing work in the sciences, you will not have a close relationship with your professor. Class sizes are pretty large and curves vary a lot.</p>
<p>Also grades do matter, but with learning experience before it. I know some schools have different ways of grading, so my comment was not aimed to make me look like a grade greedy but rather understanding the system of how grades are given. Sure, as you pointed out on the “Suicidal Schedule” thread, without good grades the future is not bright, and that is on everyone’s mind, if they are not competitive necessarily, but have a specific goal, which brings competition.</p>
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<p>Introductory classes are large, but divided up into smaller sections. Professors are still accessible, but unlike at a small school it takes some effort and a more independent mindset to get to know a professor well. Some people actually prefer large lectures, but if you’re the type of student who does well in smaller classes or if you’re looking for closer student-faculty interaction, a liberal arts college might be more in line with your interests. </p>
<p>Your grades will depend on how smart and hard-working you are. GPAs that high in the sciences are rare at any top school. Certainly some people here are able to maintain above 3.7, but by my estimates most science majors fall in the 3.1-3.4 range. Math and science courses for your first two years will curve to a B or B- (3.0 or 2.7, respectively):</p>
<p>[Cornell</a> University Registrar: Median Grades](<a href=“http://registrar.sas.cornell.edu/Student/mediangradesA.html]Cornell”>http://registrar.sas.cornell.edu/Student/mediangradesA.html) </p>
<p>However, I think it would be sad to waste such a wonderful learning experience worrying that much about grades. At least I would hope that grading isn’t a major factor in your college decision. (Not that this matters at all in your case; all the schools you’ve mentioned are going to be hard no matter what.)</p>
<p>Thank you for your comments. Yes, I am aware of the true value of a good education against good grades. I have had a dreadful sort of competition in my own High School, and I truely want to have an intellectual time learning and learning without worrying about my GPA.
Thank you.</p>
<p>what worries me is that you are interested in neurobiology but not chemistry. There is a S***TON of chemistry in neurobiology. There is no way you will enjoy hardcore neurobiology if you do not have at least an appreciation for chemistry. Granted, the chemistry you will be doing (the organic variety) is much MUCH different from AP style gen chem.</p>
<p>Yes. I am aware of that. Chemistry is just a subject area that I need to make peace with, to say the least. I took AP chem this year, and I did not understand almost half of the things that my teacher taught us, because my Pre IB chemistry class was very weak. I did not understand Chem as much as I wished to understand it. I abhor and detest it to be honest, but I can change myself.</p>
<p>i didn’t understand AP chem in HS either. My test grades in AP chem were actually lower than in cornell lol… but still despite my no understanding, i managed a 5 on the ap test… and did somewhat well in cornell gen chem. colleges chemistry i felt was pretty different than hs chem</p>
<p>Maybe the important question, then, is what about chemistry did you not like? Did you simply not have a good experience with it in your high school classes, or is it something else?</p>
<p>I agree with one of the comments: compare the science classes of each school. I loved Williams (it’s not on your list of lib arts but it’s comparable to Amherst and Swarthmore) but I looked through their courses and they didn’t offer many. Actually I might be lying because I was looking at their chem classes. Maybe they have more bio classes.</p>
<p>OP, I am a science prof at a research U with a son interested in LACs and the sciences, feel free to PM me with questions.</p>
<p>Thats an interesting situation. How do you feel about your son going in that direction?</p>