Hello! I’m a senior who is having trouble deciding between five schools for different reasons. I want somewhere where I can get a great science education, but also have a comfortable, nurturing environment, and opportunities for internships and travel abroad. I’m deciding between Caltech, Johns Hopkins, rice, Dartmouth, and Carleton college. Any advice or experience is much appreciated! I’m not leaning towards anything right now and and I need to decide soon! Thanks so so much in advanced!
What do you want to major in? I think that should/would impact where you’d like to study!
I’m leaning towards biophysics or biochemistry…everyone tells me Id be great at engineering but I’ve never had the opportunity to try it so I’m not sure about that
I don’t know much about any school but JHU and whatever I find on the other schools’ websites + hasty and potentially incorrect speculations, lol.
“Great science education”: Yes, Hopkins is very research/science-oriented. There are so many ways in which you can apply your science, in major-specific labs, intersections with other disciplines, medical research, etc. However, you will be among many premedical students, so you may have to work for the grades in some of those classes. Do you want a great science education + Great education in other things? Amt. of science: Caltech > JHU > Dartmouth > Carleton, just referring to the number of non-science requirements. I think the former three would have the highest quality science education, but I couldn’t tell you the exact rankings, or if there are large differences in quality between them.
“Comfortable, nurturing environment”: I’m comfortable at Hopkins, as in, I feel like I fit in here. But it’s not comfortable in the sense that I’m coasting through my academics, lol. And I would not use the word “nurturing” to describe JHU; maybe “character-building,” lol. Or “will give me the resources to cultivate my own passions.” Comfort: Carleton ~ Dartmouth > JHU > Caltech? But resource-wise, maybe Caltech > JHU ~ Dartmouth > Carleton?
“Internship opportunities”: Yes, goes along with the science education point. As well as strong non-science opportunities to do work/research/internships.
Opportunities for study abroad: This I don’t know much about at all…
You should also think about things like location, weather, sports, housing options, party scene, etc. that are probably different among these schools, and what your preferences are…
I know Caltech is a very small community, and a very quintessential “nerd” community. It’s a good fit for some and not for others so id be sure to take the atmospheres and environments of the schools into account. Also, if you’re interested in med school, it might be important to take cost into consideration. I’d say, IMO, caltech hopkins and rice would probably have the best bio resources (in that order), but in terms of the kindness of the community and the nurturing nature of the atmosphere, I’d probably rank it Rice hopkins cal tech.
Might be irrelevant to this thread, but I have a question: If I’m waitlisted at JHU and someone from my school who is a very similar demographic to me is planning on turning down Hopkins’ offer, do you think I have a greater chance of getting off the waitlist?