I’m currently choosing between a LAC and WashU. I’m leaning towards WashU but one of my biggest concerns is how hard it’ll be to go to grad school from WashU.
Is WashU a big grad school feeder? Do a lot of the students get into top graduate programs? Which fields do students typically go to concerning grad school?
Is there any data on this?
Regardless of where you go to college, you can go to grad school. You personally will be the main factor in that process. What sort of grad program interests you? Law? Premed? Psychology? Dentistry? The world is wide which is prob why no one has answered this yet.
That being said: you need top grades plus experience in what you’re interested in plus entrance exam (LSAT, GRE, MCAT). Which school can provide that? Only you can say. Does WashU use grade deflation? the LAC? That could ipact your grades
For experience, people tend to get this in a couple of ways. the first is research.
LACs tend to allow undergrads to do research more easily thatn big universities because undergrds don’t have to compete with grad students for lab positions. Big U will have more labs to choose from if you can get a position
For experience, people tend to do internships and summer jobs. On-campus jobs can also factor in. Networking through alumni and in the location of school tends to be the usual routes, but not always. Int. careers will mean you will leave the country regardless, for summer work for example.
You need to focus on what grad school you want, not just the topic but figure out where you want to go. (and not just the name brands. Look t the PROFESSORS at the departments. What are they studying? If you find a common interest, target that interest through building your own expertise and skills, and you will have found a potential mentor into your career). Once you figure out your target, then you can answer your question about which path to take now.