Good undergraduate math schools!

<p>Have our first appointment with DD's college counselor tomorrow (she is a junior). DD is interested in math, possibly going into business post-college. She is a very good student, great EC's, looking for a school with great spirit and sense of community. Thinking that she has a reasonable shot at good LACs (certainly not guaranteed for anyone!), but would love ideas...bigger than LACs would be great, but really big schools probably not what she is looking for. Of course, absolute opposite of her sibling who went before her, so very little gained from the last go-around!!</p>

<p>Pomona, Mudd and caltech.</p>

<p>Thanks-- hope to see Pomona. Saw the campus with her older sibling, and loved it. We are on the east coast, and she does sports every season, so seeing it in session will be tricky. Having a hard time convincing her to look at Mudd, Caltech, MIT- thinks that they are “too nerdy” for her, and is somewhat tired of being perceived herself that way.</p>

<p>Most LACs will at least have a good program for Math. DD2 is a math major. Her favorites were Carleton, Kenyon, Lewis and Clark (Portland OR), Smith. DD1 attends Denison which might also be a good match.</p>

<p>Thanks! Happen to know any east coast schools that would fit the bill as well? DD isn’t willing to consider all-female schools, terrific though they may be!</p>

<p>Every school has math. difference betweeen “good” and “regular” department, at undergrad level, may be less important in decision than overall fit of the school, based on the myriad criteria one has for selection.</p>

<p>Suggest get list of 20 most preferred schools based on all other criteria which you have not specified to us here, and then once this is sorted out one might comment on math departments. If they know.</p>

<p>Otherwise people here are just spinning wheels due to undisclosed criteria (eg Smith, well, actually, no girls schools…).</p>

<p>If you do a search you will probably find generic lists of “schools with good math departments” people have come up with before.</p>

<p>Will actually be sitting down with DD’s counselor for the first time tomorrow, and will let you know his thoughts!</p>

<p>Whenever I see a thread with “undergrad math schools” someone always brings up Williams and/or St.Olaf. I only know from heresy but they are both definitely worth a look.</p>

<p>I’ve always heard that Williams has the most math majors per capita of any undergraduate institution, if that’s worth anything.</p>

<p>As far as generic info, maybe some of these threads will help:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/381584-top-undergraduate-programs-mathematics.html?[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/381584-top-undergraduate-programs-mathematics.html?&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/524430-best-college-applied-math.html?[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/524430-best-college-applied-math.html?&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/630081-strong-undergrad-math-departments.html?[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/630081-strong-undergrad-math-departments.html?&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/559428-strong-undergrad-math-schools.html?[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/559428-strong-undergrad-math-schools.html?&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/209098-college-rankings-math.html?[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/209098-college-rankings-math.html?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Thanks so much for the responses. They give me a point to start a discussion tomorrow. And, I’ll bite, what exactly is applied mathematics (obviously, the apple did fall far from the tree)?</p>

<p>Applied Mathematics focuses on areas within the greater subject that are associated with applications in other fields. As opposed to pure math, which is more abstract and less applicable.
[Applied</a> Mathematics Department - Brown University](<a href=“http://www.dam.brown.edu/]Applied”>http://www.dam.brown.edu/)
<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applied_mathematics[/url]”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applied_mathematics&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>vs
<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_mathematics[/url]”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_mathematics&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>An interesting wrinkle on an applied math program, IMO, is this:
<a href=“http://www.mmss.northwestern.edu/program/index.html[/url]”>http://www.mmss.northwestern.edu/program/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>URochester
William & Mary
Rice
Grinnell
Williams
St. Olaf</p>