<p>Hello! I'm interested in studying international relations, with the slight chance that I might switch to neuroscience. As much as I wish I could apply to 12-14 colleges my counselor is limiting us to 10 universities. I have a 9 colleges I'm 100% sure about applying to, but the last spot has been a challenge to decide. The four colleges I'm considering at the moment are Pomona, Johns Hopkins, Harvard and Dartmouth. Here are the most important factors for me:</p>
<ol>
<li>Strength of the program</li>
<li>Overall quality of undergraduate education (class sizes, accessibility of professors, etc.)<br></li>
<li>Enough flexibility to explore both areas before deciding what to major on</li>
<li>Location - I prefer to be near a city that will offer me good internship and cultural opportunities</li>
</ol>
<p>I know that Harvard definitely has an edge in terms of location over a few of the others, but I'm not sure how it compares in the rest of the criteria. Also, let's say that my chances are somewhat realistic. It's not a super reach.</p>
<p>Your last two sentences are grammatically confusing; what are your chances referring to, and what is/are “It’s”? </p>
<p>Unfortunately, the only accurate knowledge I can provide you with regards accessibility of professors: Pomona will allow a greater student/teacher connection.</p>
<p>How can you even compare Pomona, Johns Hopkins, and Dartmouth to Harvard??? HAHAHA. It is no competition, Harvard has been the number one institution for education for the past 200 years. Yet i guess it all boils down to what you are looking for. Harvard offers a lot of resources and opportunities for networking that Pomona and John Hopkins cannot possible have. But the two of them are relatively small colleges in comparison, and i think they focus more on Undergrad (especially Pomona)!</p>
<p>But you do realize that by posting this on the Harvard Thread, there will be serious bias in the answers you recieve? :)</p>
<p>^That’s why I posted in the threads of all four schools. Also, I’m hesitant about Harvard because I have not heard terrific things about its undergrad program, nor am I convinced it would be best for international relations in specific. I know that it has many research institutea for foreign affairs and area studies, but does their presence really impact the quality of a undergrad education in a major way?</p>
<p>Is there a reason you’re not considering Georgetown/George Washington? Or are they on your “to apply to for sure” list?</p>
<p>You can probably cross Dartmouth off right this instant, because it’s in the middle of nowhere. No idea how it goes on qualities 1-3, but it fails 4 entirely.</p>
<p>Harvard does not offer an International Relations major. You should Google our Government concentration to see if it would fit your needs. I have been extremely happy with professor accessibility/stuff in my own concentration (social science but not government), though.</p>
<p>I think Pomona is pretty far outside of L.A., also.</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins is in Baltimore, which I do not think has the best opportunities for internships. It’s also not in a nice section of Baltimore.</p>
<p>How much research have you done on these? I’m no expert on IR colleges, but all of these sound less than ideal for you. Actually, what are your other 9 colleges? What 10th I’d recommend would probably depend on what your other options are, whether you could use a very high reach, since you don’t have any already, or if you’d be better off with a lower reach, like Pomona, or whatever.</p>
<p>I’m aware that not all of these are exactly known for IR or neuroscience, but in those cases other factors such as atmosphere, student life and alternate programs were taken into account.</p>
<p>It’s only about 40 miles. Though, knowing SoCal traffic, that could take a good hour or so. But more public transportation exists here in Southern California than most outsiders think. Claremont isn’t that far from LA.</p>
<p>Also, you might want to look into Claremont McKenna’s IR program. I’m not too familiar with specific CMC programs, but given CMC’s reputation as a politics/economics school, I’d assume they have a solid IR program too.</p>