<p>Brown is known primarily as a liberal arts school and I was wondering if its biological or physical sciences are on par with some other colleges, namely Cornell, Dartmouth, or Columbia. </p>
<p>The sciences are pretty well known at Dartmouth and especially Cornell, but I was looking into a more urban setting.</p>
<p>Is Columbia’s core curriculum too restricting? Am I able to pursue my intended major without taking a host of other courses that have little in common with the field that I want to go into? </p>
<p>I can't answer about Columbia but Brown's undergraduate science programs are quite strong. Good grades at Brown in chemistry guarantees a top 10 grad school if that's what you want to do. We have one of the 2-3 best Computer Science departments in the country. Biology is the largest concentration at Brown, etc, etc.</p>
<p>It's a lot easier to ask a question other than, "Is this any good?" fwiw.</p>
<p>Oh, and also FWIW, at my high school, Brown was known as the Ivy to apply to for science other than engineering (though the engineering thing was largely bias towards Cornell which is in-state).</p>
<p>While Brown is a National research university, as opposed to a technical school Math and Sciences are part of a liberal education and Brown has some very strong departments in those areas. I am not all that familiar, but I have been told by another Univ Professor that the Applied Math is one of the top depts in the country. A friend of my daughters who graduated is on a fellowship at UCB in Theoretical Physics. I believe Neuroscience is very strong. They are known to be strong in cross disciplinary science. Geology is strong. CS is very strong. Of course Bio and Chem are strong. Perhaps if you mention you intended major you can get more discussion on it. I am not familiar with the programs at the other schools, particularly.</p>
<p>On of Brown's strengths is the access to Undergrad research opportunities. My daughter received university grants (UTRAs) for 2 summers in a row. </p>
<p>My daughter is a huge fan of the open cirriculum. She can't see it any other way, now. Ask in the Columbia forum about the core for more info.</p>
<p>I think she skewed too heavy on the math and science side and didn't take enough advantage of the amazing offerings in humanities programs, but she was exploring majors the first 2 years and has to focus only on the major pretty much the last 2 years. Last year, when she was a first year advisor, part of her job was to encourage her science side advisees to broaden their interests.</p>
<p>Providence is a great location to go to school. There's a lot of things to do within easy reach, but College Hill is such a well defined campus area and creates a pretty close knit university community.</p>
<p>As the parent of a liberal arts, actually Visual Arts, student, I am very impressed with the two science classes that my D has taken, thus far. It is all well and good for a school to have great research opportunities, which Brown does, to have great professors, which Brown does, and to have great course offerings, which Brown does. All of this appeals to students who are already scientists. But to also be able to communicate and teach these high powered classes to every smart and interested student is a real talent. These are not "Science for Dummies" courses, because these sorts of courses do not exist at Brown. This is a tribute also to the Open Curriculum. D has taken a course in the Physics department and currently in Biology. She really loved (and loves) both.</p>
<p>At Brown, you don't need to decide on your major until the end of sophomore year, and even after that you are still allowed to change your mind. Another benefit of the open curriculum. The school encourages exploration and they really don't expect you to be set on your academic journey. If you are, fine, if not, also fine.</p>
<p>OP: If you are planning to visit Brown, take the science tour. The student tour guides are most impressive, and the tour will give you a good sense of the program.</p>