i want LACs w/ ...gasp!...strong sciences

<p>please don't say 'Tufts'...that's what everyone says...</p>

<p>Bates and Bowdoin</p>

<p>^please don't say bates either :b...same query same answers...i suppose they're right but i'm looking for a diverse set to short list</p>

<p>Wesleyan, Haverford, Swarthmore, Williams, Carleton...</p>

<p>Really, any of the top LACs will be good in science.</p>

<p>Check out these past threads on the topic:</p>

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/354330-top-tier-lac-w-good-science.html?highlight=lac+science#post4254618%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/354330-top-tier-lac-w-good-science.html?highlight=lac+science#post4254618&lt;/a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/92339-lac-good-premed-math-science.html?highlight=lac+science#post1180256%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/92339-lac-good-premed-math-science.html?highlight=lac+science#post1180256&lt;/a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/119414-match-lac-schools-good-math-science-rep.html?highlight=lac+science#post1456171%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/119414-match-lac-schools-good-math-science-rep.html?highlight=lac+science#post1456171&lt;/a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/564906-idk-any-lac-s-science.html?highlight=LAC+science#post1060980898%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/564906-idk-any-lac-s-science.html?highlight=LAC+science#post1060980898&lt;/a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/564197-small-colleges-rigorous-science-but-humanities-core-eg-hmc-reed.html?highlight=LAC+science+PhD%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/564197-small-colleges-rigorous-science-but-humanities-core-eg-hmc-reed.html?highlight=LAC+science+PhD&lt;/a> (Many of the school mentioned here don't actually have a huge core).</p>

<p>As you'll see, some names keep popping up a lot, so those might be the schools you want to look into.</p>

<p>I know Kalamazoo College is strong in the sciences.</p>

<p>Lawrence University</p>

<p>I rarely disagree with Weskid but I'd personally favor a rephrase of his "any of the top LACs will be good in science" to read "any of the top LACs will be good in the biological sciences." Bio is almost always a top major usually accounting for anywhere from about 7-12% of the student body. Pre-meds, not pre-grad students, dominate the department. With 10% or so of typical undergrad student bodies interested in med school, it's easy to see why the bio departments of top LACs tend to be pretty broad and deep. </p>

<p>This is not the case in the physical sciences where departments can be pretty shallow. By example, only about 4% of Amherst graduates majored in these fields. At Carleton, last year's number was 15%. If you look at PhD productivity, they often give a further clue as to the depth of student interest and participation in given fields. </p>

<p>For all sciences (and engineering, really only applies to Swarthmore/Rice) LAC ranks over the past decade or so are as follows (give or take a rank or two up or down year to year):</p>

<ol>
<li> Harvey Mudd</li>
<li> Swarthmore</li>
<li> Reed</li>
<li> Carleton</li>
<li> Rice</li>
<li> Grinnell</li>
<li> Bryn Mawr</li>
<li> Haverford</li>
<li> Pomona</li>
<li> Oberlin</li>
</ol>

<p>For the physical sciences (Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Astronomy):</p>

<ol>
<li>Harvey Mudd</li>
<li>Reed</li>
<li>Carleton</li>
<li>Grinnell</li>
<li>Rice</li>
</ol>

<p>Obviously, there are plenty of schools not listed above that will certainly present strong science offerings (Wesleyan, Wellesley, Pomona, Williams, Smith, come to mind). But if your interest is in the physical sciences, I'd exercise more selectivity. If in one of the even less traveled fields, you will need to be especially careful (e.g. Environmental Science, Geology, Astronomy). If it's bio you want, the LAC list is your candy store.</p>

<p>rice=tufts=not lac</p>

<p>^i know...but everyone thinks they are b/c they're strong in the humanities or something like that</p>

<p>What about Williams?</p>

<p>I think Weskid's point is that even in the physical sciences, the small number of majors among LACs allows almost unlimited access to professors, especially at the upper level. Taking astronomy at Wesleyan or physics at Williams is almost like being treated like a grad student.</p>

<p>Hi All - Does anyone know if Lafayette's Physics program is good? My son is thinking maybe an LAC vs a large university and is looking for Physics with an Astronomy component, in the NE.</p>

<p>Pomona College -- and this gives you access to Harvey Mudd if you want more in physical science/engineering.</p>

<p>Juniata</a> College | Colleges That Change Lives</p>

<p>
[quote]
New facilities include the $20 million William J. von Liebig Center for Science, Juniata Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (business incubator and seed capital fund for student-run businesses), new environmental field station facility, and the Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts.
In the past two years, 100% of Juniata applicants applying to medical and law schools were accepted. 95% of graduates have jobs or advanced study plans within six months of graduation. While at Juniata, most students take advantage of experiential learning opportunities including study abroad, internships, and research.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Might want to look at Holy Cross-great new science facilities. HC has nice campus-1 hour from Boston.</p>

<p>Do you know what you want to do with Science? </p>

<p>Colgate has an amazing program- the only one that has an undergraduate program that allows for a semester to be spent at the National Institutes of Health</p>

<p>Trinity College in Hartford, CT!</p>

<p>Bucknell has a strong reputation for science.</p>

<p>Wesleyan is strong in the sciences</p>

<p>haha everyone has different answers</p>