I'm trying to find some LACs that fit me

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm a rising senior interested in Chemistry and Microbiology, and have got a nice big list of universities that I am interested in. The fact is though, I want to look at some LACs, as I think the smaller environment might suit me better. </p>

<p>Stats: 3.85W/3.65W SophJunior GPA
V/M/W 680/670/610
Lots of debate ECs and hospital volunteering, along with some academic stuff like NHS an whatnot</p>

<p>Current List:
UC San Diego
Carnegie Mellon
UChicago
Emory
UMichigan
Northwestern
Purdue
Rensselaer
Rose-Hulman
UVirgina (in-state)
UWisconsin</p>

<p>So I am just interested in finding some LACs that fit my stats and interests, and was hoping CC could recommend some for me. Thanks in advance.</p>

2

<p>If you are a girl, look at Bryn Mawr and Barnard. Look at Goucher- you can take courses at Johns Hopkins if you go there. Other possibilities are Bates, Vassar, Oberlin, Amherst.</p>

3

<p>looking, there are dozens of LACs that fit your stats, but you really haven't told us what YOU are looking for. What are your interests and preferences? E.g., urban/suburban/rural, sporty/nerdy/artsy, fraternity system/none?</p>

<p>Your university list is all over the place in environment, character and ambience. It would be better to start with a wish list then find colleges that would be a good fit for you.</p>

4

<p>i would suggest you retake the SATs and try to bring it up a bit.
with your current score, Northwestern and UChicago is clearly out of reach.
make sure you at least give the SATs another shot.</p>

<p>for LAC recommendations, i'd say try bowdoin since SATs are optional there.</p>

5

<p>Franklin & Marshall could fit your criteria, as well as some smaller universities like University of Richmond, University of Rochester, and Bucknell. Their undergraduate enrollments are less than 5,000 students.</p>

6

<p>I would say Reed but those scores have to come up for you to get in (IMO).</p>

7

<p>I may be mistaken, but at most LACs, microbiology isn't offered as a major... the only ones that do offer it (along with chemistry) according to collegeboard are Bard College (NY), Juniata College (PA), Lawrence University (WI), Ohio Wesleyan University (OH), and Pitzer College (CA). If you're fine with going to a college that doesn't offer microbiology, however, your options are much greater...</p>

<p>HIGH REACH: Amherst College (MA), Bowdoin College (ME), Haverford College (PA), Middlebury College (VT), Swarthmore College (PA), Williams College (MA)</p>

<p>REACH: Bard College (NY), Carleton College (MN), Claremont McKenna College (CA), Oberlin College (OH), Reed College (OR), Vassar College (NY), Wesleyan University (CT)</p>

<p>SEMI-REACH: Bates College (ME), Colby College (ME), Colgate University (NY), Davidson College (NC), Grinnell College (IA), Hamilton College (NY), Kenyon College (OH), Macalester College (MN), Washington and Lee University (VA), Whitman College (WA)</p>

<p>GOOD FIT: Beloit College (WI), Centre College (KY), College of the Holy Cross (MA), Colorado College (CO), Connecticut College (CT), Denison University (OH), Dickinson College (PA), Franklin & Marshall College (PA), Furman University (SC), Gettsyburg College (PA), Grove City College (PA), Hampshire College (MA), Lafayette College (PA), Lawrence University (WI), Lewis & Clark College (OR), Loyola University New Orleans (LA), Occidental College (CA), Pepperdine University (CA), Pitzer College (CA), Rhodes College (TN), Skidmore College (NY), St. Olaf College (MN), Trinity College (CT), University of Richmond (VA), Ursinus College (PA), Wheaton College (MA)</p>

<p>LIKELY: Allegheny College (PA), Bennington College (VT), Clark University (MA), Cornell College (IA), Drew University (NJ), Elon University (NC), Goucher College (MD), Ithaca College (NY), Juniata College (PA), Loyola College in Maryland (MD), Muhlenberg College (PA), Providence College (RI), Union College (NY)</p>

8

<p>You might look at Bates because it also has a great debate program and SAT's are optional</p>

9

<p>Wow, that is a great list. Thanks littleathiest. I basically looking for a smallist (2k-5k) LAC, and would be perfectly happy with just normal biology instead of microbio. A non-preppy environment is what I want, so off that list, to pick a couple off that I have thought about, I have heard good things about Grinnell and Kenyon's programs, but more on the humanites side than science, but that may be because the debate people I am around are englishy people. Taking the SAT again this fall and hoping to do better, and hoping my scores come out well on the ACT. So, what do people think of Kenyon and Grinnell for science?</p>

10

<p>If you don't want a preppy school, then I'd scratch Bates College (ME), Davidson College (OH), Washington and Lee University (VA), Connecticut College (CT), and Franklin & Marshall College (PA) from the original list I posted.</p>

11

<p>Holy Cross-very good in chemistry, building $60 million science addition. HC is also SAT optional and located 1 hour from Boston.</p>

12

<p>grinnell is indeed one of those well-rounded schools. its phd productivity per capita in the fields of biology and chemistry ranked top 10 in the country;</p>

<p><a href="http://web.reed.edu/ir/phd.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://web.reed.edu/ir/phd.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>however, to be honest, your stats make grinnell quite a reach. its median (old) sat for class 2010 is 1390. unless you're a urm or a legacy you need to score above their 75 percentile (~1450) in order to stand a good chance of admission. anyhow, i'd also like to recommend carleton, reed and oberlin as reaches.</p>

13

<p>Kenyon has a summer science research program, which provides a $3000 grant to each student embarking on a research project with a professor -- <a href="http://www.kenyon.edu/x18155.xml%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.kenyon.edu/x18155.xml&lt;/a>
<a href="http://www.kenyon.edu/x37164.xml%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.kenyon.edu/x37164.xml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>You might also be interested to know that this academic year, 4 out of 4 nominated students from Kenyon are awarded the Goldwater scholarship, the highest number possible from any college. Only 3-4 other schools share this honor. <a href="http://www.kenyon.edu/x36578.xml%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.kenyon.edu/x36578.xml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

14

<p>What does LAC stand for and kind of college is it exactly? I've only been researching colleges for a bit now, so I'm not up to speed on some things.....</p>

15

<p>Definitely liked both Grinnell and Kenyon. I looked at Reed, but the thesis and overall description of "hippy" turned me off, along with parents who are very adamantly against it for distance purposes (Only reason UCSD is allowed is because I have family there). Overprotective, yes, but the are paying my way, so I listen.</p>

16

<p>Looking, if you like the atmosphere at Grinnell and Kenyon (I can't tell; did you visit?) you might take a look at Hamilton, Skidmore, Conn College, Colby and, if you are female, Smith and Mt. Holyoke.</p>

17

<p>I also imagine you might like Carleton if you like Grinell and Kenyon. Possibly also Macalester.</p>

<p>Also, some other schools that are kind of like Reed, but without the thesis, west coast location, and, perhaps, slightly less hippy-ness*: Vassar, Wesleyan, Swarthmore, Haverford. All probably reaches for you, but you might want to check them out.</p>

<p>*PS. Don't take "hippy" reputations at face value, they arn't always as true as you may think</p>

18

<p>BigB, LAC stands for Liberal Arts College. LACs are undergraduate only and generally have a smaller number of students than a university.</p>

19

<p>good matches/safeties; kalamazoo, wooster, earlham, beloit and knox</p>

20

<p>Rochester does have an undergraduate major in microbiology and a significant number of research opportunities for undergraduates. With 4,200 undergrads and only 2,000 graduate students (including medical and dental students, who don't do any TA work), it has the feel of a LAC. All professors teach undergrads. It may be worth a look.</p>