<p>i recently was admitted to all three of the schools mentioned in the title (YAY!). However, i now face the daunting task of choosing which one to attend. I plan to major in biochemistry. I also plan to minor in political science/US history. Yet, even though I currently plan to major in biochemistry, I have been admitted to all three schools as undeclared in the natural/life sciences. i want to be a scientific researcher specifically looking at genetics or cures for diseases (I know I know its super broad)
Here are my current opinions</p>
<p>JHU: small (good), Baltimore is great and the research opportunities are a dream. But they DO NOT have a undergraduate biochemistry department. Would majoring in biology or chemistry with research opportunities be as beneficial as a undergraduate degree in biochemistry at CAL or Wash U? </p>
<p>Cal: Biochemistry is always in the top 5, closer to home, great internship opportunities (research opportunities often go to grad students), but gargantuan class sizes (bad). </p>
<p>Wash U: great city, class sizes, and faculty. Really good biochemistry department but not as well ranked as Cal. </p>
<p>Which one, out of the three, would you choose? Also...
Which is better...biology or chemistry degree with research opportunities or biochemistry degree with internship opportunities? </p>
<p>In my experience, there are usually less chemistry majors than Bio majors. Therefore, finding internships and on campus research will be less competitive. A chemistry major will usually have some sort of biology concentration option.</p>
<p>I am actually amazed that there are less bio than chem majors…are you sure? Cost is the main reason why I am leaning towards Wash U. Hopkins would be around 52,000 annually where as Wash U would only be 25,000. Also, Berkeley is now 30,000 annually.
Would there be a large difference in my curriculum if I took biology instead of biochemistry? Cause at Hopkins I would probably take biology.</p>
<p>Im also a graduating senior and I am picking between WashU Penn and Columbia but still leaning toward WashU! You will have a great experience there! they have an amazingly supportive staff and a great overall atmosphere. There are research opportunities everywhere and I hear the biochem major is great! You really couldnt go wrong. Besides, JHU is hypercompetitive and has a drab social scene unless you like excessively heavy drinking and Cal is so big that it would be easy to get lost. Also, Cal would be more expensive that 25000 a year even with in-state. GO WASHU!!!</p>
<p>I think John Hopkins is the best but I would go to Berkeley if I were in-state.</p>
<p>EDIT: Washington U is cheapest? I would consider the university. The tuition of UCs are looking to rise so the difference will come out bigger than initially anticipated, though Berkeley would still be a good value.</p>
<p>If finances are a worry, I’d say Berkeley, JHU, and WUSTL in that order. You should spend the money and visit the schools though. The picture will be a lot clearer that way and a lot less biased.</p>
<p>I know Wash U is fabulous but what about the fact that Berkeley has a really highly ranked biochemistry program (always in the top 5 in the nation)? Feelings about this?</p>
<p>^I don’t understand the presumption that there are all these research opportunities at Cal just because it is highly ranked. </p>
<p>Obviously, there are advantages to attending a private school with more professors to go around. Many of these professors are the ones you’ll have to gouge a research opportunity out of. (Though the professors may not be as famed as the ones at Cal.)</p>
<p>WashU for price and, from what I hear, a very good undergraduate experience. JHU should be completely out of the picture if cost is truly an issue; that’d be 208k over four years, which is … ouch. Not good.</p>
<p>Cost difference between WashU and Berkeley over four years is 20k. Five years is 25k. I say pocket the difference and go to WashU, but all in all, 5k a year isn’t that terrible, and UCB’s biochem department is truly stellar. If you’re willing to spend 20k+ more on Berkeley, then head to UCB.</p>
<p>If you want to know exactly what the differences in curriculum would be between biology and biochem at the various schools, you will need to take a look at the web sites of the departments and look at the required coursework. It really varies by school.</p>
<p>Back when I majored in biochem, and that was a very long time ago, biochem involved more math, more chem, more physics and even more molecular biology (probably not true any more) and bio involved more microbio, anatomy and physiology, botany, immunology. Of course, there are enough elective science options that some biochem students loaded up with more bio, others with more advanced chem. electives.</p>
<p>But, it really varies, and I don’t know the details of the schools you are considering.</p>
<p>BTW, if Wash U is half as much as JHU, I’m not sure why JHU is in the running.</p>
<p>JHU is now 40,000 a year but that still is WAY above the other two…so I think it is officially out of the running. I am not assuming Berkeley has more research opportunities because it is highly ranked, I have just heard they have a lot because of location and reputation. But I visited today and got the vibe that if you take the initiative to look for a research position, you will most likely have one by senior year.
I think what it really comes down to is the size of the school. Wash U and Berk both have great departments, great research opportunities and beautiful locations. So…
Public or Private? Haha let’s tweak the topic of this thread again, shall we?</p>
<p>^^^Are you not interested in research before senior year? I would guess that it is not uncommon for students to get involved in research at WashU well before senior year if they want to. At very large public universities, there may be a lot more competition for lab slots from graduate students.</p>
<p>As for size of the school, Wash U is not small. It is considered a mid-size research university. Full complement of graduate and professional programs on campus or close by (med. school is close, but not contiguous). I think small schools can be limiting for research opportunities and other aspects of college life, but I think schools the size of Wash U do not share those limitations.</p>
<p>I’m not saying there aren’t any differences, just that you have to know what is important to you.</p>
<p>I know Wash U isn’t small it is small compared to UCB. I do plan to do undergraduate research before senior year…if I can find some, but I think I will.
Would Wash U be considered a small school with a bigger name?</p>