<p>I'm getting kind of stressed out right now about colleges choices. So far I've been accepted to Wellesley, Smith, W&L, Caltech, and Williams and I am still waiting on several other LAC's and the Ivies. Right now I am pretty certain I want to major in Biochem/biophysics and go on to get a PhD. I've head points on both sides of the argument, but right now it's not clear to me whether it is more beneficial to got to a smaller LAC, where there are more opportunities for close connections with profs, or larger Ivies, where the programs are larger but there are more undergrad and grad students. I know I want to do summer research, and all of the schools I applied to claim to have great research programs, but I'm not sure if this is the truth. I'm sorry for rambling, but where do you think I would get the best academic experience/ most resources?</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>(sorry for the repeat! i accidentally clicked twice)</p>
<p>Doesn’t Caltech give you the best of both worlds? It offers both small size and excellent resources for science research. If you think it’s a little too small, or if you want more balance between science and other subjects, go with Williams or one of the Ivies.</p>
<p>They are all good schools, though. If money is a big issue you could choose the one with the lowest out-of-pocket costs (assuming there’s a big spread).</p>
<p>I know Caltech would probably be the best place because of the amazing professors and research opportunities, but I feel like I wont’ fit in. I’m not much of a gamer or prankster, and the house life looks like it would be uncomfortable for me.</p>
<p>As far as financial aid, I’ve received a very generous package from Williams, but no one else has notified me yet. I assume that my package will be about the same at all the schools.</p>
<p>paulel, my son is a Williams grad. Because he majored in arts and humanities, I can’t give you a first hand report on science opportunities, but I can tell you that the overall educational experience is profoundly good. </p>
<p>The personal experience depends on what you’re looking for. If you want insular, friendly, nurturing, energetic, intellectual – all in a beautiful natural environment, then you couldn’t do better than Williams. Be sure to visit, though.</p>
<p>You have some wonderful acceptances and if the money comes through you should trust your instincts. In small schools especially fit is important and you’ll do best where you feel the most comfortable.</p>
<p>In my experience at Pomona, I’ve found it’s very easy to get research opportunities, even as a freshman. Several of my classmates are going to do research during the summer directly with a professor. This is possible at larger schools, but it’s also a lot harder. I assume Pomona is not different from other top LACs, and the only significant difference might be if you want to extensively pursue one type of science. Some LACs may not have programs that are as large, but you seem to be aware of that. I suggest you look into your current interest at each prospective school. With that warning aside, though, I think LACs easily match larger universities in the sciences, particularly because the classes are generally so small. You’ll find this to be very important when you start your intro classes. There’s a big difference between 20-30 people and 100-400 people. </p>
<p>Keep in mind Smith offers a consortium that includes four great schools and UMass, which offers a ridiculous amount of courses. If you go to Smith, you’ll get the benefits of an LAC and never have a problem if Smith ends up not having the specific course you want. </p>
<p>“Right now I am pretty certain I want to major in Biochem/biophysics and go on to get a PhD.”
Cal Tech offers the small size of an LAC [ 800 UGs] with the benefit of unlimited research opportunities found at a first class U. If your goal is to earn your Phd, you should know that a larger % of Cal Tech graduates [ 30%] go on to earn Phds than those of any other UG college. For very smart, driven, motivated students who love to learn above all else, Cal Tech cant be beat.</p>
<p>First, you are very lucky to already have a difficult decision in choosing between some awesome, awesome schools, so congrats on that. I agree Cal Tech on paper sounds great for you (have you visited? Did you like it?). What other schools did you apply to? You said other LACs and Ivies…which ones? Or did you apply to all 8 Ivies? If that’s the case: somewhere like Cornell, probably a little large for what you want. Somewhere like Dartmouth, not in fact all that much larger than the LAC’s. The others, somewhere in between, size wise. Another tip: I go to Dartmouth, so a program I’m aware of is our first year summer experience program, which pairs first year students up with mentors and funds student designed/driven research during freshman summer. It sounds like a great fit for you, and I can’t imagine it’s unique to Dartmouth–as you narrow down your final choices, maybe do some research to see which of your schools have similar programs. Another thing I’d advise looking for in schools, especially with an interest in biochem–proximity to a med school. I know many people doing research here with profs in the bio and chem departments, but I also have several friends currently employed in labs at the med school, taking really active roles and really enjoying it. Opportunities like that are something else to keep in mind. And, since you got into Smith I’m assuming female. We have a program called WISP, women in science program, really cool, pairs freshman women and senior women in mentoring relationships, helps with internship/research opportunity searches, stuff like that. Again, probably not unique to Dartmouth, so another good thing to look for at schools as you narrow down your list.</p>
<p>Green 99, I am visiting Caltech for Prefrosh weekend next month. I love it for the academics, I’m just not sure would be comfortable socially. The other LAC I’m waiting on is Swarthmore, and I applied to Dartmouth, Brown, Penn, Columbia, Yale, and Princeton. Dartmouth is probably my favorite as far as atmosphere and “fit”. I haven’t visited, but from what I’ve read online, I really like. It’s good to know that they are also strong in the sciences.</p>
<p>I think you will have amazing educational and research opportunities at any of these schools, so my advice is to make your decision based on which school you like best as a living environment.</p>
<p>Even though Wellesley, Smith, W&L, and Williams are great schools, very few people seriously interested in the sciences would turn down Caltech.</p>
<p>That said, if you have 2nd thoughts or if you aren’t convinced about Caltech at this point in time, then it is probably not for you. Williams would be your next choice.</p>
<p>Caltech is a major research university. Williams is a LAC. Their hiring processes for faculty are different (the former involves much less consideration of teaching ability, to my knowledge).</p>
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<p>There are some considerations. You will run out of classes to take within a single discipline much quicker at a school like Williams. You will have tons of classes in any deep area at a school like Caltech. On the flip side, if your goal is not to ‘clean out’ a single subject, then this point is irrelevant. </p>
<p>Also, if you want to go deep into a subject at a school with fewer classes, you need to be willing to ask around about what’s going on. Big research universities have the advantage that people are constantly talking about a lot of the latest hot stuff (especially in a large university). You can get into top graduate schools from either (if this is even something you are considering), but you’ll have to be very self sufficient, and an Ivy League will provide you with much more padding, because there will be naturally more things offered for you to do, which you can do and put on your record (for one, more classes).</p>
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<p>Agreed. And this is because you simply have more science going on at Caltech, in more diverse forms.</p>
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<p>This is slightly misleading, because research is not something you just do, it’s something you should think about and how/what you might want to do enter in. And it’s pretty hard to do a research project about something a professor knows nothing about under him/her. And you simply have more going on at a larger school.</p>
<p>Again, if you are serious about science research, you have to be exceptionally self-directed going into a smaller school.</p>
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<p>True, very true. On this note, I would like to say that it may seem like my post says “suck it up and go to an Ivy unless you can do everything yourself” - that’s not quite the whole story. Sometimes, an environment where there is a great undergraduate focus that nurtures an intellectual is exactly what one needs - and one may develop one’s curiosity into a flair for something more specific. Going to an environment where you feel comfortable is important. </p>
<p>Also remember that Caltech students are quite universally into math/science/engineering, and are good at those things to say the least, and this can wear you down. The most important thing is you shouldn’t burn out, because life goes on after college (unless you’re very unlucky).</p>
<p>Untrue. Since Caltech’s yield is less than 50% (the most recent common data set I could find was from 2004-2005 so this is dated, but the yield was actually <40%), more people turn Caltech down for other options than decide to attend. I think it is fair to assume that >95% of all Caltech applicants are “seriously interested in the sciences”. It absolutely is a great school, but it is not for everyone. It sounds like all of the OP’s options can prepare him well for grad school as long as he is sufficiently motivated to take advantage of the opportunities that will be available to him.</p>
<p>In the past few years, Caltech accepted about 270 women (about 23% admission rate) and about 1/3 (about 90) enrolled each year.<br>
Caltech hardly attracts women for whatever sake.</p>
<p>mathboy98, your post was very helpful. I like the close-knit atmosphere of an LAC, but I think I would prefer having more course offerings and better research opportunities. Looking through Caltech’s course catalog, I am simply amazed by the number of courses offered. I know probably not all of them are offered every year, but they offer about 4x the number of classes that the smaller LAC’s do.</p>
<p>In defense of the post you are criticizing, it is likely a fair statement if you’re talking about Caltech vs. the schools this OP seems to be considering.</p>
<p>@paulel - you just have to decide! They’re very different options, so I don’t think you can “accidentally” pick Caltech. You’re clearly doing something right if you have all these offers, so use 'em brains wisely.</p>
<p>my guess is that the majority of the admits to Caltech that turned it down were not **really really serious **in the sciences - hence my statement stands.</p>