<p>I applied to UConn early because I'm trying to get into the combined degree medical program, and got my acceptance letter with honors and the works a little while ago. I listed my major as pathobiology, because I really liked what I saw of the department at the junior sciences symposium last year, and I think the work with disease would be really interesting and a good primer for medical school.</p>
<p>As a result, I'm into the college of agriculture, and I was wondering if I could hear the opinions of anyone else involved in this area. I'm kind of worried that I'll be isolated from the arts & sciences student body, doing too much work not quite relevant to my career goals (i.e. with non-mammalian animals), and/or subject to conservative attitudes in this part of the university I swear I read/heard about somewhere (I'm gay, and I'm looking for things to get better in college, not worse.)</p>
<p>If anyone could give me the inside scoop about what the students and faculty in the college of agriculture are like, or tell me whether or not to change my major/school, I'd really appreciate it.</p>
<p>Non-mammalian animals would be ... chickens? Iguanas? While UConn does have a poultry department, as far as I know there are no Iggies at the College of Ag.</p>
<p>My experience, admittedly dated, was that housing isn't set by college, and all the supporting biology/chemistry/physics work isn't segregated by major (if you are pre-med you'll take chem for pre-med with the bio majors etc). I don't think you will feel isolated on the east side of 195. And -- remember that there are a lot of pre-vets and serious scientists in the College of Ag. It's not just girls that wanna ride horsies and boys that wanna drive tractors. In fact there are very few of those!</p>
<p>The other thing you should know is that there is a 2-year Ratcliffe Hicks SCHOOL of Agriculture which grants, I believe, a certificate (not an AS or AA) in addition to the COLLEGE of Agriculture (which leads to a BS). The students in the SCHOOL take all their courses (including the required English etc) within their SCHOOL. These kids are preparing for real hands-on agriculture/farming jobs.</p>
<p>In the COLLEGE, the students take the supporting work with other UConn students of all majors. All your pre-med, pre-vet, pathobiology, plus pre-grad school students would be in the COLLEGE, as well as students who want to go into the business end of agriculture and need a general education as well as the specifically agricultural coursework.</p>
<p>An aside:
It is possible, but not terribly easy, to transfer from the SCHOOL to the COLLEGE, but the only credits that would transfer would be the agriculture ones.</p>
<p>Thanks. I'm in the College, and I was aware of the School as well, but I understand that's seperate and for associate degrees. I'll definitely be going to Storrs and still majoring in Path, because I got in the CPiM and during my interviews the doctors in Farmington really encouraged me to take that major (they just happened to be from the dept. of pathology, what do you know.) Thanks again!</p>
<p>P.S. Yeah, I meant a lot of work I saw with birds and fish mainly when I said non-mammalian</p>