<p>im surprised nobody has seriously mentioned wesleyan. its got that hippy vibe but is also very strong in the sciences. most of the other suggestions are also good, and ill throw in bucknell (VERY good math dept) and lafayette as two other schools you should at least visit. both are preppier lacs, but are fantastic fits based on your major.</p>
<p>as for bard, based on what my ex girlfriend who attends has told me i wouldnt go there for math/science (im a math major). she loves it there, but her interests are french literature, poetry and playwriting... a more typical bard curriculum.</p>
<p>While I don't think much of Bard (we visited last year and found it run down with poor facilities, and nothing nearby but a Stewarts Sandwich shop) and don't believe it has much of a reputation in the areas you are interested in, I'd still say:</p>
<p>Keep Bard on your list and use it as a safety school you'd be happy to go to.</p>
<p>Over the next year your preferences will probably change and your parents' views on where you should go to school will also broaden as they think and talk about it. Encourage them to visit here at CC to so they begin to understand more how important fit is, even trumping prestige or reputation. In either case, the chances are, for one or the other of you, it probably won't be as much of an issue next year.</p>
<p>You can also look at southern LAC's like Davidson and Washington and Lee (I'm not sure of Davidson's science program but W&L's is quite strong) - and you avoid the extremely liberal atmosphere of northern LAC's.</p>
<p>I've been reading, and it seems like I would really like University of Chicago and it also seems like it fits me application wise. And they have a really good science program, correct?</p>
<p>UChicago has an awesome everything.
I applied there early action and got deferred then got waitlisted.
I applied there because I love the intellectuality of the school, it is indeed amazing, but you have to be ready to do a LOT of work if you want to go there.
I'm not going there, but I'm terribly happy about where I will be going.</p>
<p>Bard is heavily investing in its sciences. It's constructing a new science building, setting up an exchange program with Rockefeller University, and hiring stellar faculty. If you're planning on majoring in math or science, you can apply for the Distinguished Scientist Scholarship (DSS) and will probably receive a full four-year scholarship. Your parents wouldn't have to pay a thing.</p>