<p>Simple question: how highly is MIT's undergrad neuroscience (BCS/Course 9) program ranked nationally/worldwide? I am really interested in the field and am waiting for decisions from HYPS (I was admitted to MIT), but I am leaning heavily towards MIT because it seems to have such a fantastic neuroscience program. Any info on the neuroscience programs at HYPS?</p>
<p>Oh wow! Lolz. I have the exact same problem and was about to post a thread with the exact same question. Kindred spirit much?</p>
<p>Princeton and Harvard have two very good neuroscience programs, but I’m not quite sure they’re undergrad. I favor MIT myself. I might even see you there next year ;)</p>
<p>Awesome! 
So you were admitted this year? Haha, meaning of “next year” isn’t quite clear. Or I’m just having a dumb moment.</p>
<p>Yep (err to the admission, not the dumb moment). I was extremely happy when I found out. :)</p>
<p>Haha, same question (& Also accepted '13). Anyone? :)</p>
<p>I know they built a whole new, huge, Brain & Cognitive sciences building a few years ago…</p>
<p>I’m a course 9er at MIT, and while I cannot cite any specific ranking of MIT’s BCS program (I don’t even know of any neuroscience rankings), I can tell you that Brain and Cognitive Science at MIT is great. The new Brain and Cognitive Sciences complex was completed in 2005, and is currently the largest neuroscience research center in the world. The building itself is also really cool (it’s all glassy, clean, and futuristic looking), and there are a ton of research labs that are very willing to take on undergrads and include them in all kinds of important/groundbreaking projects in psychology and neuroscience (and you can get pay or credit for this!) I’m an early course 9 sophomore, so the only class in BCS I’ve taken so far is is 9.00, intro to psychology. The lecturer is great, the readings are really interesting, and it’s probably my favorite class so far at MIT. And from what I’ve seen/heard, most of the classes in course 9 are quite small, and the teaching faculty is excellent. Also, if you’re interested in taking a class by Steven Pinker (who used to teach at MIT), you can cross-reg for one of his courses at Harvard.</p>
<p>So all in all: MIT has a fantastic undergrad neuroscience program, with unparalleled research opportunities, the largest brain research complex in the world (housed in a very slick building), great faculty and great classes. In terms of rankings, there aren’t any I know of, but I would be very surprised if MIT wasn’t at the top of the list. I am unsure as to the opportunities offered by Harvard’s neuroscience department, but if you choose M, you can always cross-register if a particular class at H piques your interest.</p>
<p>I think you may have just sold me on MIT. :D</p>
<p>Haha, seriously though, I wasn’t aware that MIT has the largest neuroscience research center in the world!!! And I completely forgot about Steven Pinker! (Although I did not forget Noam Chomsky and Junot Diaz ;)). Man… if HYPS say no (or really, if Harvard says no), then MIT looks like a sure thing.</p>
<p>And even if Harvard says yes, I think it’ll still be MIT. Haha</p>
<p>The BCS building is gorgeous (I work on the 6th floor). If you want to hear about my course 9 UROP / course 9 UROP opportunities, PM me…</p>
<p>1 Harvard University Boston, MA
2 Stanford University Stanford, CA
3 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD
4 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA
5 University of California–San Diego La Jolla, CA
6 University of California–San Francisco San Francisco, CA
7 Rockefeller University New York, NY
Yale University New Haven, CT
9 Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO
10 California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA
Columbia University New York, NY</p>
<p>Thanks! But those are grad school rankings… Alas, I was admitted to MIT for undergrad.</p>
<p>The grad school rankings in this sense aren’t anything different from what the undergrad rankings would be – they’re ranking departmental reputation, faculty, and resources. So it’s officially a graduate ranking, but it indicates the types of resources available to undergraduates (particularly since many MIT BCS classes are joint grad/undergrad anyway).</p>
<p>I was also course 9, and I’m now a neuroscience PhD student, so I’m happy to answer questions about the department.</p>
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<p>Actually, in this context, they’re probably <em>more</em> relevant than the undergrad rankings. The US News grad rankings are based entirely on department reputation in the academic community. Undergrad rankings include a bunch more factors, which have their own merits as factors, but aren’t what the OP asked about.</p>
<p>Hmm. NOW I’m a bit more on the fence than I was (although I haven’t heard anything from Harvard or Stanford). Mollie, from your experience, which school would better prepare an undergrad for grad school? I know you went to MIT for undergrad and are going to Harvard for grad, and that the two are different, but if you could gauge it as best as possible, that’d be great.</p>
<p>I would be wary to let rankings influence your decision too much. I personally do not believe there is any practical difference in the kind of neuroscience education you’ll get going to the #1 ranked school, #2 ranked school, or #4 ranked school. Clearly, they’re all great. If I were you, and had the choice between H, S, and M, I would rest assured they all had excellent neuroscience departments and instead focus on the other factors of those schools that are just as important in determining the quality of your undergraduate education. And I may not be Mollie, but I’m positive you’ll be equally prepared for grad school if you choose to make the most out of your time at MIT or Harvard.</p>
<p>I think I’m sold too 
It would be great to go to MIT for undergrad and then Harvard for grad school under a BCS major.</p>
<p>Well, I am gonna visit Cambridge in April anyway… Hm. I guess I have to wait a bit.</p>
<p>
I absolutely agree with this, and I think the education you’d receive in terms of classes is equally fabulous at MIT and at Harvard. </p>
<p>It is, in my experience, a little easier to do great undergrad research as an MIT BCS major, if only because all of the labs you could do research with are actually on campus. Many Harvard neuroscience labs are located at Mass General or at the Longwood Medical area in Boston – it’s tough to fit that much travel time into an undergraduate schedule and still have time to do significant research during the term. I also feel that it’s easier to get into a top-notch lab as an MIT undergrad, but maybe my experience is skewed because I work in a pretty popular lab as a grad student – we turn many Harvard undergraduates away every year. In my undergraduate lab, we were happy to take as many MIT undergraduate who applied.</p>
<p>Anyway, I think fit factors should absolutely be the deciding ones between MIT and Harvard for neuroscience, but the ease of doing great undergrad research is a point to consider, and one that I think falls in MIT’s favor.</p>
<p>You make a good point about location (and undergrad possibilities for research). Leaning heavily towards MIT! 
I think CPW might be a deciding factor here.</p>
<p>I remember finding a great thread that talked about this some months ago, when I was working on my applications.</p>
<p>SO I looked it up again for you.</p>
<p>It has a bunch of great links people referenced for different types of brain sciences: linguistics, cogsci, neurscience, etc…</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/506142-best-cognitive-science-programs.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/506142-best-cognitive-science-programs.html</a></p>
<p>Here’s a quote.</p>
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