<p>I need to decide between Oberlin and Dickinson within the next few days and I'm finding the decision impossible to make because they seem to stack up equally when all their strengths and weaknesses are compared. I'm going to be studying geology wherever I go but I don't want to discount the possibility that I may hate it or want to do something else once I start studying it.</p>
<p>I get the sense that Oberlin is better overall in the sciences but Dickinson is better in geology. Any insight to this?</p>
<p>I don't know anything about Dickinson.</p>
<p>I've heard only amazing things about the Oberlin geology department. There's a lot of overlap between geology & environmental science, if that's an area of interest of yours as well.</p>
<p>Also, I just read something in the Oberlin Confessional about the geology department (the subject was best & worst departments):</p>
<h1>1 8 May 2007 12:24 PM</h1>
<p>Geology is the best department here. Great, laid back professors. You all should take at least GEOL 120 (Intro). It is fun and you get to go on field trips like elementary/middle school!</p>
<h1>2 8 May 2007 1:07 PM</h1>
<p>i have a crush on the geology department. not the people in it necessarily, just the department as a whole.</p>
<p>Cool, thanks. I can't get onto that site though. Is there anything else on there that's relevant to the geology department?</p>
<p>i've been told by folks who've visited Dickinson that they have an "attitude" and are very stuffy and uptight in their approach. i don't know if this is true, but Oberlin has an awesome reputation! good luck!</p>
<p>I don't know very much about Dickinson, but it seems that what the college is mainly known for is strength in foreign languages and study abroad. Their sciences may be fine, but it seems unlikely that they would be better than Oberlin's. </p>
<p>On the other hand, I would be a bit skeptical that a college with the rather modest prestige of Dickinson would have an "attitude." Maybe, but I would want to visit myself before concluding that is true.</p>