Swarthmore College V.S. Washington University in St. Luois

Swat is a fine school, and in many ways the archetypal LAC, with engaged intelligent students and renowned academic rigor. It’s on every top 10 list for LACs.
Wash U is also a fine school; an established and well respected research university with intelligent engaged students and renowned academic rigor. It’s also on every top-school list.
But the two schools couldn’t be any more different if they tried. Visit both; see which vibe more appeals to your son.
And completely ignore the advertisement masquerading as a “list” mentioned in post #7; it’s utterly subjective and its “standards” are completely free of any objective data. You’d be much better off visiting the pre-med section of CC and/or SDN for information regarding the pre-med process.

Both outstanding schools academically, so no wrong choice on that basis.

Travel distance to sporting events / games should be considered as it may impact time available for studying, socializing and other campus activities.

One school is more moderate, the other quite liberal.

Does your son prefer one location over the other ?

If your son switches majors or career goals, would he have an interest in studying business ?

Switching major could be a factor, WUSTL might provide more opportunities in this case?

I’ll chime in as a WashU parent. Son is a Biology major premed. The advising can’t be beat because students have a 4 year academic advisor, a major advisor, and there is a pre-med advisor. The academic environment is highly collaborative and students are willing to help each other.

The cons are that the introductory science/math classes have reputations as weeders. Introductory Chemistry is taught very well, but the midterms are tough. The percent cutoff to get an A is 80%, but in some years, 70-75% will be in the B+/A- range.

Organic Chemistry is pretty infamous at WashU. Lots of premeds end up taking it at another school during the summer. Biology majors have that option, but Biochemistry/Chemistry majors do not.

The first 2 Introductory Biology classes could be taught better, although the intermediate and upper division Biology courses are well taught. The Cellular Biology class is an excellent course and the professor (Dixit) is highly regarded.

Introductory Calculus is the big killer-it doesn’t have the greatest reputation. If OP’s son has taken/is taking BC and gets a 5, use the credit.

WashU premed is odd in that Multivariable Calculus is required for Biology majors doing premed. The class is pretty straightforward and most students will get A’s and B’s, but supposedly it has changed so that the class is harder.

Thanks a lot, That was a lot detail information. Will definitely ask you for more advise If my son decided to go to WUSTL.

Exactly-WashU is pretty flexible in that regard. Students do not actually declare their major until 2nd semester sophomore year.

There is also a lot of cross-pollination so to speak with kids with majors/minors in different divisions. My son has a CompSci minor in Engineering as well as his primary major in Arts and Sciences-and he has a double major in History to go with the Biology major. He knew somebody in his freshman dorm who was a double major in History and Computer Science.

There are students who have switched from Engineering to Olin Business as well.

Ditto for Swarthmore though - no major declared until end of sophomore year and easy to switch majors.