UCLA, UCSD, w&m and Colgate for neuroscience

College Search & Selection
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Hey guys! I’m an international student from China. I’m admitted to several American schools and I have only limited resources to learn about them. So I’m here asking you guys for some insights in my college selection. I intend to major in neuroscience in college and pursue graduate school in the US. I plan to work as a researcher in the future.

UCLA
I like its location and weather. LA is also a convenient city for international traveling. I know life there is amazing with all the food and sunshine. I admire UCLA’s reputation and strength in research. When I was doing the virtual visit to the campus, I felt that I belong there.
I’m concerned with UCLA’s large class sizes. I heard that some classes are taught by TAs and graduate students. I’m afraid of losing myself in the large student body.

UCSD
UCSD’s location and weather are also good. It’s ranked #2 in neuroscience for grad school, so I assume it has a strong undergrad neuroscience program.
I have same concerns for UCSD as those for UCLA. And besides, I’m worried that UCSD’s general undergraduate education is weaker than UCLA’s.

College of William and Mary
I admire w&m’s small class sizes, personalized attention from faculty and close-knit student body. I heard that w&m’s professors are among the best in the nation.
I’m worried that since w&m’s famous for humanities, it might not be so strong in sciences, and that I might not be able to enjoy rich undergraduate research opportunities there.

Colgate University
It’s a liberal arts college and I admire its core curriculum. I think being exposed to humanities and arts in college has lifelong benefits. This is why I admire LACs a lot. There’ll also be small class sizes, personalized attention from faculty and close-knit student body at Colgate. I heard that Colgate prepares students for top grad schools and I can get more research opportunities there. The campus is located in a town 6 hours from NYC. Although it’s an inconvenient location, I think it’s good for me to concentrate on academics and research in such an environment.
However, Colgate is a party school and somewhat marginalizes internationals. Actually, I haven’t met one single Chinese student who’s not at all disturbed by the exclusiveness of the majority. I’m more of a nerdy type and I don’t quite like the culture of Colgate. I’m also concerned that I cannot be exposed to cutting edge researches as I can at the UCs, and that the limited facility there might compromise the possibilities of my research.

I’m really having a hard time deciding among these schools. I’m trying to make informed decision by asking for more people’s opinions, so please tell me as much as possible your knowledge of these schools and their neuroscience/biology programs. I’d appreciate it greatly if you can give me some valuable advice!

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Class size, ucla and ucsd is about the same. Go with the major, not the school. Not sure about colgate. W&m should give you a lot of professor time. But UCSD will give you the top professors! GE requirements from UCSD weaker than UCLA? I think for STEM majors, UCSD in general is on par or better than UCLA. I think their STEM students quality is actually better in general if you check their average math SAT score and their admit rates for impacted majors. Check UC websitd for their freshmen profile

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You have four great choices! Congratulations! GE requirements at UCSD depend on the college to which you were admitted. I am not sure why you would think the GE would be weaker at UCSD than UCLA. It’s GE. All the general ed classes will be large. I agree with above…look at your major to compare the two. And look at the specific requirements of the college you were admitted to at UCSD.

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I have to stick my oar in about Colgate. It’s an intimate place with a stated, clear mandate to develop the individual
towards his or her potential. In other words, the focus is on you, not the institution, its divisions, graduate students,
particular majors and/or groupings. As someone who has self-identified as a “nerd”, something that I don’t care for since it is likely to be a passing phase and self-defeating/restricting, you might that Colgate helps you adjust to and overcome all types of challenges, academic and personal.

About how Colgate deals with self-segregation etc, I suggest you look further into the Residential Commons system, alongside all the clubs sponsored for you to round out your college experience. the RA system brings together a couple of hundred students into living units across a couple of buildings up and down the Hill, for as long as you and they choose to belong. This is a relatively new setup, in its second year by the time you enroll, with a total of 4 RAs
planned, a new one each year.

Of course, and as you mentioned, the core curriculum is a terrific platform for learning. Those course, especially involving philosophy and religion, stay will me to this day! As an alumnus, I am grateful for the academic boost and personal growth consequences that my freshman year afforded me so generously.

Lastly, you mention that Colgate is a “party school”. Students there do work hard and play hard, no denying that, but I am not sure labels are helpful without some reference to specifics, implications and peer schools. You will find that among top ranked elite LACs, Colgate is no outlier. It is also a magnificent setting, a safe campus and you will have ready access to its faculty, facilities and all its offerings including D1 athletics you might support and enjoy, intramural sports, all types of social functions including parties. It’s up to you to make a go of them or not.

By the way, Colgate is about 5 hours from NYC by car, there are daily buses there from campus, Amtrack from Utica 45 minutes away, and with SYR airport an hour away, JFK, EWR and LGA are 45 minutes away from SYR.

Best of luck with your selection!

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In STEM, UCSD is on par with UCLA - you’ll get a fine undergrad education there, plus it houses some top neuroscience research labs. I’d pick it over UCLA.

Generally, I favor LACs as I believe they provide a superior undergraduate experience. I teach senior high school students in China and I’m always recommending they go to an LAC especially because in a big school it’s easy to just join the large community of students from their own country and miss out on an important cultural exchange that is a key part of the college experience.

I’m tempted to say go to UCSD because of its strength in neuroscience, but in reality those strengths will be more more pronounced at the graduate level than undergraduate. Since W&M does offer a major in neuroscience and it does actually provide quite a bit of research opportunities for its students, I’d recommend you go there, and then perhaps aim to do a PhD at UCSD (my brother completed his neuroscience PhD at UCSD a couple of years ago and he said its a terrific place to do it).

By the way, there is “partying” at every school - it’s a facet of college life in America. It doesn’t necessary detract from a strong academic experience and nothing to be afraid of.