<p>Im interested in biology, specifically genetics and molecular biology, with hopes of getting involved in biotech later on. I am especially interested in regenerative medicine and life extension, but that kind of specificity will have to come later. For now, I'm having trouble deciding on a college for undergrad ed. What are some prestigious schools that have some focus in these areas? I'vve been looking at JHU and Cornell and Penn, especially JHU, but have heard that the undergrad at John Hopkins is no good. Im looking for a good undergrad education, research opportunity, a place where i can have a bit of a social life,and that could get me on a track for biotech.</p>
<p>Undergrad at JHU is no good?!?!? JHU has awesome undergraduate programs, and their graduate/med/law school placement rates are extremely high. Research is almost a given (~70% of students), and the social scene is fairly active. Biology at JHU focuses on biochem and molecular biology. </p>
<p>As for Penn, it sounds like a good fit. Have you looked into their Vagelos program? It sounds like it's right up your alley. </p>
<p>Wisconsin, Michigan, Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, Columbia, WUStL, UCLA, and Duke are also strong in molecular biology.</p>
<p>btw if you don't know the vagelos program is only by invitation unless it's the joint degree program :)</p>
<p>Yes, but it's good if (s)he gets it- it's worth considering. Somebody, I think maybe it was Berurah, had a kid who was accepted into the Vagelos program, so it's not impossible.</p>
<p>Of course it's not impossible. Just commenting so OP knows :p-</p>
<p>It depends what kind of environment you want for undergrad. JHU, I think, has a lot of classes taught by T.A.'s and it's hard to get individual help from professors. But yeah, it's super strong in sciences.</p>
<p>following is from Gourman Rept Undergrad
in rank order
molecular biology
MIT
Caltech
U Wisconsin Madison
UC Berkeley
U Colorado Boulder
Northwestern
UC San Diego
U Michigan Ann Arbor
Harvard
Princeton
Carnegie Mellon
Cornell
U Penn
Purdue
RPI
SUNY Buffalo
U Arizona
U Texas Austin
U Washington
Penn State UP
Vanderbilt
UC Santa Cruz</p>
<p>genetics
UC Davis
Cornell
MIT
U Wisconsin Madison
U Illinois UC
Ohio State
Purdue
U of Rochester
U Minnesota
Rutgers
U Georgia
U Kansas
Texas A&M</p>
<p>source for above: Gourman Report Undergrad</p>
<p>following is from Rugg's Recommendations (alphabetical)
Biochemistry (Molecular Biology)
Barnard
SUNY Binghamton
Bowdoin
Brandeis
Brown
UC Berkeley
UCLA
UC San Diego
Columbia
Cornell
U Dallas
SUNY Geneseo
Harvard
U Iowa
U Miami (FL)
MIT
Mt Holyoke
U Penn
Princeton
Rice
Rutgers
U Rochester
Swarthmore
Tulane
Yale</p>
<p>genetics
Ball St
UC Berrkley
UC Davis
UC Irvine
UCLA
Carnegie Mellon
Cedar Crest
U Chicago
U Conn
Cornell
Florida ST
SUNY Fredonia
U Georgia
Harvard
U Illinois UC
U Illinois Chicago
Iowa St
Kansas
Minnesota
Ohio St
Ohio Wesleyan
Otterbein
Purdue
U Rochester
Rutgers
Sarah Lawrence
Texas A&M
U Vermont
Washington St
Western Kentucky
U Wisconsin</p>
<p>Add University of Florida ( <a href="http://www.napa.ufl.edu/2004news/braindish.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.napa.ufl.edu/2004news/braindish.htm</a> )</p>
<p>Thanks collegehelp and ksanders! I see a few of my will-apply-to-schools on that list. No doubt it'll be competitive for the majors, but here's hoping.</p>