<p>I've been accepted to the U of Denver and I've also been offered a huge scholarship.
Now, I'm not sure whether I should accept it or not.
I intend to study Biological Sciences.
What do you guys suggest ?
Is the U of Denver good for studying Biology ? Are their professors and labs any good ?
I am very confused atm!</p>
<p>Any feedback will be really helpful.</p>
<p>Thanks !</p>
<p>What are your other options?</p>
<p>University of Denver is not a widely known school, but it IS in the top 100 on the US News list - so you could do a lot worse. DU (that’s how people refer to it) also has strong ties to the local business community, which should help you get decent internships. I would say, all in all, it would offer you a good undergraduate education and opportunities for growth. </p>
<p>Deciding whether to accept their offer would depend on your other options. (For example, if you got a good scholarship to, say, Johns Hopkins or MIT, you’d be probably better to accept those.) </p>
<p>But DU is certainly not a BAD option. Denver is a nice city and people love living here. (Yes, I live in Denver.) Over 300 days of sunshine a year. A lot of good restaurants, etc. If you like skiing, you will find yourself within a couple of hours of some of the best skiing in the world. Like I said, you could do a lot worse. </p>
<p>Congratulations - and let us know what you decide.</p>
<p>Congratulations on your acceptance and scholarship - super exciting! As a current DU student, I absolutely love it! DU is very well known around the Rocky Mountain Region, and its national presence is growing every year.</p>
<p>In the sciences, labs are capped at 20 students, so you are always active in labs and not just watching a TA do an experiment. Class sizes, on average, are 21 students, but the intro science courses (Biology 1001, etc.) are ~100 students per lecture (and then split into 20-person lab sections). Courses will get smaller the further along you get into your degree, and especially once you are beyond the introduction courses. </p>
<p>I know a lot of people who take advantage of the research grants are undergraduate science majors, whether it is initiated by the student or a professor who’s looking for help with a project. It is a huge advantage that you don’t have to be a graduate student in order to participate in research or receive research funding. </p>
<p>Everyone at DU is required to take classes in various areas of study as part of the common curriculum - I have taken history, sociology, religion, philosophy, math, science, writing, and theatre classes in addition to my major classes. The common curriculum gives you a great liberal arts foundation for whatever path you decide to take after college (so you aren’t taking only science classes all four years!).</p>
<p>I knew I had to come to DU after visiting campus so I would highly recommend that, but if visiting isn’t possible there is a virtual tour online as well. My college decision was really all about “fit” and DU feeling like home. Good luck with your decision, and I hope my experiences help give you a better picture of DU!</p>
<p>I second katliamom - let us know what you decide</p>
<p>katliamom :
Thank you very much for your feedback.
I haven’t applied to any top universities because I knew that my SAT scores are pretty weak in order to get a place there. (I got only 1900)
I’m a student from Mauritius. We do A-Levels out here and I had no formation whatsoever to sit for the SAT.
However, I did do well for my SAT Subjects : I got above 700 in all tests I took.
I have applied to Penn State and the University Of Iowa. I’ve also applied to universities in Australia.
I know both have a good Biology program. It may even be better than the program at DU.
As far as I know, Penn State doesn’t offer scholarships to international students and I need a scholarship or else I can’t afford the tuition fees.
Thank you for all the information concerning Denver in general.
Will definitely let you know about my decision.
Currently, I’m thinking about doing my Bachelors at DU then do my masters somewhere else like Chicago or Johns Hopkins! Is it a good idea ?</p>
<p>I know U of Arizona also has a good biology program. Do you suggest that I apply or not ?</p>
<p>ACTFellow:
Thank You!
It’s always good to get an idea of the school from a DU student itself.
I really like that the classes are only about 20 students. That might be really helpful to me coming from a small island and all!
Tell me, are the lab equipments in good conditions ?
Are the labs very small or a workable size ?
Sorry for bothering you so much, but I want to make sure that I’ll like it over there and after I graduate I can get to a more recognized school for my masters!</p>
<p>The extra classes sound really interesting!
No, I can’t possibly come visit the campus because an air ticket costs about $5000 from Mauritius to US!</p>
<p>Thank you so much ACTfellow.</p>
<p>I will make sure to let you know what I decide!</p>
<p>In your case, I think DU would be a very good choice. </p>
<p>You should know that public universities (Penn State, University of Iowa) probably won’t give you any significant scholarships. They are likely to have larger classes, fewer opportunities to really get to know your professors, and offer less in “customer service” than DU, a private school. That’s partly because they’re much bigger, and partly because contact with professors and “customer service” is something that the smaller, private schools specialize in. </p>
<p>If you’re outgoing, a good student, and ambitious, DU can give you lots of opportunities, and – yes – could pave the way to very good grad schools.</p>
<p>You should also know that DU is an “up-and-coming” school, meaning it gets bigger and better every year. And don’t worry too much about labs – DU’s laboratories are certainly good enough for a good undergraduate experience. And anyway, the really good students end up working in professional research labs through their internships.</p>
<p>A ton of students in the sciences decide to go on to grad or med schools all over the country, so that’s definitely a great option! </p>
<p>As for the labs themselves, all of the equipment seems to be state-of-the-art and in extremely good condition, and the actual lab rooms are quite large. Plenty of space for the 20 students in lab to have lots of room for experiments as well as any notes you may be taking. </p>
<p>The people here at DU are my favorite part, so the professors will know who you are, and students want to spread their enthusiasm and knowledge, whether in a class discussion or over a cup of coffee. DU has just a very welcoming vibe overall, which is high on my list and would’ve been higher if I was coming from a different country like you!</p>
<p>Since there is a vast ocean and you can’t visit campus, here is the link to the virtual tour videos, I strongly suggest you check them out! [url=<a href=“http://du.ctpprojects.com/]Tour[/url”>http://du.ctpprojects.com/]Tour[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Feel free to ask any other questions you may have - I’m happy to answer them!</p>
<p>katliamom:</p>
<p>I think you may be right. DU sounds like the kind of school where I would fit in.
Plus, the internships at the research labs sound interesting because it’s what I’m aiming for.
Yes, I’m willing to work hard at college.
Again, thanks again for the feedback. I think I might accept the offer, but I’ll still wait since I have until early May to accept.</p>
<p>ACTFellow :
Thanks for the description of the labs.
Yes, a welcoming university is what I’m definitely seeking.
Also, big thanks for the link.
I think DU might be the right school for me from your descriptions !</p>
<p>To both of you, thanks so much. You’re really helping me make up my mind. :)</p>
<p>Definitely wait to accept until you hear from the other schools. But it must feel good to know you already have a university that’s giving you a lot of scholarship money. Congratulations.</p>