USC vs Good Liberal Arts Colleges (Academics)

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Southern California
1

I got accepted to USC and two other very good liberal arts colleges (Vassar and Hamilton) and am trying to decide where to go. I want to major in chemistry/biology (maybe biochemistry?) and possibly go to medical school. I know both are prestigious schools but I know it is hard to make an impact at USC since it is so large. On the other hand, I know that the opportunity at USC is larger than the liberal arts colleges, but then again the liberal arts colleges are still highly looked upon in the northeast. Where should I go to give myself a headstart when applying to medical school and just be as successful as possible?

2

It is definitely more advantageous to study sciences at a big research university

3

What an unsubstantiated and silly comment. That is not true in general, and really not true for med school admissions. You can be a history major and go to med school if you take the med school pre-req classes, have a good GPA, do well on the MCAT, and get some experience volunteering or working in a medical setting (which many students do in the summer).

Have you visited all three schools? None of the three stand out tremendously in your field of study, I think.

4

Not USC but I’m going to accepted student days for Hamilton and Vassar this week. I’m hoping to be close with my professors so I can be involved in as much research as possible

5

“The Experts’ Choice: Colleges with Great Pre-med Programs” (available online).

6

“the opportunity at USC is larger than the liberal arts colleges”

Well-resourced LACs offer the choice of 700+ courses to their students. This is of course 650+ more courses than you would have the opportunity to take.

7

Fiske lists biology under “strongest programs” for both Hamilton and Vassar. “Biological sciences” is also one of the most popular majors at both of these schools (USNWR). Hamilton is recognized for the opportunities it provides for its pre-med students (post #4) and, in part because of its high concentration of math majors (~5X the national average for colleges of all types), may have a greater sciences and math emphasis than some of its peers.