@Parentwithqs – I respectfully disagree with the narrowminded view of reality represented above. It is typical of graduates of large research universities. I recognize this because I am also a product of a globally respected research university. Yet, for non-engineering majors, I favor liberal arts colleges. I explain my reasons below. Note that this is purely based on academics. There are many other criteria you need to consider when choosing between these two types of schools. I argue that those other factors should be your criteria for this decision. LACs are not for everyone. For example, while I am not familiar with UW’s dance program, I will take a wild guess that you will find more opportunities there than at Carleton. I don’t address this below. If both academics and pre-professional dance are equally important, you may want to go with UW, but you should do your research on the two programs.
Going back to science, first ask yourself: Is a bachelor’s degree going to be your terminal degree? If yes, consider going to UW. Chances are that more people will recognize the name. However, you have already stated you want to get a PhD. If undergrad is a stepping stone to greater things, seriously consider Carleton.
If I look at National Science Foundation data on the undergraduate origins of science PhDs, ranked by # of PhDs per one hundred graduates, I see Carleton at #6, Berkeley at #39 (second highest ranked public university), and UW…doesn’t appear in the top 50 at all.
https://wayback.archive-it.org/5902/20160210152803/http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf08311/
Condensed summary of the same: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/top-50-schools-that-produce-science-phds/
(Slightly dated, but not much has changed. Carleton claims on their website that they are now #3 in the NSF rankings, but I haven’t seen the source data.)
It is true that large research universities with strong graduate programs in the sciences have certain advantages over LACs such as broader course offerings in the sciences (especially upper level classes), facilities, resources, and cutting edge research publication. If you are aggressive and self-motivated, you can potentially get a great education. You will also have more clubs & organizations, and depending on the university, you might have more opportunities for the performing arts. However, I ask you to keep in mind that education is about much more than just scientific achievement and research. Many of us value the well-rounded education liberal arts colleges offer, and in this respect, Carleton is stronger than UW. Moreover, even if you look solely at undergraduate science, outcomes are not necessarily better at research universities. Just look at the NSF data above. I realize this is not intuitive.
With respect to the comment that students in honors programs at public universities like UW are smarter than students at Carleton: that’s quite a claim, but based on what, and why does it matter anyway? UC Berkeley students are statistically superior to students at most other public universities. The other UCs aren’t so bad either. We saw what honors program students and Regents Scholars (like my own daughter) are like at 6 UCs, including Berkeley and UCLA, as compared to Carleton students. I can assure you that they are all equally intelligent and capable. Furthermore, as part of the honors program at UW, you will not live in a cocoon. Is the average student at UW more intelligent and intellectual than the average Carleton student? I think not. But you may emotionally relate to one group more than the other, and that’s more important.
Disclaimer: I am biased. My daughter is going to Carleton over UC Berkeley, which by the way has a more global brand recognition, higher research output, more Nobel laureates in their current faculty (and among alumni and past faculty), and - if you value such things - higher ranking than U. Wisconsin. Even if Harvard offers my daughter a spot off their waitlist tomorrow (big if), my daughter told me today that she will stick with Carleton. Why on earth would a STEM kid who wants to go to medical school or a Ph.D. program turn down these premier institutions? For one thing, different people thrive in different environments, and for her, Carleton is a better fit. (Only you can decide what’s best for YOU.) However, we also considered the following:
http://www.thecollegesolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/cech_article2.pdf [frequently referenced paper]
https://www.forbes.com/sites/chadorzel/2015/04/10/why-small-colleges-are-great-for-science-students/#75bf1de7b9a3
But don’t just take my word for it. I urge you to read other opinions on science education at liberal arts colleges in the following thread I started not too long ago. I play devil’s advocate at times, which confuses people but stimulates lively discussion.
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/science-majors/1950938-are-top-lacs-doing-enough-to-attract-the-best-brightest-female-math-and-physical-science-students-p1.html
My advice: do your homework before jumping to conclusions about the supposed superiority of research universities over LACs. UW and Carleton each has its pros and cons. The former is not the best choice for everyone, so understand your options before deciding. You’ll figure out which environment is better for you. Good luck!
