<p>It will matter that you’re international when you’re applying to graduate schools. Many top US science graduate programs have a huge number of international applicants for a limited number of spots – since most graduate science funding comes from the US government, programs generally prefer to take US citizens if they can help it.</p>
<p>It’s important to know that “top biology/chemistry/physics graduate programs” and “Ivy League graduate programs” aren’t the same – most great science graduate programs aren’t at Ivies, and not all of the Ivies have good graduate programs in the sciences. For graduate school, you want to go to the program that’s best in your field, not the one that has the biggest undergraduate name.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in attending graduate school in the sciences, your most important consideration in picking an undergrad school should be undergraduate research. You want to pick a school where a large percentage of students are able to do great research. It’s often easiest to do this at a small school with a fabulous graduate program in your chosen field, because there are lots of great labs which need undergraduate assistants. You also want a school where you’ll get to know two or three professors well enough that they can write you good recommendations. Some LACs have great undergraduate research programs in place, and others do not – it’s something you’ll have to check out for yourself.</p>
<p>The undergraduate school you attend does not absolutely determine where you can go to graduate school, but it is easier to get into a top graduate program if you come from a great undergrad school. Students from lower-tier schools definitely do get into top graduate programs, though, as long as they’ve been able to fight for great research opportunities and recommendations for themselves. But the ideal situation is to be in the lab of a superstar professor in your field, who will write you an out-of-this-world recommendation – it’s easier to be in a superstar’s lab when you’re at a school with a high concentration of superstars.</p>