Hatrack River Forum: Best Colleges for...

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Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :

What are the best undergraduate colleges in the USA for biology? What about business? And what are some good colleges in NY?

Thanks =)

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

I'm pretty sure that U.S. News makes a lot of money answering those questions every year.

Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :

It says something about business but not about biology :-)

Posted by scholarette (Member # 11540) on :

Here is my highly biased opinion. I went to a state school and then for grad school went to a private school that thinks a lot of itself, both for biochem. Having taken or TA'd classes at both, I think that the state school was far superior. The private basically ensured a certain minimum education for its students, which you may not meet if you went to the state school. But at the state school, if you chose to you could well exceed that minimum. If you wanted an excellent education with lots of hands on lab experience, you could definetely get it. You just had to want it. I also have talked to some students from UC system and a lot complained that for the first year you worked in a lab, you were a dishwasher and thats it. And you never complained because atleast you had a slot and eventually you would do research.

So, there is a lot more then just rankings to figure in. Also, at my state school, we had five degrees that fell under the heading biology- evolution and ecology, biochem, microbiology, molecular and cellular and something else (maybe immunology. Are you looking for lots of research experience, teaching, etc? Basically what do you want to do when you are done?

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

quote:
Originally posted by TomDavidson:
I'm pretty sure that U.S. News makes a lot of money answering those questions every year.

Bleh. I am surprised to hear you endorsing that list, Tom.

quote:
Originally posted by scholarette:
Also, at my state school, we had five degrees that fell under the heading biology- evolution and ecology, biochem, microbiology, molecular and cellular and something else (maybe immunology. Are you looking for lots of research experience, teaching, etc? Basically what do you want to do when you are done?

An excellent question.

Also, what else do you want/expect out of college? Do you plan to live in dorms? Stay at home (is that why you'd rather stay in NY, if that's the case?)

What are your SATs and your GPA like?

If you are considering local schools, I strongly recommend visiting them. (Also any non-local schools that you can manage, although that gets more expensive to arrange.) If they have an official tour, take it -- but also wander around campus yourself for a few hours. Sit in on a lecture or two, talk with students, and just get a feel for the school.

Edit: Wait a sec. Are you asking for yourself or someone else? Aren't you in your second year at Brown?

Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :

Yeah, but it's not going so well, and I'm not too excited about their biology program. Right now my GPA is in the mid 90s and SAT of 2310 or 1530. I want to live in dorms.

I want to do a combination of biology and business; maybe management of biotech or biotech development.

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Phanto:
Yeah, but it's not going so well, and I'm not too excited about their biology program.

I'm sorry. [Frown]

But mid-way (or thereabouts) is a relatively good time to consider transferring.

I know you said NY, but the only schools there whose programs I know anything about are Columbia (excellent school, I almost went there, but I know about their chemistry program, not bio or business); YU (excellent business program, and from what I hear their bio program is fairly good); and Touro (good business program; decent but not "exciting" bio program). Most students who go to either of the latter choose them for reasons other than their specific program of study alone.

Out here I can recommend my alma mater, UCLA. They have an excellent graduate program in biotech; for undergrad looks like the closest thing would be something from this department.

And if you came to UCLA, you would be joining a pretty cool Hatrack clump. [Wink]

Posted by dabbler (Member # 6443) on :

Cornell is supposed to be awesome for Bio. I know several people who went there. It's in scenic Ithaca [Smile]

and is dirt cheap (compared to other Ivy Leagues) if you live in NY.

Posted by Shanna (Member # 7900) on :

I had a high school classmate who went to Cornell for Biochem (or something with a similar description, I am not a science person). It always seemed like she was working on some big important research or publishing alongside professors pretty early on in her college career.

Of course, after graduating she started working as a photographer for the Houston Chronicle and personal clients. Though that probably says more about her and very little about Cornell as a school.

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

quote:
I am surprised to hear you endorsing that list, Tom.

I'm not. But I'm not endorsing it for the same reason that I don't think he's going to get any good, specific recommendations from this thread. [Smile]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Ah. Not sure I agree, but at least now I understand where you're coming from.