PAGRok

Wesleyan has a great science program that includes a graduate or PhD program that is unique for a LAC. It is a cheaper program and can be completed in fewer years because students can begin the program in their last year of undergrad.

OverseasMama

Thanks for the suggestions. I've added Oberlin, Carleton and Macalester to her list of places to check out. The winters would be harsh, but I think culturally and logistically the midwest would be easier than the east.

We're aware that she'll need grad school if she chooses to major in Chem. So yes, we're looking for merit scholarships or whatever FA help we can get.

Momrath--I went to a presentation by an Admissions guy from a well-known Eastern college and the question of how much international experience helped came up. He claimed that his college saw tons of applicants from overseas so it really wasn't a selling point. The speaker was responsible for applicants from several international schools and he said he was very familiar with the different high schools, their standards and course offerings, etc. If our kids are being vetted by admissions officers who are responsible for territories outside of the states, it is possible that the international angle is not going to be all that impressive. This guy seemed to think it was much more important to make sure your kid stood out from the other international school applicants. His answer surprised some of us, so I thought I'd share it.

About the Claremont colleges. Scripps, Pitzer and CMC share a science program at the Keck center. It's billed as an accelerated, integrated science program which requires a lot of work in Bio, Chem and Physics in the first two years. Has anyone heard about this program? She's not interested in Math and Engineering, so I don't think she'd be comfortable at Harvey Mudd, even if she could get in.

momrath

OM, I think admissions view foreign nationals and American expats differently. There just aren't that many American kids who have actually had experience living overseas. As I said, the plus factor depends on the place: an applicant will get more life experience credit if s/he lived in Cambodia or Egypt than in France.

The amount of boost is impossible to quantify and the experience has to be expanded on in the application, but I'm convinced that high achieving kids from "interesting" international schools fare well at selective schools. It certainly was true for my son and his classmates. The key is to communicate in the application -- in essays, recommendaitons, resumes -- what your understanding of foreign culture can contribute to the campus, both in and out of the classroom.

Have you used an online calculator to determine how much need based aid you might be eligible for? If this works for you your daughter will have wide choices. If she'll definitely need merit based aid, it will be a somewhat different list. Smith, for example, has terrific funding for women in the sciences.

violao

"We're aware that she'll need grad school if she chooses to major in Chem. So yes, we're looking for merit scholarships or whatever FA help we can get."

Unlike medical school, grad school for top students is routinely funded by scholarships, fellowships, teaching assistantships, RA positions and so forth.

vonlost

If she wants to do bio or chem research, then I'd lean toward schools with a good track record of PhD program admissions.

tk21769

In addition to the many excellent suggestions above, check out Colorado College, especially for biology.
Colorado College
The Block Plan ? Biology ? Colorado College

Colorado College is less intense than Reed, but it's not for slackers, either.
It's closer to the West Coast than most of the above alternatives.
The climate is good (sunny, dry, and not nearly as cold as Minnesota).
It's in a city, not out in the boondocks like many LACs, but is close to spectacular wilderness areas. This location, plus the unusual one-course-at-a-time block plan, present excellent opportunities for biology field work.