Chance/match Asian female (Bay Area) into Cognitive Science! [3.93, 1500]

As lkg4answers noted, it would be helpful to elaborate on which aspects of CogSci interest you most. For example…

  • UCLA has a CS+Linguistics major in Letters & Science that might appeal if those areas are of greater interest than the bio/neuroscience/psych side.

  • Occidental’s CogSci major is more psych-heavy

  • For CS-heavy programs, look at the CogSci majors Carnegie Mellon and RPI, as well as the Khoury joint majors at Northeastern: (CS or Data Science) + (Behavioral Neuroscience, Cognitive Psychology, or Linguistics). Penn has gotten rid of the Computer & Cognitive Science major in the engineering school, but has a CogSci concentration within CSCI in addition to the CAS BA in CogSci.

  • Pomona’s CogSci major lives in a joint CogSci & Linguistics department, so it’s strong on the Linguistics side but also well-rounded, with its own CogSci core in addition to strong offerings in CS, psych, neuroscience, philosophy, and even Human-Centered Design (via Harvey Mudd classes). Scripps, Pitzer, and CMC students can also declare the Pomona CogSci major. (Of these Scripps and CMC have more merit opportunities than Pitzer, if that matters - Pomona gives no merit at all.)

  • USC has multiple tracks within CogSci - emphasis in Psychology, Language, Philosophy, or CS - so there’s a lot of flexibility there, and great music opportunities for nonmajors, too.

  • Vassar has a strong and well-rounded CogSci department.

  • URochester’s Brain & Cognitive Sciences major could be worth a look; their flexible curriculum lends itself to interdisciplinary pursuits, and it could be a terrific place for you musically.

  • Another West Coast option (with fairly predictable admissions, and you seem very well qualified) would be UBC in Vancouver About Cognitive Systems | Cognitive Systems Program

  • UC-wise, UCSD’s CogSci program is the most robust, with multiple tracks and tons of research activity. Make sure you consider which residential college has the distribution requirements that you like the best - don’t do this as an afterthought when you’re done with the application. http://compare.ucsd.edu/

Good luck - I think it’s likely that you’ll have good options in the UC system, and if you add more CA privates and maybe UBC, I don’t see a reason that you’d have to leave the west coast; but there might be a few east coast programs that could entice you to do so.

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