<p>Hi. I am a junior planning on where I want to start applying. I want to major in biological sciences and minor in finance or vice versa. What schools are the best for both these majors.</p>
<p>Some schools I am looking at include:</p>
<p>Harvard
Stanford University
Johns Hopkins
University of Pennsylvania
Rice University
Washington University
Northwestern
UC Berkeley
Duke University
University of Texas at Austin
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor</p>
<p>THX :)))</p>
<p>What is the point of this thread? All those are fine for your major and since you posted in the rice forums the answers on this thread will most likely be biased towards Rice…</p>
<p>Honestly, every single one of the schools you chose are stellar institutions that offer strong programs in almost all fields of study. I know that many people (myself included) like to go to the TOP schools in the top majors, but at a certain point every school begins to field strong programs, and it comes down to fit rather than academic offerings.</p>
<p>What I did was actually look up research that certain professors from certain schools did in the field I was interested in. I can’t speak for bioengineering, but I know I looked up research papers pertaining to poli-sci (even if it was a stretch) and traced the researchers back to certain institutions. I think (don’t know yet, haven’t gone to college) that this would be a far more efficient way to test the waters of the teaching at each college as these research professors often have significant influence at the respective university.</p>
<p>I’d also look at the social environment. College is about education, but it’s also about life experience. Some of your schools have varying social scenes, and you don’t want to go to a strong academic institution but hate actually living there.</p>
<p>I would strongly advise against choosing a school specifically for the program you want in your major, unless you’re 100% certain that’s what you want to do. As the poster above said, all top schools will have relatively strong programs in x major, and choosing one over the other just for minute differences might not work out in your favor. If you fall in love with another subject area but have wound up at a school that isn’t a good fit for you, you won’t be happy.</p>
<p>The list of schools you have run the gamut in terms of class size, academic atmosphere, social life, urban/rural, etc. I think you really need to sit down and think about exactly what you want, and then go from there.</p>
<p>Choosing a college is a lot less about academics than you might think, once you break into the top level of schools.</p>
<p>Thanks alot for the responses :)</p>