Goal: Audiologist, which will require 3-4 years after her undergrad, depending on the program
Kid#2 can major in a communication disorders program, or another major as long as there’s strong science/math. Currently taking 4 AP classes: US history, US Gov/politics, chemistry, Language & composition. EC: figure skating, dance team, school musicals, works part time job 15-18 hours weekly. Prefers midwest region, small liberal arts college with nurturing environment that embraces creativity, learning for the sake of learning and not “grades” as the end game, prefers “colleges that change lives” vibe, looking for more of a down to earth environment, prefers to avoid “elite” schools. Looking for schools that meets need 90%+, rigorous but not cut throat competitive, current GPA 3.78 W/ 3.49 UW , estimates 1st quarter to come in around 4.3 weighted. Waiting to learn results of PSAT. Obviously, as the year progresses we will refine, looking for list ideas for visits.
List so far: College of Wooster, Knox, Beloit, Lawrence, Kalamazoo, St.Olaf and wondering about Carleton, Grinnell. Not sure how to know which college are strong in chemistry and research.
These are some tables on STEM metrics for liberal arts colleges (LACs). Skimming these can help you find those LACs that are particularly strong in Chemistry.
National Science Graduate student fellowship awardees from small LACs http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19554928/#Comment_19554928
Scrolling down this list will give you an idea of the LACs with especially good Chemistry programs with strong support for undergrad research. It would be hard to get this award without having done research as an undergrad.
Among the LACs, Furman University’s Chemistry Dept is very well-known, btw. Definitely add that to your list.
BTW, this is just LACs since you listed LACs. Obviously, most research universities will have larger Chemistry departments, being much larger schools and all with graduate students.
Some of the CTCL schools (such as the ones you mention) may meet 90% or more of demonstrated need, on average. Most “elite” schools (including Carleton) claim to meet 100%. Run the online net price calculator for each school that interests you. Also check merit award policies and statistics. Kiplinger’s can help you identify other good possibilities, if you then follow up with the NPCs. http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-private-colleges/index.php?table=lib_arts
It’s very hard to assess individual department strengths without carefully reviewing course offerings, faculty bios, and (to the extent possible) student outcomes. PhD production data (available on the NSF/WebCASPAR site and summarized elsewhere) probably is the best available academic outcome data. However, it’s hard to know whether high numbers of alumni-earned PhDs per capita really do tell us much about department strength, or if they simply telegraph the interests and abilities of enrolled students. I’m inclined to believe that high numbers probably do indicate a strong department, but low numbers don’t necessarily indicate a weak one.
If your D is interested in audiology, would physics or linguistics possibly be a more appropriate major than chemistry? At any rate, most selective LACs have decent pre-med programs, which (I would think) cover most of the STEM preparation she’d need for graduate study in a field like audiology. However, few will have strong linguistics programs that include courses (let alone strong research activity) in acoustic phonetics.
I would look at the ASHA ( American Speech Language and Hearing Association) website and check out the doctoral Aud programs. See what the prerequisites are for entrance into the programs and try and major in something that will fulfill most of those prerequisites- chemistry or biology might do that. Then, you will have fewer prerequisites to take upon entrance into the program.
If you attend a school with an undergraduate major in communication disorders, this won’t be an issue. You will have all of the necessary classes for entrance into an Aud program. If you don’t… You will have some prerequisites to take either before you officially begin an Aud program, or when you begin. These prerequisites will be very specific to the field ( intro speech and hearing classes, phonetics, etc).
@liska21 wildly excited by those links! Thank you! @tk21769 We’ve discussed the premed programs as an option, currently she just gets so much joy out of chemistry, that I’m inclined to advise her to follow her joy. Kid#2 is 16, and I think if given more time to explore, perhaps there may be other paths than audiology, but good point regarding linguistics program. @twogirls We started looking at the list provided by ASHA, and first visit was to a large university in our state that had an Audiology open house. It was all college grads, and my high school sophomore. That’s where we learned the major didn’t have to be communication science disorders, as long as the prereqs where met. In fact, it sounded as if having a unique background, with research experience was more important than the communication science disorder major. We trying to balance the strong desire to be at a small LAC that’s not ivy/little ivy, maximizing financial aid because we know huge loans will be incurred after undergrad, while meeting requirements for audiology admission and allowing for some joy of chemistry. Thank you all for your most generous help!
If she is still sure of her path, then I don’t think it’s necessary for her to take all of the classes a bio or chem major would take. At University of Pittsburgh for example, she could complete 60 required credits of gen eds, then finish a BA of communication science (two more years), then grad school (Audiology, Speech Pathology, or other).
@mommdc Many (not all) of the communication science schools are large universities. Kid#2 is looking for a smaller LAC environment for undergrad. We’re located in a state with 3 public university options for communication science.
If she is willing to look other than Midwest, I second the advice that she look at Furman given all her interests. Nationally recognized Chemistry department and Furman was one of only 3 schools nationally to win the Council on Undergraduate Research 2016 Campus-wide Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishment in 2016. It also has been recognized as a Top 5 School for making an impact by Princeton Review. Merit aid has been on the upswing as well.