How do you know if your child would be competitive at top schools?

MyrtleD
Mon, 24 Apr 2017 03:06:38 +0000

Right now he’s interested in biotechnology, biochemistry, biophysics, bioengineering - but he realizes that the most specialized of this research would wait until graduate school. So he’s looking at programs that have a biochemistry major, which is a long list, as well as some, like Carnegie Mellon and U Chicago, that have the bioengineering part, too. He is also thinking about a music minor or even a dual major with music. Both of these schools would accommodate that, as would U of Rochester (though I don’t know how much overlap Eastman school of music has with the University), and likely many others. He desires a school where he would have the opportunity to work in a professor’s lab early on, and not have to compete with tons of graduate students. Harvey Mudd requires everyone to do research all through college, which sounds awesome. He could get more of the humanities/arts at the neighboring colleges associated with it. Getting in is difficult, of course. He also likes the sound of Reed, as it is very intellectual, the professors show interest in the students, a huge percentage of graduates go on to graduate school, and he would get both the sciences and the liberal arts… So many factors to think about. He is a well rounded kid who has social skills and a sharp intellect. He listens to college level philosophy lectures for fun, reads voraciously (he’s reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance right now), and really wants to find a place where he can have meaningful conversations with lots of thoughtful peers from all kinds of disciplines preferably in a location of natural beauty where he can mountain bike, kayak, and cross country ski. (sounds like heaven to me, too). Luckily he has plenty of time to hone his choices, visit schools, and assess his priorities. He’s figured out his schedule, including summer courses, so that he will have 3 years of a language as well as 3 years of history/social studies by the time he graduates from high school. He really won’t budge on his math and science heavy schedule for his junior year, though. I know lots of folks are cautioning against that, saying that it doesn’t look rigorous enough, but come on, there’s a reason most kids don’t double up on AP math and science classes, right? However this turns out for him, it will definitely be an adventure.