<p>I checked on the Macalester website, and while they call it a major, the actual course requirements primarily come from other departments, so it is an interdisciplinary program, just as it is at Grinnell. I’d be shocked if a graduate school didn’t accept you because it appeared on your transcript as a “concentration” rather than a “major.” While I know nothing about neuroscience, I’d hazard a guess that many students apply for graduate neuroscience with degrees in other sciences anyway. Undergrad is for learning foundational skills in science, and graduate school is for specialization.</p>
<p>Mac is a wonderful school, too, but if you’re leaning towards Grinnell anyway, I wouldn’t worry about this distinction, because you will get a fabulous education, with opportunities for research (did you see the Neuroscience journal Grinnell publishes?), the resources of a brand new science facility. BTW, the facility was built with the intention of encouraging inter-disciplinary work among the sciences, which seems to be important for neurosciences.</p>
<p>fwiw, my own son picked Grinnell even though it had a concentration, not a major, in something he’s very interested in. He decided based on fit, and knowing there were so many things he wants to study that there would be plenty to keep him engaged.</p>