<p>I’m helping a friend find the school that fits her best. Would love your help.</p>
<p>Parameters:</p>
<p>Student is top 5% but first round SATs 1800 (not a great test taker).</p>
<p>Near a great city or campus adjacent to a nice Town with music, museums, venue(s) for shows.</p>
<p>Neuroscience and communications programs.</p>
<p>Small enough so that intro Bio, Chem, Physics type classes will NOT be giant lecture halls.</p>
<p>Approx. 6 hour driving radius from Syracuse. </p>
<p>Merit money will heavily affect decision.</p>
<p>SUNY Geneseo too close to home but will be on the list; Bing off - surrounding town not what she is looking for.</p>
<p>We have so far,</p>
<p>Cornell
Columbia
Barnard
Northeastern
Tufts (but probably too expensive even to apply? which seems sad because it seems like she’s a great academic/social fit for Tufts…)
Stonehill
Clark</p>
<p>Need some more ideas. Thanks in advance for your help!</p>
<p>Hope the student will retake the SAT or try the ACT, though. An 1800 SAT will make admission unlikely at Rochester (let alone Tufts, Cornell, Columbia).</p>
<p>A school my family likes very much is Muhlenberg, though the SAT scores might make merit aid unlikely there (it’s SAT optional but I believe merit aid seekers must submit SAT/ACT scores). It’s quite strong in the sciences and in a nice neighborhood in Allentown, PA - not in a city, though. They accept a substantial number of students ED.</p>
<p>University of Pittsburgh is strong in sciences and in a terrific city but the intro classes would be large.</p>
<p>realistically, with those test scores and no hook, the Ivies & Tufts are probably not worth the app fee. Merit money will depend a LOT on test scores, which will need to be higher to obtain the big bucks.</p>
<p>Not to ask a dumb question, but what about 'Cuse? It has Comm and plenty of sciences.</p>
<p>The ONLY colleges that have small intro science classes are LACs and you are unlikely to find neuro in most of them. (Neuro is typically a grad program, but several Unis do offer it to undergrad, as well as one LAC I know of, Colgate, which will also require higher test scores if your need finaid.)</p>
<p>Try the ACT which may work better for someone who is “not a good test taker.”</p>
<p>Pitt, hands down, has one of the best [undergrad</a> neuroscience departments<a href=“not%20just%20a%20program,%20a%20self-standing%20department”>/url</a> in the world. It is certainly one of the largest and oldest.</p>
<p>And neuroscience is no longer just an grad program. Hasn’t been for some time. Many, many universities and colleges offer a undergrad degree program in neuroscience (it is a fashionable trend). Few have a stand alone department though with dedicated faculty and curriculum.</p>
<p>Neuroscience is a research discipline, even at the undergrad level. So you want to examine places that have a plethora of accessible undergrad research opportunities in the neurosciences. LACs are not necessarily the best way to go in neuroscience, because by their nature, they cannot offer the most robust variety and experience in year-round high-end undergrad research opportunities, that hopefully, will ultimately result in some sort of authorship. Nor can they typically offer the same volume and variety of neuroscience courses.</p>
<p>In examining where to attend a college for neuroscience, even at the undergrad level, it is advisable to [url=<a href=“http://cnup.neurobio.pitt.edu/people/faculty.aspx?by=x1]examine”>http://cnup.neurobio.pitt.edu/people/faculty.aspx?by=x1]examine</a> the faculty](<a href=“http://www.neuroscience.pitt.edu/]undergrad”>http://www.neuroscience.pitt.edu/) at the program, and whether their research interests seem like a fit for what the student’s general interests are. Many LACs simply offer a “neuro” track through existing psychology or biology departments, and don’t necessarily have faculty actually doing much (or any) neuroscience work, or even publishing regularly (which obviously diminishes the chance a student will). All factors must be weighed in a college choice: location, size, cost…but if a student is interested in a research discipline, taking into account undergrad research opportunities should also factor.</p>
<p>Regarding Pitt specifically, the school is know to give generous amounts of merit awards (typically above 1400 CR+M SAT), specifically likes out-of-state students, and is across the street from the city’s major natural history and arts museums, as well as its botanical gardens, all of which are free to its students (see [Pitt</a> Arts](<a href=“PITT ARTS | Student Affairs”>http://www.pittarts.pitt.edu/)). Intro bio/chem classes will be large (100-200), but the classes will get smaller once you get further along into the neuroscience major.</p>