Hello! I’m a junior, just started my college search. I’m interested in small liberal arts colleges with strong science programs. It’s important for me that a potential school offers research opportunities or internships.I also hope to continue playing the violin. I am hoping to major in either math, physics, or neuroscience. Less important is the location, but I’d prefer snowy winters. The colleges that have stood out to me so far are Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore, Hamilton, and Harvey Mudd. Any ideas on which match the criteria I’ve listed? I can provide more information if necessary.
Your stats and financial situation would be helpful.
At this point I’m not really looking at my chances. I’m just trying to get a feel for which places would fit the most with my interests. As such, I’m trying to make this about my interests as opposed to my stats. I’ve looked at admission requirements and average scores of people who were accepted, and I fit the bill for all of these.
Also, part of the reason for my post is that I want to see if the information that I’ve found from digging around on the internet matches with the actual reputations of the schools. So I posed my question without regard to stats or admission chances.
No snowy winters at Harvey Mudd! But I bet you knew that.
As for your other questions, you should be able to find that information on their websites; just search majors, internships, research opportunities, music.
It is very likely that all those schools have the criteria you mention.
Colleges such as Hamilton and Amherst, as well as the more specialized Harvey Mudd, support strong (and well-enrolled) math programs that, beyond their role as academic destinations for certain students, serve also, in principle, to inform these schools’ natural science departments. Regarding the sciences and scientific research specifically, all five of your listed colleges appear among the narrowly limited group that have produced Apker Award recipients (for undergraduate research in physics).
Hamilton, especially, offers real winter snow suitable for the adventurous.
In terms of your expressed criteria, your current choices would, regarded collectively, represent some of the country’s strongest options.
Thank you! I appreciate the helpful information.
Check out Carleton. Better for snowy winters than Mudd or Swarthmore. Maybe a bit better for some STEM fields than Amherst or Hamilton. Grinnell and Reed might also be worth a look.
Of the schools mentioned in this thread, Hamilton, Harvey Mudd, Carleton, Grinnell and Reed appear in a Princeton Review sampling, “Great Schools for Mathematics Majors,” should this be of interest to you.
Trinity University TX
Bowdoin is known for their neuroscience major
If you’re female, Wellesley is also known for their neuroscience major & Bryn Mawr in general is a great small LAC
TCNJ is also a great LAC, it is public tho
Thanks to everybody for taking the time to answer!
Given your criteria (strong in sciences, research opportunities, internships and snowy winters), I’d recommend Grinnell. We recently visited many top LACs with my son and Grinnell stood out for providing incredible research and internship opportunities. For unpaid internships, the college will pay you. Check out “Mentored Advanced Projects” or MAPs on their website. Plus they are excellent in the sciences.
One of my seniors entering Carleton College told me their mathematics major is not as preeminent as it’s heard. But it’s really a good option for you cause the snowy days last from December to April next year, and it’s really cold there.
Note that annual snowfall and temperature may be significantly divergent (i.e., colder locations may be less snowy) when compared across some of your potential options:
Average Annual Snowfall (inches)
Hamilton: 88.3
Williams: 72.4
Carleton: 42.6
Grinnell: 30
Average January Low Temperature (F)
Carleton: 4.1
Grinnell: 10
Hamilton: 12.7
Williams: 13.6
(Sperling’s.)
I would recommend adding a few less selective schools to your list. A few you might consider are Lafayette, Franklin & Marshall, Union and Bucknell. (For full disclosure my D went to Lafayette and loved it.)
If you’re female, Smith is very strong in STEM and also has a good music department.