Small schools with big resources.

College Search & Lists
1

<p>I love the sport of cross-country running but I do not want sports to be a major commitment in college. I was looking at Rice University and was particularly impressed by how many opportunities the bioscience department has for internships and research both on the campus and in the Houston area, but was unsure about competing at an NCAA Division I school. </p>

<p>Are there any NCAA Division III schools that have the science-related research opportunities similar to those available at Rice University?</p>

<p>It seems that most NCAA Division III schools are smaller schools in a rural setting. Does this tend to limit the schools resources?</p>

<p>Are there any NCAA III schools that have partnerships with larger universities that have more resources and offer more research opportunities?</p>

<p>Most poeple would think that one has to be in or near a large city in order to have any significant opportunities for science research. Is this true?</p>

<p>PS: I am looking more for a strong Chemistry/Biochemistry program than I am for a strong Biology or Pre-med program.</p>

2

<p>Caltech is DIII, and the chemistry is great.</p>

3

<p>MIT is Division III, too.</p>

4

<p>WashU, Emory, Case Western, Johns Hopkins, and UChicago.&lt;/p>

<p>Also look at liberal arts schools such as Williams, Amherst, Pomona (and the rest of the Claremont Colleges), etc.</p>

5

<p>Rochester.</p>

6

<p>I second Emory and Wash U. Seems to fit in with your needs very well.l</p>

7

<p>Wesleyan, famously, is a D3 NESCAC college that was chartered with the word “university” as part of its name some 125 years before its first Ph.D program was ever approved. It receives nearly 3x the NSF and NIH dollars that Williams or Amherst receive yearly and is involved in initiatives ranging from bioinformatics to stem cell research. The small number of graduate students (<300) means undergraduate research assistants are in high demand.</p>

8

<p>Colgate maybe?</p>

9

<p>Second Amherst–the consortium adds a lot of opportunities. I’d also look at Dartmouth and Brown, ivy league sports may as well be D3.</p>

10

<p>Emory–part of the UAA conference, very academically focused. The CDC is basically on campus–amazing research opportunities. Emory hospital is also on campus.</p>

11

<p>However, I still strongly suggest that you still apply to Rice (I’m assuming you are a junior). I know a lot of track and field athletes here, and they are able to manage their work and still get good grades. One in fact is a civil engineer major and is doing well. In other words, don’t discount Rice just because it is DI… apply, visit (assuming you get in), and ask the coach a lot of questions.</p>

<p>Rice is an awesome place. Don’t discount it yet. Also, if you have any questions about the academics (I’m also a premed) and the student life here, feel free to contact me.</p>

12

<p>I can’t imagine not continuing to look at schools like Rice for what you want, btw.</p>

13

<p>Colgate is D1, & from the athletes I’ve known at the Ivy’s, athletics there still sound like a job to me…D3 is definitely less of a commitment. I’d look at the Nescacs, as mentioned above like Wesleyan, Midd & Willliams, all with good sciences. Plenty of other D3 LACS that might work as well, like Pomona.</p>

14

<p>Haverford should definitely be on your list. Its one of the very best DIII Track/Cross Country programs (the 1st DIII student to clock under a 4 minute mile was a Haverford student, #8 this past fall, etc.) and top-flight academics, especially in the sciences (only NSF-funded stem cell lab at a LAC, has the only member of the NAS who teaches at a LAC, etc.).</p>

<p>See [Haverford</a> College: Men?s Cross Country](<a href=“http://www.haverford.edu/athletics/crosscountrym/coach.php]Haverford”>http://www.haverford.edu/athletics/crosscountrym/coach.php)</p>

<p>See <a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/14/sports/othersports/14haverford.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/14/sports/othersports/14haverford.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>For academics, see [Haverford</a> College Office of Admission: Admission Videos](<a href=“http://www.haverford.edu/admission/videos/]Haverford”>http://www.haverford.edu/admission/videos/)</p>

<p>See <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/haverford-college/427212-why-haverford-sciences-phenomenal-part-12-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/haverford-college/427212-why-haverford-sciences-phenomenal-part-12-a.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>See [Big</a> Science at a Small College - Science Careers - Biotech, Pharmaceutical, Faculty, Postdoc jobs on Science Careers](<a href=“http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2007_11_30/caredit.a0700171]Big”>http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2007_11_30/caredit.a0700171)</p>

<p>See <a href=“http://www.haverford.edu/admission/files/chronicle_august07.pdf[/url]”>http://www.haverford.edu/admission/files/chronicle_august07.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

15

<p>didnt grinnell have a giant endowment?</p>

16

<p>Bowdoin College</p>

17

<p>Some big schools will allow you to train but not compete.</p>

18

<p>Investigate Case Western. I think it sounds like a good fit for you.</p>

19

<p>I second Grinnell. Huge endowment which means state of the art science (and other) facilities and lots of money for student research, no intro class to anything larger than 25 students, no TAs, accessible and outstanding faculty, especially in the sciences, and Div III sports. If you are okay with rural, the unpretentious, hard-working and fun-loving culture is worth checking out.</p>