Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Of the three, Oberlin probably has the strongest science departments. A lot of its students go on to PhD programs.
+1. I have an Obie in a sciences field who is planning to work for a year and get a PhD. Two years of research with a prof. Plus a summer of research. Who is their “mentor” and a co-author on 1-2 papers. A study abroad with a research component specific to their interest. Getting ready to present at a conference. Is working with the school on their personal statement. After the Conservatory, sciences is Oberlin’s strongest area.
That said, my kid also applied to Mac and Kenyon and was accepted, also with merit. Kenyon is lovely, but more remote and stronger in humanities (esp writing and English) than science. I think that’s your third place choice in terms of science pre-PhD.
I loved Mac, which had a lovely, walkable suburban campus and was also strong in my kid’s area of science. But neither my kid, nor their sibling 3 years later, liked the school when they visited. It was very, very white. Sibling also passed on Oberlin.
Mac and Oberlin are schools you need to visit. I will cheerlead Oberlin’s science department. But doing well at Oberlin is really about fit, so I would never insist it’s the best school for your specific kid. You also need to visit Mac. Not sure why it raised such negative feelings in my kids— maybe the lack of diversity after the DMV?
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