Reply to References on this board to colleges that focus on "Undergraduate" programs. Versus what?

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Reply to "References on this board to colleges that focus on "Undergraduate" programs. Versus what?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP back.  Thank you all for the thoughtful replies, I feel so much better educated (pun intended) now.

Follow up qs:

Does it matter whether the undergraduate student is intending to focus on a research path that is not a typical area of research?  So would need to be at a research university but sounds like there may not be an opportunity to have meaningful research undergrad if there are grad students above?  Is this something that can be explored during the admissions process?

To the Harvard/Hopkins PP, does it matter if the ultimate goal is to be a prof?  Are there greater considerations like reputation instead of undergraduate vs. graduate focus?[/quote]

Re your first question.  It’s department- and school-specific (and often even lab-specific).  So if DC has a particular area of interest, do look at the department's web page and see what kinds of research faculty are doing.  Then have DC ask about undergrad involvement in labs.  See what senior thesis topics look like, whether there’s a research hospital near campus (if DC’s interests are biomed related), look at internship opportunities, etc.  That’ll give DC a sense of the range of opportunities.  Remember that not all research opportunities are on campus.  NSF often/typically(?) requires grantees to create undergrad research opportunities and some of those take the form of summer programs that prioritize kids whose colleges can’t offer the same resources.

RE the second question, I am that PP (and also the parent of an undergrad who is an aspiring STEM prof).  First thing to know is that an academically-inclined kid who stands out as an undergrad can get into an excellent PhD program regardless of whether s/he went to a LAC or a major research university.  The best approach is to choose the school that will inspire/motivate/bring out the best in your DC.  Personality and learning style come into play here.  I loved the excitement of being an undergrad in a place where cutting edge work was being done and the prize was expanding rather than just transmitting what we know.  Competition neither motivated nor alienated me, so that was a non-issue.  For my DC, a school/department with a collaborative ethos was really important.  I’ve known other people for whom a one-on-one relationship with an individual faculty member/mentor was crucial.  Some undergrads love having grad students in the mix (both my DC and I fell in this camp).  Others see them as competition (for attention, resources).

Talking with undergrads in the same field (after some introspection on when DC has the best learning experiences) is probably the most effective way of finding a match.[/quote]

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