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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]bTW—top 50 sc ools that produce science PhDs I had bookmarked. 2010, so you might want to search for an updated list. But I bet the top 20 of this list holds up.  It’s where to look if your kid what’s research and not an MD (yes, I know some MDs research...). It’s a mix of school sizes. But some LACs do very well.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/top-50-schools-that-produce-science-phds/[/quote]

Interesting article. Thanks for sharing![/quote]

That’s only half the study.  Here’s what NSF says about that list:

“This finding contrasts sharply with the baccalaureate origins of the absolute number of S&E PhDs. The top 50 known U.S. baccalaureate-origin institutions of 1997–2006 S&E doctorate recipients are almost all research institutions with very high research activity, and more than half are public institutions (table 3). Two (Brigham Young University and College of William and Mary) have high research activity. None are baccalaureate colleges. The top 5 baccalaureate-origin institutions of 1997–2006 S&E doctorate recipients are: University of California Berkeley, Cornell University, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.”

And here’s the list of the actual top 50 undergrad schools wrt the production of STEM PhDs:

https://wayback.archive-it.org/5902/20160210152803/http%3A//www%2Ensf%2Egov/statistics/infbrief/nsf08311/tab3.gif

I think that the first list tells you that certainly you can get there (STEM PhD) from here (LAC BA) and gives you a sense of which LACs are best suited if that’s the path you want to take.  But it doesn’t make the case that LACs are the best place to study if you want to get a STEM PhD.[/quote]

If you look at STEM PHD production on a per capita basis, LACs feature prominently in the top 50.  Schools like UT Austin are of course ranked high in absolute numbers because they have such a large undergraduate enrollment.  Of note for Virginians, William and Mary has been ranked second on a per capita basis to Berkeley among national universities for baccalaureates that get STEM PHDs (and I think first overall for all PHDs).[/quote]

Because most families that can afford 70K yearly tuition can ALSO afford PhD Universities as well. Many many many public state and university students go right to work first after their BS  and then go back to school part time. Why?  They don’t have trust funds. [/quote]

Look, LACs even do well against private research universities if you look at the report.  I don't think income is the issue.  (And a number of public schools like Michigan and UVA have pretty high income levels if you believe the data, but they are not ranked particularly high for STEM PHD production per capita.  They are well behind Berkeley and William & Mary).  Plus, PHDs are typically funded by fellowships and/or working as a teaching or research assistant.   I think the only point people should take away here is that you can certainly prepare yourself to get a STEM PHD after graduating from an LAC.  The data shows that.  This doesn't mean you can't get a STEM PHD after going to a research university (public or private).

For some reason, some have a perception that you have to go to a research university to get a STEM PHD.  That is just false.  I saw someone arguing on another board that you can't go to medical school if you don't go to a university with a medical school and medical center.  This is also ridiculous.  It would mean, among other things, that Princeton is no longer capable of producing future doctors.   [/quote]

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