Reply to Should LACs no longer be considered the model of excellence?

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[quote=Anonymous]From the NSF study cited above:  "Public universities with very high research activity are prominent in the baccalaureate training of U.S. S&E doctorate recipients, as reflected in the ranked list of U.S. baccalaureate-origin institutions (table 2). Of the top 20 U.S. baccalaureate-origin institutions for 2002–11 S&E doctorate recipients, 19 are research universities with very high research activity, including 15 public institutions. Of the top 50 U.S. baccalaureate-origin institutions for 2002–11 S&E doctorate recipients, approximately two-thirds are public institutions, and only 1, Brigham Young University, is not a research university with very high research activity."

Once you get away from magical thinking (the odds of my kid turning into a PhD double if I send her to a LAC!), you realize that, IRL, percentages are kind of meaningless to your kid.  While they indicate that you certainly can get here (PhD) from there (LAC), they ignore crucial aspects of the undergraduate experience -- size of cohort with the same interests/ambitions, range of course offerings, number of faculty, variety of types of research being conducted.  In absolute terms, a major research university in the top 50 on the NSF list will be sending a couple hundred undergrads a year on to science and engineering PhDs whereas a top PhD producing LAC will send a few dozen.  And, of course, the kids at major research universities work in labs with grad as well as undergrad students and with researchers who aren't teaching faculty.  So it's a much larger and more diverse ecosystem.

Whether your DC ends up pursuing a PhD will depend on personality, interests, and opportunities.  Don't start with a categorical choice (LACs vs major research universities) -- look at specific schools with good programs in DC's areas of interest and have DC consider the pros and cons of each school.  It's also worth noting that a number of LACs have 3-2 programs with major research universities and that there are summer programs (some government-funded, some school-sponsored) that host undergrads from different colleges.[/quote]

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