Chemical Forums
Specialty Chemistry Forums => Chemical Education and Careers => Topic started by: Think2Much4UserNames on July 19, 2008, 10:15:05 AM
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As you can see in my topic and my signature, I am desperate to find some universities with a good chemistry program for undergrads in Canada and the U.S.(just pure chemistry, and maybe a minor of material science). I tried looking up for world university ranks by subjects, but the rankings all ended up pretty general and are limited to natural science and just science. So basically, I can't find any good recommendations or advises on universities with good chemistry teaching programs for undergrads. :-\
Can anyone please recommend me some universities with a good chemistry program for me to apply for?
People recommended me to UCLA/UC Berkeley, UBC, UToronto before, but I'm still not sure if these universities are really suitable to my interests in pure chemistry because different universities have their own strong subjects, right? Any recommendations will be appreciated, thanks! ;)
Actually, I planned to apply for universities with an environmental chemistry undergrad program and a Master's degree in another universities on that later on, but this field is not commonly taught as a 4 year program in many universities and I plan to take pure chemistry just in case I change my interests on environmental studies with chemistry to something else that has to deal with chemistry. Taking pure chemistry will lead me to many options to a job and a Master's degree later on after my future 4 years (even for environmental chemistry) in university, that's what I think. Please tell me if you guys have any advises on that too, thanks again once more! :D
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If you have an interest in Environmental Chemistry, apply to a school with at least on professor (preferably two or more) doing Environmental Chemistry. It does not have to be an Environmental Chemistry program. However, this would allow you to do undergraduate research to see if you like it.
Once you have found a school with professors doing Environmental Chemistry. Apply to them all. If there is not one professor whose research interests you the most, go to the school that will cost you the least/pay you the most (scholar ships, if those professors pay undergrads, etc).
Rankings for Chemistry programs are great, but if there is nobody doing research in the area you are interested in, does it matter that much?
Going to a big major top 10 fancy school for undergraduate is all well and good, but it really means nothing if you go further in your educational career.
I chose to go to a school where I am not really doing the research I am interested in. And while I am learning a lot and really enjoying what I am doing, I would much prefer to be doing the research I want. But I chose where I am for financial reasons with various collaborators in the area, for monetary reasons. How much money I am making to attend graduate school really should be considered a crime!
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Rankings for Chemistry programs are great, but if there is nobody doing research in the area you are interested in, does it matter that much?
Going to a big major top 10 fancy school for undergraduate is all well and good, but it really means nothing if you go further in your educational career.
I chose to go to a school where I am not really doing the research I am interested in. And while I am learning a lot and really enjoying what I am doing, I would much prefer to be doing the research I want. But I chose where I am for financial reasons with various collaborators in the area, for monetary reasons. How much money I am making to attend graduate school really should be considered a crime!
First of all, I appreciate your advises. They really mean a lot to me because I'm still experiencing life through high school and still inexperienced in many ways.
The area I am interested in, which is environmental chemistry means my dream job to me in the future...for now. I read and watched videos about it, I found out that I like it a lot about what environment chemists do. And thanks for the advise, I would prefer a university with one or more than one professors doing that field of research. While I do undergrad research on environmental chemistry, I'll continue to widen my exposure area of other subjects. The undergrad program doesn't mean your future job will relate to that program, I know a few people studied science through university but ended up to be accountants in their jobs.
Going to a top 10 fancy university isn't my goal at all. I choose universities because of their campus life, environment, and if they provide a good chemistry program. And of course, I'll take your advise of applying to a university that has a professor (or more than one) doing the field I'm interested in. I won't let the university means nothing to me as I go further to my career.
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Any High Research Activity (RU/H) university will have an excellent chemistry program.
http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/classifications/index.asp?key=63&search_flag=true&ref=784&start=784&BASIC2005=16&submit.x=43&submit.y=9