We all know what chemistry is, we all take it in high school, and it’s not a major that needs a lot of explanation. But college-level chemistry is a very different animal than what you took as a high school student. The best undergraduate chemistry programs in America train scientific powerhouses who go on to make major breakthroughs, lead large companies, and guide our society toward a better future.
It nearly always makes sense to go to the best school you can get into for whatever it is that you want to study, but if you want to study Chemistry in college it’s crucial to work hard in high school so that you can attend the most prestigious school possible. Where you get your degree, and what research opportunities are open to you as an undergraduate, will directly influence the research positions and job opportunities you have after school. There are only a handful of majors where this is true, so keep it in mind as you consider where to go.
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) — Cambridge, Massachusetts
The MIT chemistry major is a powerhouse in the field. Students can pursue Chemistry, Chemistry & Biology, which is ideal for students interested in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, or the “ChemFlex Option.” The ChemFlex Option is a major in the chemistry program designed for students who want to go into an allied field where knowledge of chemistry is critical — but that isn’t chemistry (like scientific consulting). Example ChemFlex programs include “ChemFlex with Focus in Energy” and “ChemFlex with Focus in Materials Chemistry.”
California Institute of Technology (CalTech) — Pasadena, California
CalTech is a hyper-focused small school that is all science all the time, and they’re one of the best at it. The entire undergraduate student body is only 1,000 students, but don’t let the small size fool you. Every student in the Chemistry major tailors their course of study to fit their needs, making it an extremely individualized program. Interdisciplinary work is supported in fields like geochemistry and environmental chemistry, and CalTech encourages double majors.
Stanford University — Stanford, California
Chemistry was one of the founding departments at Stanford when the university was created, and it continues to be a ground-breaking program globally. Home of Nobel Prize winning faculty and astonishingly smart students, the Chemistry major is housed in the School of Humanities and Sciences. Undergraduates can apply for the Summer Research Fellowship in Chemistry, a 10-week intensive guided by a mentor from the department who guides them through a major research endeavor.
Harvard University — Cambridge, Massachusetts
The chemistry program at Harvard works to “design technologies for a more sustainable and healthy world.” Groundbreaking research is happening on things as wild as how to make oxygen injectable in the 200,000 square foot chemistry complex, and there are four Nobel Prize Laureates on faculty. Students majoring in Chemistry can stick to their first love, or take on one of the concentrations “Chemistry & Physics” or “Chemical & Physical Biology.”
Princeton University — Princeton, New Jersey
At Princeton, small class sizes, senior thesis projects, and a curriculum that is tailored to each student’s individual goals for their careers combine to create an exceptional Chemistry major. The chemistry research facility at Princeton includes groundbreaking equipment including for crystallography and ultrafast laser spectroscopy. Students can apply for Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships, with many other summer research opportunities.
University of Chicago — Chicago, Illinois
Chemistry is massively popular at the University of Chicago, and almost 40% of students at the university take at least one year of chemistry. As a student, you can choose a major in chemistry or biological chemistry, and juniors and seniors have access to apply to the University of Edinburgh Chemistry Exchange Program, which combines a summer research program and a fall semester in Scotland.
Cornell University — Ithaca, New York
Cornell offers a flexible chemistry major organized around sub-disciplines of Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Physical Chemistry. Students go on to graduate school, medical school, research, and the workforce, but there is also a lot of support for students who want to go into teaching. Chemistry majors have the choice of an education minor to support them in training the next generation of scientists.
Columbia University — New York, New York
The chemistry curriculum at Columbia isn’t surprising, but it is what else students undertake that truly makes Columbia stand out. Chemistry majors at Columbia also undertake the Columbia CORE, one of the most intensive and rigorous core curriculums in the game. Columbia offers a classical education, and the research opportunities at Columbia also fall into the classic fields (like organic, inorganic, and physical). Students in the major find community through The Chandler Society for Undergraduate Chemistry, an undergraduate club with passionate membership.
Yale University — New Haven, Connecticut
Yale offers a traditional chemistry education that’s tough, intensive, and classical. In addition to many straight chemistry labs, there are three interdisciplinary research labs that Chemistry majors can take advantage of: The Yale Energy Sciences Institute, Yale Institute of Biomolecular Design and Discovery, and the Yale Microbial Sciences Institute. To support this research, Yale has its own glass shop which makes custom equipment for anything researchers can dream up.
Northwestern University — Evanston, Illinois
Over 90% of the undergraduate chemistry majors at Northwestern continue on to medical school or graduate school. Students can opt for concentrations in biochemistry, environmental chemistry, Materials/nanotechnology, and more. Ground-breaking research is happening in the world-class Integrated Molecular Structure Education and Research Center, and chemistry is also available as a second major for Integrated Science Program (ISP) students, which is a holistic scientific education across many fields.
If you decide to major in chemistry as an undergraduate, you most likely see yourself pursuing education after your first four years of college — either formally in graduate or medical school or more informally as a researcher. As you decide on your top choice college, keep in mind what educational path you see for yourself in the future. Picking a school that can get you there smoothly can make all the difference.
If you need help identifying your dream school, send us an email. We help students like you find, and get into, their perfect fit.