University of Minnesota Reviews of Bachelor's in Biology

"CBS has very challenging coursework, but lacks the resources to get students employment. In my large 4000-level classes, only about 1/3 of students had ever been able to volunteer or work in a lab at any point during their time at UMN. The professors emphasize early on that you should leave the college if you are not intending to pursue a graduate degree or professional school involving research. They do not offer any internship programs that grant college credit, and do not invite employers for events on campus (only grad/medical school/NIH post-bacc program reps). Additionally, UMN has politics between college programs that will make it difficult to transfer credits i.e. my foundations of biology course did not count for general biology in the Food Science and Nutrition college. CBS professors are very knowledgeable, but it is very common to get abrasive personalities. Same with advisors; mine generally did not want to meet with students or even answer questions by email. I had professors turn down reference/recommendation requests, and even an academic advisor act as a bad reference that I was fortunate enough to hear about from one of the labs I interviewed at. Class sizes are very large, 100+ students in lectures; I only had one seminar class with <30 students in four years. CBS has major group projects in every biology class alongside regular coursework to promote teamwork. Many CBS students enroll in MCAT/DAT prep classes as well, so the class averages can be very high. Expect to enter general classes at a disadvantage if you have not taken one of these classes. Overall, a very rigorous school that could lead to great research opportunities, but it is rare. Not a good choice for students looking to get work experience in biology or the medical fields."

"This was a great school to attend! Because the school is so large, I had many opportunities to engage in a variety of coursework, clubs, sports, research, etc. This school is great if you are interested in the sciences because they have advanced lab equipment and some of the greatest professors. Many of the professors are doing cutting edge research, and they have in-depth knowledge about new findings that are coming up in the science field. However, the downside of a large school is large class sizes. It was difficult to get to know the professors and other students."

"The University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large institution with multiple different, smaller colleges that ensure you will find your fit. As a graduate from the College of Biological Sciences, I personally had a great experience with the school. I had wonderful counselors who guided me through my entire degree progress. The professors were approachable and genuinely wanted students to understand and succeed. The student help services were always friendly and knowledgable about any questions I had. For those interested in research or graduate schools, there were hundreds of excellent research opportunities."

"The biology college at the University of Minnesota is really good if you are interested in the biological sciences. They have a really unique curriculum. They have great labs and research opportunities. It is definitely a challenging curriculum but you do learn a lot."

"The teachers are willing to help students achieve success in their academic careers. Most TAs I had were graduate students and knowledgeable in there fields of study. Therefore, both the instructors and TAs are very useful if you have questions about your coursework. The school environment is friendly and welcoming."

"UMN definitely educated me well as an undergraduate student. UMN also has tremendous amounts of resources available to help me pursue my career goal (dentistry). I have never encountered one professor who is not willing to spend time with me or write me a reference letter. The entire school, faculties and staffs, definitely put students' interests before other things."

"I really enjoyed my undergraduate courses at the University of Minnesota. The program not only asks you to learn the material, but also apply it. This makes challenging, yet also rewarding. The program is very research/health careers focused, which can cause both positive and negative attitudes while in the program. The faculty and career advisers are incredibly helpful and friendly. They go above and beyond to meet with you and to provide you with help, assistance, or advice. Overall, I have only great things to say about the Biology program at the University of Minnesota."

"Great school in terms of opportunities and level of education. Often quite proactive in student engagement, both good and bad."

"It's a very large campus, but it doesn't feel big after a couple of months. Class sizes are big in the entry level classes so you need to be self motivated to succeed. As you move towards a major there are smaller classes and there are lots of options"

"Great college where the opportunities are astounding. Minneapolis is a great city to live in. Was a bit far from home, but I do not regret going here for school."

"I had a good undergraduate experience. A number of great degree programs, wonderful research opportunities. Vibrant campus."

"The university campus is very overwhelming when you go on tours or go to orientation, but the campus "shrinks" within a couple of months. There are a lot of interesting, historical buildings mixed in with very new and modern which makes it interesting. The University of Minnesota puts a lot into its science and technology programs and, in my opinion, gives students a wide variety of classes. For example, you can choose to take a fast track for entry level biology and take biology 101 and 102 (normally two semesters) as one class, which is helpful for students with a strong background in the subject already or a student who takes a bit longer to choose a major and wants to hurry things along. Classes are very large in the first couple of years and it is very easy to get lost in the crowd so you need to be able to work very independently or seek out help during office hours. Once you have chosen a major and completed the initial required classes the university demonstrates why a bigger school can be very nice. Rather than being forced into a specific track there are many choices to fulfill different requirements so you can choose classes to fit your specific interests and many are much smaller. If you can handle the first couple of years of large classes where you may never speak a single word to any of your professors, there is a lot of great opportunity."

"I love the U of M! It has been a amazing experience. All the people are so nice and willing to help, we have so many resources to get you to where you want to go with your career. We also have student groups everyone can fit into, there are so many and the students are very accepting if others. Additionally, I love our sports teams and going to the games. The U has been a amazing experience overall!"