Suggestions for Best Colleges for a Linguistics Major?

Hey! Junior here having a crisis, lol. But seriously, I'm hoping to major in Linguistics, and I'm currently on the search for schools. My school counselor gave me some suggestions, but I wanted to seek some input here too. Based on your experience or research, which colleges would you recommend for a Linguistics major? Thanks for the help!

Hi there! It's great that you're proactive about finding the best colleges for your intended major. Here's a list of some excellent institutions, in no particular order, for studying Linguistics according to research and ranking:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): MIT's linguistics program is world-renowned, with faculty who are leaders in the field. The program emphasizes theoretical linguistics and encourages interdisciplinary studies.

2. Stanford University: Linguistics at Stanford offers a robust and broad study of the field and has a particular strength in the area of computational linguistics.

3. University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley): UC Berkeley has a historic linguistics department dating back to 1901 with heavy emphasis on fieldwork and language documentation.

4. Harvard University: Harvard has a dynamic undergraduate Linguistics program with a rich range of courses and interdisciplinary study options.

5. Yale University: Yale's Linguistics department fosters a broad understanding of numerous languages and the nature of language itself. There's also an opportunity for undergraduates to actively participate in research.

6. University of Chicago (UChicago): UChicago excels in the theoretical aspects of Linguistics and offers a variety of courses covering major areas in the field.

7. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA): The department at UCLA is known for its focus on empirical and in-depth linguistic analysis and fieldwork, with strong ties to Anthropology and Psychology.

Remember, it's also important to consider factors such as school size, geographic location, culture, financial aid, and other academic offerings when deciding on schools. It's essential to have a balanced list of reach, target and safety schools. Always make sure that even your safety schools are places you'd be happy to attend.

You should also visit the linguistics department website of any school you're considering - look for faculty members with interests that align with yours, read up on current research and projects, and check if there are active student organizations related to linguistics.

Hope this helps! Good luck with your college search.