Best Physics programs?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>These are my stats. i want a challenging yet rewarding college experience. what are the top schools i can get into with these stats? i want to major in physics with maybe a minor in engineering.
4.0 GPA
Ranked 1 out of 499
All AP classes senior year
ACT Composite 30
-Math 35
-English 32
-Reading 23
-Science 30
-Writing 8</p>

<p>EC's
Orchestra
Jazz band
debate team
newspaper reporter
musician's club
GCE: Ambassador to exchange students
play in a local indie rock band
pep club
work at local grocery store 15 hrs/wk
community service: playing free music concerts within community</p>

<p>awards
invited to and attended Boys State
best features story on newspaper staff (conference/regional)
illinois state scholar
annual school scholar program</p>

<p>i thought my essay was pretty good and so did my english teacher. it was about a foreign exchange student who i became great friends with, and i talked about how he opened my mind to other cultures and taught me lessons about appreciating people with different backgrounds.</p>

2

<p>Wash U is my top choice right now. I applied ED</p>

3

<p>Though ACT is a little low, you have a possible chance at UChicago and good chance at UIUC, both with nationally high ranked physics programs. Another nearby is Rose-Hulman. Also consider UWisconsin and UMich. Long shots would be Yale and UPenn, both of which you can apply to with only ACT without SAT subject tests. I am guessing come mid-December none of them will mean anything.</p>

4

<p>See my post on your other thread…</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1251965-good-physics-school-matches-these-stats.html?highlight=physics+wash[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1251965-good-physics-school-matches-these-stats.html?highlight=physics+wash&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

5

<p>I know two people from Wash U’ s physics program - one graduated and one is still there - both very happy.</p>

6

<p>What is it that you liked most about Wash U? It is not a school that is particularly well known for physics, so it sounds like you have some other important criteria.</p>

<p>Although they aren’t undergraduate rankings, you can get a sense of the schools with the best physics departments from the graduate rankings:</p>

<p>[Best</a> Physics Programs | Top Physics Schools | US News Best Graduate Schools](<a href=“http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/physics-rankings]Best”>http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/physics-rankings)</p>

<p>[Physics</a> Rankings — PhDs.org Graduate School Guide](<a href=“http://graduate-school.phds.org/rankings/physics]Physics”>http://graduate-school.phds.org/rankings/physics)</p>

7

<p>UIUC would be an obvious choice for an Illinois resident. Minnesota and Stony Brook would be worth a look as lower cost for OOS than most OOS publics.</p>

8

<p>U of Colorado, Boulder</p>

<p>More for astrophysics and space engineering</p>

9

<p>I think what i like about wash u is that it is in st louis, which is the city that i would prefer to go to school in, and im sure i would be surrounded by many other people who really liked and cared about what they would be studying</p>

10

<p>If you’re hoping to stay near Illinois, I agree that UIUC is a great option. You could also look at Northwestern and Chicago, but those would probably be reaches for you.</p>

11

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<p>You’ll likely find that at many schools as a physics major, since that subject is usually regarded as being “hard”, which tends to scare away the less academically oriented students.</p>

12

<p>Alright thanks guys, the advice is greatly appreciated.</p>