Hello, I have recently found myself battling over which school I want to attend. I did not expect choosing a college to divide me so much, but it has, and I need a bit of help. I plan to major in physics, and hopefully, with a bit of planning, be able to jump into a master’s degree in aerospace engineering (I have contacted a few professors to make sure this is possible, and will be contacting a few professors from the schools I have been accepted into to confirm). As of now, I have been accepted into UCSB, UCSD, UCI, and UCLA. I am still waiting on Stanford, USC, Notre Dame, and Columbia University. I was wondering if anyone had any insight on which school (out of the one’s I have been accepted to) has the best physics program? Any general information is welcome. I have done a bit of research on the topic, but I value a variety of sources. Thanks!
Given your plan, you may want to see which of the schools makes it easier to enroll in aerospace, mechanical, and electrical engineering courses that would be relevant to preparing for a master’s program in aerospace engineering that are not duplicates of physics major courses.
I am very intrigued by UCSB, and believe it really could be your very best bet including those you are waiting to hear from. Check out this thread (and an embedded thread referenced in the thread):
I have a BS in Physics, Astronomy & Astrophysics, and MA in Astronomy, and a PhD in Astrophysics, so I am very knowledgable about physics programs.
First, congrats on some great acceptances.
Now, the HONEST reality is… the undergraduate physics curriculum is pretty much the same at all research universities… in term of quality of education, all of the schools you list are excellent for undergraduate physics.
For graduate programs, rough rankings would be:
Top 10-ish: Stanford, UCSB
Top 20-ish: Columbia, UCLA, UCSD
Top 50-ish: Irvine, USC, Notre Dame
But let me emphasize again… at the undergraduate level, ALL of them will provide an outstanding physics curriculum.
And of course… money! A great school that you cannot afford doesn’t help you.
My personal preference would be: Stanford and Columbia… the UCs are awesome for graduate school… and while the undergrad experience is solid at the UCs, I think the undergrad experience at the elite privates is significantly better in terms of advising and mentoring and resources for undergrads.
After that, it would be toss-up among UCLA, UCSD, UCSB… go with whichever you like the most.
I would drop from consideration Irvine, USC, Notre Dame.
I just want to second @ucbalumnus 's advice.
You might also look to see which of the schools offer an Engineering Physics or Applied Physics degree which would certainly ease your entry in to Aerospace Engineering. Stanford has one but I have not looked at the others. As a physics professor, I agree with @harvardandberkeley that all of them will provide you with a fine physics B.S. program.
Irvine has Applied Physics and UCSD has Engineering Physics (but it is within Electrical Engineering).
In any case, some of my former students majored in physics and went on the PhD Aerospace Programs afterward. However, it was important to have some engineering classes as a physics major. No matter where you major in physics, you will have to take the core physics curriculum (mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, thermal/statistical physics), and then you will have some choice as to what specialized physics electives you want to take. Most schools will allow you to take some of the advanced electives in engineering…
Be sure to take:
(1) Fluid mechanics (often in mechanical or civil engineering departments, earth & planetary science departments, sometimes applied math departments… even rarer in physics departments, but sometimes you get lucky. Better still if you can take 2 semesters of fluid mechanics!
(2) Solid or structural mechanics (again, often in mechanical and civil engineering)
(3) Computational physics or computational mechanics
(4) Vibrations and controls
Within physics… a good elective is plasma physics.
These courses will show the engineering programs that while your degree is in physics, you are serious about applying it to aerospace.
Thank you all for the wonderful advice! I completely forgot to mention that I was also waiting on UCB. Turns out, I was accepted today. I was also accepted into USC yesterday. I’m wondering if that might change my plans any? I will definitely try to take those courses @harvardandberkeley
Physics at Berkeley is phenomenal and definitely top 5 in the whole nation, and should be better and more respected than UCSB’s. But if you get into Stanford and the cost wouldn’t be much different, take Stanford. Otherwise, go for Berkeley.