<p>Although my physics major son knew he would go to grad school he also majored in engineering. It was a great move for him and rounded out his education so that he was employable if he did not go to grad school. Many other physics majors also double majored. He went to our state college and is now at a top grad school in physics.</p>
<p>OP–I agree with bovertine here. You really are making mountain out of molehill re: where you’re going to undergrad and the theorist/experimentalist paradigm. (The difference really more of a continuum rather than a either/or.)</p>
<p>He gave you good advice. Take as much math as you can. (A minor at least. A second major would be better.) Take all of the required basic coursework. (E&M, mechanics, QM, thermo, stat mech) Those courses are pretty much the same everywhere. You’ll also need C++ programming and MATLAB. (Theorists do alot of number crunching.)</p>
<p>Master these skills then worry about specializing in grad school. </p>
<p>Also if you really want to look into summer research–look at the National Laboratories. They all have summer (and year round) undergrad internships for physics and engineering students. (BTW, the DOE–aka the National Labs–are one of the largest employers of physicists in the US.) </p>
<p>[Department</a> of Energy - Labs & Technology Centers](<a href=“http://www.energy.gov/organization/labs-techcenters.htm]Department”>| Department of Energy)</p>