Getting into Top 10 Grad School out of Public Undergrad

Graduate School
1

<p>I am a senior in high school. I have decent grades in high school, good enough to be accepted into many top undergrad schools (notre dame, columbia, etc.) I can't afford these however, so I am going to be forced to go to a public, in-state school (probably University of Arizona or ASU.) </p>

<p>I am going to double major in mathematics and physics, and I intend to get a PhD in one of these subjects, probably physics. Are my chances of getting into a good graduate school like harvard or cal tech already shot because I'm going to a public university?</p>

2

<p>The undergraduate institution you attend depends on two things, and two things alone:

  1. Your performance in high school.
  2. How much money you have.</p>

<h1>1 ceases to matter forever the millisecond you get accepted to undergrad, and #2 has no effect on graduate school admissions, since everyone gets paid to go. Therefore, you can get into any graduate school from any undergraduate institution.</h1>

<p>You will have to have a resume that’s just as competitive those of the kids at notre dame, columbia, etc., so make sure you get great grades, research experience, and letters of recommendation.</p>

3

<p>Not at all.</p>

<p>The name of the school you went to only plays a small role in grad school admissions if at all. </p>

<p>That said, a lot can change and you might not even want to do math or grad school once you get to college :)</p>

4

<p>Save yourself some stress and pick this thought back up when you are a junior in college. Who knows, you may want to be an architect by then.</p>

5

<p>No, you chances are not shot. But you’re worrying way too much way too early, like a 10-year-old fretting about who they might marry.</p>

<p>The <em>end</em> result of what you should be worrying about right now is compiling an outstanding academic record wherever you attend college. As a high school senior: you have no clue. The speed of the pitching is a lot faster than what you’re used to, your interests might change, you have no idea what life-changing or life-diverting distractions you will encounter. In scientific terms, there are far too many variables for you to worry about this particular equation at this time. Furthermore, it’s a probabilistic QM type of equation, not a deterministic one.</p>

6

<p>University of Arizona and ASU are both decently well-known schools. Going to either one is not going to be a handicap for admission to graduate programs. The undergraduate school only matters to the extent that the graduate admission committees know what it is; being from a place like MIT might get you a little bump in your chances, but know that it is a relatively small bump. Lots of research experience and good grades are far more important than school prestige.</p>

7

<p>Just take advantage of the research opportunities at your school and you’ll be fine. I personally know several students from my school (80-100 in most sciences) who did research, got good (3.7+) grades and were accepted to harvard, stanford, MIT, etc. I also know of students with lower averages (3.5) and good research who were accepted to top five programs. You get back what you put into it and get to know professors/be active in research. You’ll be fine.</p>

<p>Edit: TheDad…as a senior undergraduate chemistry major I appreciate your last sentence :P</p>

8

<p>M7189, funny thing, I have a client right now who is a professor of chemistry. We’ve been talking about the nature of “truth” and I used QM as a metaphor for a point I was making.</p>