<p>Hello!</p>
<p>I'm currently trying to decide what focus I'd like to do for grad school, and I've narrowed my options down to two. To help in my final decision, I want to get an idea of what all places would be good to look at for after my undergraduate degree (about to start my junior year, if all goes as planned will graduate with a dual degree in physics/astronomy and anthropology with a minor in history of science). I know, I know, two drastically different courses. I could genuinely see myself doing either. That being said, here is what I'm looking at so far. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks!</p>
<p>Archaeology - Mesoamerica (Maya culture) with a particular interest in their writing and understanding of astronomy
UC San Diego
UC Berkeley
Stanford
Vanderbilt</p>
<p>Astronomy - particularly interested in planetary nebulae and high energy astrophysics (gamma ray bursts, etc)
UC Santa Cruz
Cal Tech
University of Hawaii
University College London</p>
<p>Other relevant info: Washington state resident, independent student, will have $30~40,000 in loans at graduation (hopefully less), no family or other ties keeping me anywhere</p>
<p>I know very little about Mayan archaeology, but my impression is that Tulane and UT Austin are tops. Brown has Stephen Houston on faculty, so one could hardly go wrong there. Arizona is pretty strong across the board. UNC has at least one Mayan archaeologist as well as a linguist who teaches the major Meso-American languages, so it might be a good option as well. </p>
<p>I know even less about astronomy, but Cornell, Princeton, Chicago, and Harvard seem to have good programs.</p>
<p>Your professors are the best source of information about where you should apply and would know much more about these fields than most posters here. If they are unable to give you guidance, I recommend two approaches:
[ul][<em>]Look up recent articles and conference presentations that interest you and see where the authors teach.
[</em>]Send a polite email to a relevant professor in the field, briefly outlining your background and interests and asking for recommendations.[/ul]</p>
<p>Spending a summer on an excavation (for archaeology) or doing astronomical research, perhaps as part of an [url=<a href=“Search Results for REU Sites | NSF - National Science Foundation”>REU Sites | NSF - National Science Foundation]REU</a> program<a href=“for%20astronomy”>/url</a> might help you decide which you prefer.</p>
<p>Personally I’d spend a bunch of time trying to read academic papers from the two fields you’re interested in. Find out which one feels more inspiring (meaning you fall asleep less while reading).</p>
<p>Or maybe try and find an advisor that works on understand astronomical techniques of ancient cultures.</p>