Just as the title says.
This comes up a lot, so I will cut and paste the answer I gave in a thread asking a similar question not long ago. The Apker Prize, incidentally, is the highest award given for undergraduate research in physics:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/22193932/#Comment_22193932
This ^ doesn’t get enough play. People look and see Wesleyan and Williams winning the same number of Apkers (I believe they’re equal) and of course assume they’re competing in the same category. But when you consider the PhD category and the schools with which they’re competing it’s pretty darn impressive for a school of 2900 students. Berkeley, MIT, Cal Tech, Harvard, etc.
The Astronomy department, which of course works in coordination with the Physics department, is also really strong, and the historic Van Vleck Observatory is a nice and interesting compliment to the department.
Wes’ many strengths in the sciences is why my D chose it over many other good options. She’s not regretted the decision.
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