I understand the value of ABET accreditation for engineering programs but do not know how to evaluate physics programs. I would appreciate suggestions of programs or how to evaluate programs myself. DS has a 32 ACT with a 33 science 29 math so physics may be a better fit than engineering. Prefers Midwest schools but is looking as far south as Clemson and as far north as UMich. Mid-size to small seems to be best fit. School spirit is appreciated. May take the ACT again in Sept.
Most physics programs in the U.S. are very similar. Everyone recognizes the core that makes up an undergraduate physics education. These include a 2-3 semester introductory sequence, Modern Physics, 2 semesters of Classical Mechanics, 1-2 semesters of Electrodynamics and 1-2 semesters of Quantum Mechanics plus one course in Statistical Physics, an electronics laboratory, an Advanced Laboratory and some Computational Physics.
You can get an excellent physics education at many, many schools so choose the one that meets your needs (financial, fit, etc.) the best. Some things to consider:
- A school with a Ph.D. program will have different research opportunities than one without (not necessarily better, just different). A school with a Ph.D. program will also have the possibility for advanced undergraduates to take graduate courses which are a great preparation for someone who wants to go to graduate school.
- A smaller school (it can have a Ph.D. program, of course) will offer the opportunity for students to get to know the faculty very well. This is important if your daughter wants that kind of personal attention. Of course, you can do that at a bigger university but it takes some effort.
- If you like urban environments, some medium or small schools with good physics programs are the engineering schools of the [url="http://theaitu.org"]AITU[/url]. The state flagships are also quite good in physics but they are big.
- Finances should be the driving concern. If you can afford it comfortably then go for it. The physics education can be good at a less expensive school too.
- Look for Applied Physics or Engineering Physics programs as well as just Physics. These are more applied programs which might be good if your daughter plans to go for a job just after the B.S. degree.
Ask what percent of undergrads are involved in undergrad research. Look at whether the degree programs have a variety of specializations within physics or whether there is just a single physics path. Find out whether electives of interest are offered every semester, once a year, or every other year.
Also, once you look at a few Physics Department websites, you will likely get a feel for how strong the research going on is. Are the faculty doing their own research, or are they just one of the 1000s of scientists working on the LHC or other large projects. Do the areas of research seem like things your kid may be interested in?
Not sure why you think Physics requires less math than engineering… both are very math heavy majors. Look at the requirements for both majors at schools she is looking at. But don’t think for a minute that a physics major gets her out of heavy lifting in the math department.
An ACT score says almost nothing about whether physics would be a better fit than engineering. Physics is only a good fit if one enjoys and is good at physics. It takes a very particular type of person, and not everyone has the type of interest that physics requires. This is by no means a bad thing (that’s why there are many college majors), but it’s an important point to consider.
I guess you’re reasoning this out by the fact that he scored higher on science than on math, but that doesn’t mean much. The math involved in physics is mostly the same math involved in engineering. Sometimes it’s easier, sometimes it’s harder. If one gets into higher level physics, the math involved is significantly more complex than basically any math involved in engineering.
Thanks to all for you replies!
Not sure who, but someone told my son that he might like the “more science side” of engineering better. Not sure if it was a senior friend or his physics teacher. I am not quite sure what that means but he thinks it means to use Physics as a alternative. I think his scores mean that he should have brushed up more on the ACT level math since that was at least 2 years ago.
Physics requires just as much math as engineering. The big difference is not that physics is not practical (it can be very much) but that physics is by definition broader than engineering. Physics touches just about every field of engineering. Whether one is more inclined to physics than engineering is more a question of temperament but many of us physicists find ourselves doing things that are suspiciously like engineering. We build detectors and custom electronics, we design and build large mechanical systems and develop new electronics and batteries. It is not all about theoretical particle physics…
In the introduction to her book “Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences,” Mary Boas states that she often thinks that physics majors ultimately need more math than even math majors need. In many respects, this is true. Physics requires a very wide range of math. It doesn’t necessarily require the types of proof-centered or rigorously theoretical approaches that a math major requires, but it often requires a better working knowledge of applying these same subjects in math to actual physical scenarios.