<p>Take a look at the Jack Taylor Physics scholarship at Rhodes College.
DH is a Rhodes physics grad, has a PhD from JHU. Lots of personal attention and mentoring at Rhodes.</p>
<p>I was about to suggest Rice. Geekmom- great minds think alike.</p>
<p>My suggestion is to make sure you guys don’t put the cart before the horse. I don’t think the nomenclature is relevant for your son’s experience in college- LAC, large U, small U, public, 3/2, none of this is really significant at this stage.</p>
<p>I think you need to have your son make a short list of “must have’s”, a slightly longer list of “nice to haves” and then a longer list of “it’s good if they have it but not a knock out if they don’t”. You can then look systematically through a bunch of large U’s, small U’s, and everything in between to create a list of “we’re going to explore further” kinds of schools.</p>
<p>There are kids who don’t want to apply to U Chicago until they visit- and discover “their people”-- and they are sold. There are kids who think they will hate living in a rural area until they visit Cornell- and they are in love. There are kids who don’t want a college which is cut-throat or pre-professional but they end up at JHU (which personally I didn’t feel was cut-throat but that’s its “rep”.)</p>
<p>So have your son define what he needs. I would encourage him to flesh out his other interests as well- there are plenty of ex-physics majors at U’s all over the country, and many of them were just as convinced as your S was when they were 17 that they were heading to Physics PhD land. I know my own son (MIT) was one of them when he was a HS junior. But college is not HS with famous professors. And even if your S has observed academic life close up via his internship and research experience, that’s not the same as wandering into a media lab to take a short cut to the men’s room and deciding that you’re chucking physics THAT DAY.</p>
<p>Half of Wall Street (certainly most of the major hedge funds) are former physics majors or wannabees. Not that I’m encouraging your S to abandon his plan before he’s even begun- just to point out that you can’t go into the college search trying to nail one element to the ground. Maybe he’d love linguistics or philosophy? Especially as taught at a place with lots and lots of kids just like him? Or not like him?</p>
<p>So make sure you pick a list of schools which have “better than average” physics offerings, and a good track record of grads getting into top programs. And then look at everything else.</p>
<p>If he likes Pomona, have him talk to one or two of the professors about the program. I know that Pomona physics students are allowed to take, and even substitute if they wish, Mudd courses for Pomona courses, and vice versa. Both schools have easy access to the facilities and faculties of one another.
He won’t have to fight for research opportunities at either college. The faculty is almost at the beck and call of the students in the consortium, seriously. They are very involved with the students outside as well as inside the classroom. It’s a wonderful place.
~Mom of Pomona graduate</p>
<p>
A liberal arts college may not be the best place to force a science major into a broad liberal arts education though. In my limited experience, tech universities actually have more liberal arts requirements than liberal arts colleges (which assume that their students want to take a wide range of liberal arts courses without an explicit requirement).</p>
<p>I have not read all the previous posts but am adding something that may have been mentioned. My S was an advanced math student with an interest n physics. I was interested in LACs for him but was cautioned on CC about the lack of graduate level courses. This was helpful advice as he began taking grad classes his junior year of undergrad. I’m sure he would have been able to work something out at one of the LACs but I’m not sure he would have been challenged the way he wanted to be.</p>
<p>I’m the mom of a VERY happy Olin freshman. I’m not sure if Olin is the right place for a kid who wants mainly Physics, but I think it is worth exploring. Read the website, the news and magazine articles on the Olin philosophy, the Olinsider (student blog). Read the CC Olin threads. Apply if you think you might fit. If you are lucky enuf to be selected to attend a Candidate’s Weekend, you will quickly find out if you are in the right place. Competition is VERY tough espec for guys. My son also applied to GATech, Rice, Mudd, CalTech and WPI. Sounds like most of these are already on your radar screen. PM me if you have any questions. I thought all these choices were great for my child. Yours?? God luck. It is a wonderful journey.</p>
<p>
I just want to say YMMV. Some LACs have a rigid core, others you have to fulfill gen eds. It’s worth looking at the requirements for each school individually.</p>
<p>Also, there have been MANY upgrades to lab facilities AND coursework in the sciences at many colleges in the past 30 years. What may have been the case for some of us 30 years ago (or longer) when we were college students, MAY not be the case now even at the same colleges.</p>
<p>As UCBA says upstream…check the course offerings. You will be able to see the facilities. If your kiddo is the science person, let them look at what is available.</p>
<p>I agree he sounds perfect for Harvey Mudd. I wouldn’t rule out Caltech. I wouldn’t rule out the Ivies. I wouldn’t rule out all the other great middle sized research universities. My husband majored in physics and biology at Harvard and had lots of downtime - I met him playing pinball. All schools seem to have freshman writing requirements and no one ever seems to like them much. I think for some one with such strong interests he should identify the best departments and do some serious visiting and talking to current students, not just profs about what the atmosphere is like. I agree completely you don’t want to run out of courses, 3/2 programs aren’t much use if no one ends up doing them. Most medium sized research universities will provide plenty of small classes and individual attention if you go looking for it. Physics departments tend to be small enough that people get to know each other. Anyway, I’d find the best programs and then cull based on what it turns out your son cares about, it might be location, it might be size, it might be some aspect of the student body.</p>
<p>Tech universities may have requirements, but my older son at Carnegie Mellon got out of nearly all of them. He took freshman writing, a technical writing class (required), a history class and everything else was related to computer science (his major), math or physics (his mnor)</p>
<p>Many people have warned us and my son against a physics major. Many have said the money gets put into engineering, and many times physics is completely lacking for funds. What will he do with a physics degree? Applied or theoretical? If it’s applied he may be just as well off doing engineering.</p>
<p>Lehigh, Bucknell, Lafayette, Colgate, Villanova?</p>
<p>I’ll second John Wesley in touting Wesleyan as a good place to pursue an undergraduate physics degree (I did, and subsequently got a Ph.D.) and do theater. Very strong in both. I recently got a very nice tour of the Wesleyan physics labs from an old professor of mine when I visited with my daughter, and they’ve got a lot of neat stuff going on and quite a lot of funding. Plenty of research opportunities for undergraduates.</p>
<p>Wesleyan also has one of the most active student-run theater organizations in the country (Second Stage). There are literally shows every week.</p>
<p>I’ll also put in a plug for Carleton. Top-notch teaching (even amongst schools with a rep for good teaching) and very strong science departments, with many students going on to pursue Ph.D’s. Visited there, too, and my daughter absolutely loved the place. Very fun, laid back student body, in a geeky, intellectually-engaged sort of way. Very cool place.</p>
<p>Both places are highly selective and will be filled with plenty of brainy peers for your son.</p>
<p>We’re extremely fond of Olin as well (D may well go there if she gets in), but that’s maybe a less good fit for a pure physics degree.</p>
<p>For those who voice a concern regarding a physics major - either what it may lead (or not lead too) and whether or not son will stay with his current plan…I have had the same thoughts. We’ve discussed this with him. I give it a reasonable chance that he may change to an engineering program. </p>
<p>He has a short list of things he wants - no hot humid weather and reasonable access to skiing - this part is going to make Rice a tough sell. I have a very good friend who is a Rice graduate and her daughter now attends…they’ve been a great marketing team.</p>
<p>Carleton is on our interest list. DS has been attending a summer program in MN for the past several years and will be doing so again this year so we’re planing a visit. However, I don’t think the CA raised kid has any idea what winter can really mean. Olin was put on his list by his college counselor and it is an intriguing program - but yes, not specifically for physics. </p>
<p>Part of the issue is when one lives in CA it’s tough to pass on the really good public options (even with all the problems in the UC’s they are a heck-a-deal). </p>
<p>As my sibling says…what a high brow problem to have :)</p>
<p>If there is a decent chance of changing to engineering, look at [ABET</a> -](<a href=“http://www.abet.org%5DABET”>http://www.abet.org) for a list of ABET accredited engineering programs.</p>
<p>But note that at many schools switching from engineering to physics is administratively easier than switching from physics to engineering, since engineering is often a much more popular major than physics. Course work in the first two or three semesters does tend to overlap substantially, so it is generally possible for the student to take courses for the first two or three semesters that will keep him/her on track for both majors.</p>
<p>Carleton is very generous with their Merit Aid and meet 100% of demonstrated financial need, so that is a plus for the costs anyway. Part of the benefit of going to the large research universities is making the connections. He has that covered so a small LAC sounds like a great option for him where he will get a lot more hands on experience. Since he plans to go on to get a PhD eventually, I would consider the grad school mill schools, Carleton being one of them. I know people here also like Grinnell but our son hated it and thought the facilities were very lacking but it might be ok for your son?? They are relatively close so you could fly to MN and drive to IA in the same weekend. No idea if their Physics program is any good though I guess. Skiing in Iowa is going to be a challenge. The skiing in MN isn’t much but there are some options at least. </p>
<p>Another option might be Iowa State (if you head out to Carleton). It’s about 25,000 students so not huge but not small either. It’s on the USNWR as a top 50 physics program and a very well respected engineering program to boot.</p>
<p>Macalester in MN would be worth a look if you are going to Carleton too. It’s in an urban area with access to classes at the University of MN so that might be a bonus.</p>
<p>S1 got his BA in physics from Swarthmore and is now getting his PhD in physics. Seeing what a grind grad school can be, I think he would’ve been burnt out by now if he had attended a university and been overly involved in research as an undergrad. At Swarthmore, he knew his prof well, got to minor in history, worked hard but also had free time. There’s lots of involvement in the arts at Swarthmore as well. Even though Swarthmore may not have had the breadth of physics courses he would’ve had access to at a university, it didn’t hurt him at all when he got to grad school.</p>
<p>dietz, If your son is attracted to Pomona, he should definitely take a look at Williams – a different physical environment [snow!] but many similarities in culture and personality. Williams has terrific physics and math departments, perhaps the best among simlar, non-tech focused, LACs.</p>
<p>[Physics</a> | Williams College, Department of Physics](<a href=“http://physics.williams.edu/]Physics”>http://physics.williams.edu/)</p>
<p>It also has a small, but vibrant theater department with superb facilities. The Williamstown Theater is not directly associated with the college but the influence rubs off. Admissions would love an applicant who intends to continue his involvement in the tech side of theater.</p>
<p>“Having a life” to balance intense academics is important at Williams and double or even triple majors are common. These are multifaceted, energetic kids with a wide range of interests in addition to their academic field.</p>
<p>My son is humanities all the way so I can’t give you a personal account, but you can see what other physics majors are doing after Williams here. No shortage of PhDs. [Graduates</a> | Physics](<a href=“http://physics.williams.edu/people/graduates/]Graduates”>http://physics.williams.edu/people/graduates/)</p>
<p>In Minnesota, there is also University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, a relatively inexpensive (even for out of state) university with physics and engineering. May be worth a visit if you are also visiting places like Carleton and St. Olaf.</p>
<p>Carleton is indeed good with aid, but it’s not merit.</p>
<p>^^^I knew that :)–fast fingers—yes, AID–just too used to typing merit in front of aid 
.</p>