Overlooked Physics Programs in the NorthEast? (No Ivies please)

College Search & Selection
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<p>I'm currently a student at Miami-Dade College looking for a good North-Eastern transfer school. MIT and the Ivy league schools are unlikely due to my past academic record, though, I have a decent shot at any other school. I have some research experience, have completed a few complex projects, and have earned a reputation among my professors as a prospective physicist.</p>

<p>My idea of a dream school would be friendly faculty, research opportunities in computational physics, and closeness of mountains since what i really want is to escape from Florida.</p>

<p>Thank you in advance for your suggestions.</p>

2

<p>How far do you want to travel?</p>

<p>I met a physics professor at SUNY Plattsburgh. We got a tour of the Physics Department and came away impressed. Lots of undergraduate projects and research going on and a pipeline to Rensalaer Polytechnic Institute (one of the top engineering schools in the world) for students looking to move onward to graduate Engineering School.</p>

<p>SUNY Plattsburgh is interested in diversifying its student body, so being from out-of-state would be an advantage for you. Not the hardest place to get into but I know the Physics Department isn’t interested in any slackers. They might toss some financial aid your way, too. I know an OOS kid who got 5 grand in grants. Not a lot you say? It is when you consider the OOS cost was about 20 grand at the time.</p>

<p>If you like the great outdoors you’ll love the location. Lakes, mountains etc. The town itself also has some charm. Only about 35 miles from Montreal, Canada.</p>

3

<p>Stony Brook?</p>

4

<p>Check out the University of Rochester.</p>

5

<p>Second U of Rochester. Top-ranked Optics program.</p>

<p>Not exactly Northeast, but still East Coast, Maryland-College Park is well regarded, as is Penn State. Johns Hopkins is up there, but near-Ivy. Stony Brook, mentioned before.</p>

6

<p>Tufts and Wesleyan.</p>

7

<p>Can you afford to go OOS? How will you pay for the schools listed?</p>

8

<p>Not quite so hidden gem because they are a top undergrad producer of physics phD’s is Lawrence University if you are willing to go out of area.</p>

<p>In a study by the National Science Foundation, Lawrence ranked 28th nationally in the percentage of graduates who go on to earn doctorates. And last I saw it was #1 for physics.</p>

9

<p>Not quite the Northeast, but the University of Maryland has a good Physics department.</p>

10

<p>Northeastern in Boston has a good non-Ivy physics department. You can also audit classes at MIT from Northeastern if you like.</p>

<p>[Department</a> of Physics | Northeastern University](<a href=“http://www.northeastern.edu/physics/]Department”>Physics - Northeastern University College of Science)</p>

11

<p>Oberlin has a highly regarded physics program.</p>