<p>D is accepted into the class of 2013 and is interested in Engineering and/or Physics. I have a good comfort level with the Picker Engineering Program. However I have not yet spoken with anyone about the Physics Dept and would welcome any comments regarding your experience there. Thanks!</p>
<p>I’ve greatly enjoyed my experience with the physics department. It’s really small, so you can get as much attention as you want, but if you prefer to do your own thing, that’s okay too. Out of all the sciences, intro physics courses are the smallest (mine had 34ish people) and it quickly gets even smaller. Intermediate level physics courses are around 14-15, and advanced courses could easily have 6-7 or less. I actually think Smith has a rule that you can’t run a class w/ less than 7 people preregistered, but there has to be an exception for Physics because, really, how many people are going to sign up for adv. quantum physics? 
Classes are definitely hard, but professors are extremely available (Adv. Intro Physics was really hard for me, but the professor had about 8 office hours every week and I was at practically every one). Research positions are available in abundance, so your D could get involved pretty early.</p>
<p>Since there are so few Physics majors, the people bond really well. There are dept. movie nights, tea times, etc., and sometimes, the Physics and Astronomy people get together to do stuff like star parties.</p>
<p>Also, it seems like physics majors get into good grad schools–the two I was close friends with both ended up at Berkeley (one for a science education PhD and one for a dual masters in architecture and structural engineering), and I knew others who are elsewhere, including UMass, Duke, Colorado, and Princeton.</p>
<p>Very Impressive!</p>