<p>Any recommendations for research-based physics programs in the northeast? My son is currently 2nd in his class, 2200 SATs, with solid extra curriculars. He welcomes a challenge but favors a cooperative, collaborative learning environment over a cut-throat adversarial one. He's done summer programs at MIT and hopes to go there for grad school, but wants a somewhat smaller program for undergrad. Some of the schools he's considering are RPI, WPI, SUNY Stonybrook, Rutgers, BU and Cornell. </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>You might look at Pitt. My daughter is heading there in the fall for physics and languages–her stats are similar to your son’s. Pitt also gives some nice merit money, which is the reason all three of the students my daughter visited with cited as their reason for going there. The day she visited, she spent three hours in the department. I have no idea if it is what you are looking for, but the Web site will give you great information as well.</p>
<p>Physics majors are generally collaborative. MIT is not cutthroat. At any rate, below are some top physics programs in the NE and Eastern Midwestern.</p>
<p>Brown University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Harvard University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Northwestern University
Princeton University
SUNY-Albany
SUNY-Stonybrook
University of Chicago
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Michigan is large but there are fewer than 100 physics majors on campus at any one time so classes tend to be small)
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh
University of Rochester</p>
<p>LACs to Consider:
Amherst College
Bates College
Bowdoin College
Colgate University
College of the Holy Cross
Franklin and Marshall College
Haverford College
Lafayette College
Middlebury College
Swarthmore College
Trinity College
Union College
Wesleyan University
Williams College</p>
<p>Thank you Alexandre. Any thoughts on RPI, WPI or Rutgers?</p>
<p>See if your son’s HS participates in RPI’s Presidential Scholar program. I believe each HS that participates can nominate one outstanding junior science student, who then receives the Presidential award - it comes with $15,000/year in merit money.</p>