<p>For a physics major interested in exploring a variety of fields? I hope to keep my options open (not just research) after I graduate; also, I currently live in California (Orange County). What do you guys think?</p>
<p>Ignore cost/FA and distance! I want an unbiased opinion.</p>
<p>I'd say Stanford... it has an EXCELLENT physics department, from what I hear, better than Princeton's.
Also, the social scene at Stanford is without a doubt better than Princeton's.</p>
<p>Depends... California and Princeton are completely different places... they are both amazing schools. I'm a bit jealous of Stanford's climate though...
Visit both and decide on the area you like best.</p>
<p>In terms of which school has the better department, go with Princeton. Fiske lists Physics as one of Princeton's strongest programs, while Fiske does not list Physics as one of Stanford's strengths. There are obviously sources more credible than Fiske, but this reflects my general understanding of the relative strengths of the Physics program at each school.</p>
<p>Ultimately though, I think you should go with whatever school "fits" you better. You will be happier at a place where you feel comfortable.</p>
<p>check this out: Academics:</a> Department of Physics, Princeton University</p>
<p>Holas--I'm not sure what you're talking about or where you get your information from.</p>
<p>Here is the Gourman ranking of undergraduate physics departments</p>
<p>Caltech
Harvard
Cornell
Princeton
MIT
UC Berkeley
Stanford
U Chicago
U Illinois Urbana Champaign
Columbia
Yale
Georgia Tech
UC San Diego
UCLA
U Penn
U Wisconsin Madison
U Washington
U Michigan Ann Arbor
U Maryland College Park
UC Santa Barbara
U Texas Austin
Carnegie Mellon
U Minnesota
RPI
Brown
Johns Hopkins
Michigan State
Notre Dame
SUNY Stony Brook
Case Western
Northwestern
U Rochester
U Pittsburgh
Penn State University Park</p>
<p>Here are the NRC rankings</p>
<p>1 Harvard 4.91
2 Princeton 4.89
3 MIT 4.87
4 Cal Berkeley 4.87
5 Cal Tech 4.81
6 Cornell 4.75
7 Chicago 4.69
8 Illinois 4.66
9 Stanford 4.53
10 Cal Santa Barbara 4.43
11 Texas 4.33
12 Columbia 4.25
13 Yale 4.21
14 Washington 4.20
15 UCLA 4.18
16 Cal San Diego 4.10
17 Penn 4.09
18 Maryland 4.02
19 Michigan 3.96
20 Rutgers 3.82</p>
<p>As you can see, Princeton has an excellent physics departments and is higher than Stanford in both these ranking systems.</p>
<p>However, since both are excellent schools with strong departments in most areas, I agree with 08seniors that the OP should try and visit both and then decide.</p>
<p>Without a doubt, go to Princeton for physics---I mean, look in any physics textbook, and you'll see the majority of the photos are from princeton labs (ex: the super duper particle accelerator)</p>
<p>However, you'll find a much more competitive atmosphere at Princeton, especially with the grade deflation--only 30% of students get A's, so you are constantly competing. Stanford also does have the better social life, no question about that. </p>
<p>Still tho, Princeton might be harder, but its connections are outstanding, alumni support is incredible, and its endowment per student is 1.9 million dollars. Also, its focus on undergrads will assure you that you are the one doing the research and that you are the one who is the focus of the top physics scholars in the nation.</p>
<p>Really, you can't go wrong...cali tho, thats where the ladies are!!</p>
<p>I'd choose Princeton as well. Top Ivy with a fantastic physical science program. Very undergrad focused and better financial aid I think. Also, Stanford to me is quite boring, but I hear Princeton is kind of isolated as well. I'd want to get out of CA and explore a bit.</p>
<p>If I were a physics major who wanted to keep his options open, I'd want to go to school in silicon valley. Except if that means you want to work on Wall Street, then I'd go to Princeton. </p>
<p>Regardless of the PR spin, Princeton is big time old money preppy east coast. Less than before, but that is still a major thing there. Stanford isn't like that at all. Stanford people aren't pretentious in THAT way. :-)</p>
<p>^ Haha...As a California white male, I'm fascinated with old money, preppy east coast...;)
I guess it's all about "fit".</p>
<p>Stanford is too much like OC country club prep...</p>
<p>All the people I know from Stanford are hardcore nerds. In a good way, but still hardcore nerds.</p>
<p>^ Yeah, that's another aspect I don't like about 'furd.</p>
<p>In terms of physics, Stanford is about equal to Princeton.</p>
<p>In 1993 NRC ph.d program ranking, Stanford was ranked #9, while Princeton was ranked #2. But Stanford's physics department has garnered huge reputation in the recent years. Its faculty won Nobel prize in physics 4 times in a row from 1995 to 1998. This of course was NOT reflected by the 1993 NRC ranking, but was well reflected at US NEWS ranking. In 2008 USNEWS ranking, Stanford physics was ranked #1, along with MIT. </p>
<p>Stanford Physics faculty has won 10 times Nobel prize, #1 in the world according to the affiliation at the time of prize anouncement. In addition to a physics department, Stanford has an applied physics department, plus SLAC.
Currently, Stanford and Princeton both have 12 faculty members belonging to the prestigious national academy of science, only behind Berkeley and MIT.</p>
<p>For an undergraduate education the # of nobel laureates its faculty has is quite arbitrary. Save caring about this stuff for graduate school in my opinion. </p>
<p>Anyways, if I were limited to these two schools I would personally pick Princeton for UG physics (my major). From what I hear, it has minimal grade inflation in that area which could help push me I suppose (it works where I go). Despite reputations, neither school will have a student body that different from the other.</p>