<p>Which place would provide me with more research opportunities in general and as a freshman, Stanford or Brown?
I am assuming that at a liberal arts college like Haverford, I would have more research opportunities. Am I right?
Because of their tri-college system, is there a difference between going to Haverford or Swathmore for physics?
Finally, how would you guys rank these colleges?
Stanford
Brown
Haverford
Swathmore
Carleton</p>
<p>(I like small colleges, but those bottom three are the only ones I have found in which I won't run out of physics courses to take.)</p>
<p>Which place would provide me with more research opportunities in general and as a freshman, Stanford or Brown?</p>
<p>Hard to say. Brown is more undergraduate focused, Stanford has more research options. They’re probably equivalent.</p>
<p>I would have more research opportunities. Am I right?</p>
<p>No, you will not find <em>as many</em> research opportunities, due to the sheer size difference (Stanford is almost 300 times bigger than Haverford). However, you will find it <em>easier</em> to get research opportunities at Haverford, and more importantly, you will be mentored directly by a distinguished faculty member instead of a graduate student. This is probably why liberal art colleges generally do better in production of STEM PhDs and are more represented in research based fellowships like Goldwater.</p>
<p>is there a difference between going to Haverford or Swathmore for physics?
Yes. The student cultures are different at both schools. The consortium isn’t as widely used, especially at Swarthmore. Expect to be a full time student at only one of these schools.</p>
<p>how would you guys rank these colleges?
Your choice. Do you want the intimacy and nurturing atmosphere of a liberal arts college, or do you want a big university feel? </p>
<p>I like small colleges, but those bottom three are the only ones I have found in which I won’t run out of physics courses to take.</p>
<p>Some other small schools to look at then:
Pomona Physics (joint with Harvey Mudd)- 65 classes
[Department</a> of Physics and Astronomy](<a href=“Physics and Astronomy Department | Pomona College in Claremont, California - Pomona College”>http://physastro.pomona.edu/)
[Program:</a> Physics Courses - Pomona College - Acalog ACMS?<a href=“Physics”>/url</a>
[url=<a href=“Program: Astronomy Courses - Pomona College - Acalog ACMS™”>Program: Astronomy Courses - Pomona College - Acalog ACMS™]Program:</a> Astronomy Courses - Pomona College - Acalog ACMS?<a href=“Astronomy”>/url</a></p>
<p>Williams- 30 classes
[url=<a href=“http://physics.williams.edu/programs/courses/]Physics”>http://physics.williams.edu/programs/courses/]Physics</a> Courses | Physics](<a href=“Program: Physics Courses - Pomona College - Acalog ACMS™”>Program: Physics Courses - Pomona College - Acalog ACMS™)</p>
<p>Rice- 59 undergraduate classes
[Rice</a> University Physics & Astronomy Department](<a href=“http://www.physics.rice.edu/Content.aspx?id=52]Rice”>http://www.physics.rice.edu/Content.aspx?id=52)
[Rice</a> University Physics & Astronomy Department](<a href=“http://www.physics.rice.edu/Content.aspx?id=56]Rice”>http://www.physics.rice.edu/Content.aspx?id=56)</p>
<p>Bowdoin- 30 undergraduate classes
[Courses</a> (Bowdoin - The College Catalogue)](<a href=“http://www.bowdoin.edu/catalogue/courses/physics-and-astronomy/courses.shtml]Courses”>http://www.bowdoin.edu/catalogue/courses/physics-and-astronomy/courses.shtml)</p>
<p>Wesleyan- Over 40
[Welcome</a>, Physics - Wesleyan University](<a href=“http://www.wesleyan.edu/physics/]Welcome”>Welcome, Physics - Wesleyan University)</p>
<p>OP, Swarthmore is the only selective LAC that offers an engineering program. If that means they have a more robust Physics department idk, but worth investigating. The Science building at Swarthmore was hugely impressive. My D who’s a science nerd was positively gleeful there. Of course it’s eclipsed by the facilities at Yale and Stanford (only 2 unis we’ve seen) but at an LAC those facilities are all yours as an undergrad! And as nostalgic says, the profs are all yours too. That’s really pretty exciting. The small LAC’s we’ve looked at have research money for students starting freshman year and including summers. Pomona is so well funded that their new goal is to be able to fund student research for every student. They are pretty close already, I think, and that consortium with Harvey Mudd literally next door broadens your opportunities even more. But just out of curiosity, even in a school with fewer than 30 Physics classes how could you exhaust their course offerings?</p>
<p>I only looked at what colleges offered during this year. Can someone explain the difference between looking at this and looking at the course list?
As to how I can exhaust physics course offerings at some liberal arts colleges, I am fairly confident that I will test out of the freshman courses for a physics major. Also, I plan to take physics elective course alongside the requirements every year.</p>
<p>Also, should I rank Haverford above Swarthmore if they have a professor that is researching stuff I am interested in?</p>
<p>If you want to max out chances of match add other QB schools with strong physics programs to your list: Caltech, Princeton, U Chicago, Rice, Williams, Yale…</p>
<p>hard to tell you how to rank schools as your priorities will drive that…For Physics in general one strategy would be to pick a good school that strikes a balance between the scale necessary to support good facilities and research projects on the one hand, and the intimacy (esp. small class sizes) needed to get good instruction on the other. Several schools fit from your list and those mentioned above.</p>
<p>For theoretical in particular, with math and philosophy, Chicago historically has been very friendly to interdisciplinary connections like that. The school has a strong commitment to UG teaching, small classes, great facilities, and a heady intellectual atmosphere. Princeton, once Einstein’s home, is probably historically the biggest name in this field (tp) (and assuming you deliberately left off MIT for your own reasons) but I would think Rice or Brown – or any of the others really-- would be great too. Having a faculty member you really want to work with can be a draw. Contacting this prof is a good idea too.</p>