<p>Hey everyone i'm new here but i been looking for a school with a division like CalTech's Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy (PMA). I want to specialize in those subjects exactly but my chances of getting into CalTech isn't exactly on the "good" side. So i was wondering some alternative schools that teach a similar program. Thanks</p>
<p>I basically just want a school with a decent physical science program that is not impossible to get into and still affordable.</p>
<p>What are you intending to do with a degree from such a program? Because you do realize that those jobs are few and far between and you’ll be competing for those jobs against the same people who beat you out of the slots at CalTech or Columbia or MIT or Princeton. On the other hand, Leonard Susskind started out at CCNY and worked his way up the ranks, but he’s kind of one of a kind and it was 50 years ago.</p>
<p>Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but going to a lesser institution in that area just has high school teacher written all over it. As long as you understand that, you can probably put together an undergrad program on your own at many schools that have a create your own interdisciplinary major, as long as they have each of the components offered somewhere in the school.</p>
<p>Try Harvey Mudd or Carnegie Mellon. Great schools with science programs on par are probably just a notch below Caltech.</p>
<p>But the difficulty of admission and academics at Harvey Mudd is notable. Only 7 people in the history of the college were able to achieve a perfect 4.0 GPA and the school has one of the highest median SAT ranges in the country.</p>
<p>Isn’t Harvey Mudd the school that has no grades the first semester, they just have things like Pass and High Pass? If you get too many High Passes, the dean sends you a note that says “Get a life.”</p>
<p>If it’s not Harvey Mudd, it’s one of the Claremont schools.</p>
<p>PMA is a division at Caltech; students are supposed to major in one of physics, math, or astronomy (though certainly they can take additional electives in the others).</p>
<p>[PMA</a> Division](<a href=“http://www.pma.caltech.edu/]PMA”>http://www.pma.caltech.edu/)</p>
<p>Lots of schools offer math and physics majors; astronomy is less common, although a few astronomy courses may be offered in the physics department at a school without an astronomy department and major. Depending on your goals, you may have to check the course catalogs and schedules of the various schools to see if their offerings are suitable for you.</p>
<p>Harvey Mudd is not exactly easy to get into.</p>
<p>Yes im thinking of majoring in physics most likely… But astronomy is something i want to be in also. I would like to be an astronomer at some point. Im planning on joining the air force to help me pay for college. I was considering joining my local community college as it has physics and astronomy courses but it would not get me my bachelors degree as i would like. But perhaps it would be a good start for me. I cant decide whats best</p>
<p>point. Im planning on joining the air force to help me pay for college. I</p>
<p>Not sure how that all works, but don’t you have to study something that the AF needs?</p>
<p>Anyway…</p>
<p>What are your stats?</p>
<p>How much can you afford?</p>
<p>If it’s under the GI Bill, you can use the money for any subject. AFROTC is another matter, though you’ve got a lot of leeway there as well.</p>
<p>What are your stats?
There are lots of good schools for physics…</p>