<p>I'm about 70-90% sure I'm going to Olin. The biggest competition is Caltech. One thing I'm worried about is the amount of science available at Olin. I'll probably major in ECE, but I'm very much into physics and astronomy as well. When I look at the course of study for Olin, I see no astronomy courses. The highest level physics class, SCI 3130, overlaps heavily with what I did last term at my high school (the only things in the course description that I haven't dealt with are continuum and nonlinear dynamics and chaos). I know Olin offers cross-reg at Wellesley (which I'm pretty sure has a decent physics and astronomy department), but how easy is it to do this and how much could Wellesley offer? Caltech is tempting, but it's all the way over in California (I'm an east coaster), it isn't giving me a full-tuition scholarship, and frankly, I think Olin engineering is cooler than Caltech engineering. However, Caltech engineering is still great, and it does have the physics and astronomy I'm interested in. Arrrggghhhhh... any comments?</p>
<p>Taking classes at Wellesly is getting simpler as time goes by. </p>
<p>I've heard that now their class time schedules are co-ordinated, and I believe there's some sort of campus-run regularly scheduled transport between the campuses. </p>
<p>In the "olden days," when my daughter took a course there, transport was sketchy, and she sometimes rode a bike there. </p>
<p>Dr. Yevgeniya Zastavker, member of the Olin faculty, previously taught physics at Wellesely and MIT. You might email her for her thoughts.</p>
<p>For the record, Wellesley does not have a decent Physics and Astronomy department, we have a decent Physics department and a decent Astronomy department. You will not see a separate and autonomous Astronomy department at many schools.</p>
<p>Wellesley xreg is pretty dang easy these days. Class times are somewhat coordinated, and the days of the week are matched (that's the biggie). The calendars are within a week of each other. Some holidays are off, but the schools aren't the same.</p>
<p>When I took my second semester of first year physics we had three Olin students taking the course to "remediate their E & M." ;-). This was in the "olden" days and one of the students did bike. Wellesley does allow testing out of first year Physics, but I don't know a lot of people who do. The physics Alumna I know have given me the impression that the Wellesley phyisics major is adequate prepartion for graduate work. With a few small exceptions, all of Wellesley's physics courses are a required part of the major.</p>
<p>I imagine taking physics as an engineer will leave you with a lot of challenges that you haven't dealt with before, even if you have had most of the physics. I wouldn't recommend being an engineering student at Olin with a Wellesley physics major is the way to do your degree. I also expect that some puppy dogging with the Physics department at Wellesley will let your Olin equivalents sub in for Wellesley equivalents. Also, keep in mind that engineers will be applying the principles of physics to materials and real world situations that would never be modelled in a theoretical physics class. So while you won't see these courses called "physics" you will be relying on the physics that you have learned. Go through Olin's course catalog (I am woefully unfamiliar with it) and see what classes (if any) have SCI 3130 or any of the other physics offerings as a prerequisite.</p>
<p>Caltech has an affliation with JPL, but I have no idea what you can do there as an undergrad. It also has amazing acess to telescopes and facilites, but I know nothing about the department (note to self: research for grad school).</p>
<p>However, if you are seriously worried about the lack of full major's worth of physics or Astronomy courses at the institute you chose, you might want to think about what you want to get out of your undergraduate education. You may want to BE a physics major at a univesity instead of an engineering student at a school that offers engineering or science. </p>
<p>Also keep in mind that Astronomy graduate schools expect a background in physics, but do not require ANY Astronomy courses (hence Wellesley's interdepartmental Astrophysics major). I do not know of acceptance rates for graduate schools in either Physics, Astronomy or Astrophysics from Engineering majors, but I can tell you that Engineers are needed and useful in Astronomical fields.</p>
<p>If you are leaning towards Olin, I would bring your question to a campus day if there is another one. If you are feeling adventurous, I would try to hop the Wellesley shuttle or email some department heads (hint: Ducas and French).</p>
<p>Two of my Olin friends interned at NASA this January.</p>
<p>I am deeply involved with the Astronomy and Physics Departments at Wellesley, so PM me if you have any questions.</p>
<p>Another option is taking courses at Brandeis. One of my friends is interested in physics in graduate school, and he has taken all the physics courses offered at Olin (there are quite a few half semester ones like relativity and high-energy astrophysics in addition to the full-semester courses like modern physics). This semester he is taking a physics class at Brandeis (not sure what the course title is and can't ask easily because I'm studying away this semester). </p>
<p>Brandeis is a bit more difficult to get to than Wellesley (I have taken two courses at Wellesley, but none thus far at Brandeis), and not as many students take classes there, but you would have to ask someone who's actually done it to get a better idea.</p>
<p>As for the NASA program which was mentioned previously: I did that at Olin last summer, so if you're interested I can tell you more.</p>
<p>Diogenes......I am very interested in what you have to say about the NASA program.Please elaborate!
Also, where are you studying this semester?
Thanks</p>
<p>The NASA internship program is run through Goddard Space Flight Center thanks to Prof. Holt, who used to work there. Every summer, ~10 students have the opportunity to work on engineering projects in support of scientists at Goddard. The projects tend to be things that the NASA engineers could do themselves, but have elected to pass off to students instead. Last summer, 10 of us worked on various projects in support of the Constellation X mission, which is developing the next generation of x-ray satellites. If you are interested in seeing what work we did, here is the link to all the project websites: <a href="http://nasa.ece.olin.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://nasa.ece.olin.edu/</a></p>
<p>I worked on the Mirror and Thermal Stress projects. We heard from our contact at Goddard quite recently informing us that she's been using the work we did on the Thermal Stress project quite frequently, so the work that students do does get used, it's not that the NASA people are just coming up with things to keep them occupied for 10 weeks. The research is conducted at Olin, but students do fly down to Goddard for a day towards the beginning of the semester.</p>
<p>The first week is spent learning background information. Prof. Holt gives lectures on astrophysics and x-ray telescopes and such matters. Students receive their projects by the 2nd week and then spend the rest of the summer working on them. One skill you definitely develop is learning to deal with making and keeping to a schedule, which is something most companies will require. It's rather tedious, but an important thing to work on.</p>
<p>I'm currently studying in Prague, Czech Republic at Charles University.</p>
<p>Ok, there is also another NASA internship run through MIT every winter that Olin students can participate in thanks to Dr Holt, the January Operational Internship Experience (JOIE). I've done the summer one mentioned previously and this winter did the winter internship. </p>
<p>Every January MIT/Olin (The number of Olin kids depends on the year, and its really the MA Space Grant, but its traditionally been MIT and Olin kids) sends 8 students to KSC for three weeks. While you're there you spend a week at three different directorates, we did Shuttle, Station, and Expendable Launch Vehicles. There is talk about changing from Station to Constellation, but I dont know what will come of that. While at each directorate you learn about how the design choices they made years ago are now affecting the choices they are making today. You learn alot about what to look for as a designer and how to design things not just for the end user, but the users in between. Processing and repair are just as important as use. It is an amazing experience. You go places you never see on the bus tours of KSC, and meet some amazing people. Plus three weeks in Coca Beach in January...</p>
<p>At the end you give a presentation to some high ups and write a paper. I call it a great deal.</p>
<p>The one tomboy mentioned is the one I know people who did. It's cool you guys have two!</p>
<p>Diogenes and tomboy, thank you!
I am really looking forward to Olin.</p>