Select a school that I fit

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am having diffculties to figure out what level of universities in US I should spply to because, as an international student in Canada, I am unfamiliar with the system there.</p>

<p>SAT I: (Taking in December) expect around 2100~2200
SAT II: 780 in Math II, 750 in Physics (first time taking it ahww ><)
TOEFL iBT: 110/ 120</p>

<p>GPA:
The average of ALL courses since grade 10 is 82% (B) in Canada
All sciences/ math have ~90</p>

<p>(with no APs)</p>

<p>School:
Shatin Tsung Tsin Secondary School in HongKong (G.7-G.8)
Cowichan Secondary School in British Columbia, Canada (G.10)
Burnaby North Secondary School in British Columbia (G.12)
University of Waterloo Pr-University Study Program (On my gap year)</p>

<p>intented majors: physics, mathematics
intented career: professor or researchers in theoretical science/ math
intented focus area: atomic physics, particle physics, quantum physics (no string theory)</p>

<p>Passion: Theoretical science/ math, poetry, drama (I used to live with a playwright that's why) and soccer</p>

<p>ECA:
- Go chess - representative of hongkong regional team (U18) while I was 14
- Ranked 22 in hongkong in open competition
- Member of Go-club at my high school in Canada
- Soccer team - just one of my passion
- Research at UBC for one year (August 2007 - June 2008); specialized in
Hydrogen production. My advisor is Dr. John R. Grace in the chemical engineering department.
- Design engineer of a non-profit company Youth Hydrogen which dedicates to promoting and demonstrating the technologies of Hydrogen. It is found by two high school students and we are about to raise 80,000 from government fundings. Next year, 2008, we will build the first hydrogen gas station in downtown of North Vancouver.
- Business club, a club that we are trained to be a "good" investor... not very good tho you know what I mean =P
- Every friday I have a private tutorial class (2 to ~4 hours) with a prof at UBC, we discussed about math which is totally irrelavant to my normal course work, most of them emphasisize highly on theoretical mathematics; for example, differential equation and the existence of solution, group theory
- Tutor (science and math), I spend about 12 ~ 15 hours every week on teaching because 1) to improve my communication skill in English, 2) I enjoy teaching student as I am also learning new ways to approach the same theory and 3) to make a living. </p>

<p>Three words to describe myself: independent (in term of learning =P), inquiring and creative (in science)</p>

<p>Teacher evaluation: top 5% OR one of the top stuednts encountered in my entire teaching career in all aspect on "common application"</p>

<p>Brief intro about myself: Since I was young I am curious about everything; I never tired of asking "why". (Of course, as I gain more and more maturity in science/ math, now I know how to ask a question wisely. - "What if...", "Is that possible that it could be this way instead of the other way...") This results in my passion in science. However, there is not many opportunity in science in my homw country (HongKong); I decided to move to Canada alone at age of 14 (2006January). Then I attented Cowichan Secondary School, which I considered as a very good school. Despite of its size and the lack of many resources, I find it inspiring as I learn the enthusiasm in science. One year later, due to my parents, I am forced to move to Great Vancouver. I attented a big public school there and I do not enjoy it as much as the school in Cowichan Valley. It has excellent resources, I have to admit, but the lack of reaction between teachers and students make me not very satisfy with it. Then, at age of 16, I decided to graduate due to a) the financial burden of my family, b) the disappiontment of this school. Shortly after my graduation, I involved into my job in Youth Hydrogen (mentioned above) as I feel obligate to "save the world". On the other hand, I am involving in research in UBC, which makes me very hard, almost impossible, to study for SAT. However, I am glad I am still able to take 5 to 6 hours everyday to study chemical kinetics as well as various of atomic theories. While I am working on the catalyst in the material and surface chemistry lab, I have chance to see the "reality" of atomic physics and they certainly intrigue me. The most important thing I learn in UBC is the technique and of research, also the attitute every researcher should have: scienific, be positive and logical. (it is NOT my essay, just a intro to let you get a sense of me, in order to make accurate judgement)</p>

<p>PS: Due to a burning passion in science, I would like to attent a college that provides undergraduate research</p>

<p>Dream School: Northwestern University (is that possible?)</p>

<p>Many Many BIGGG thanks!! =P</p>

2

<p>I'm going to suggest an unusual college for your consideration: The University of Colorado. First, I think your numbers will get you in. Secondly, there is some absolutely fascinating work going on there with very low energy physics and Bose-Einstein condensate (Nobel Prize winning research, if I recall). I don't know if that interests you, but the idea that matter becomes something very different at a billionth of a degree above zero Kelvin fascinates the heck out of me.</p>

<p>Another place where you should have a pretty good chance is the University of Washington, and it is very strong in the sciences. A question: Are UBC and Simon Frazier not to your liking?</p>

3

<p>So Tarhunt, does that mean we can turn lead into gold?</p>

4

<p>Been able to do that for years, dstark. Just too costly to do it ;-).</p>

5

<p>When I took physics over 30 years ago (I must be getting old), I was told that we would have nuclear fusion by the year 2000. This would mean abundant energy, and the ability to change matter. </p>

<p>You're telling me we can change matter now? Do you have any links a layman can understand? :)</p>

<p>I find this subject fascinating too.</p>

6

<p>I hate to sound protectionist but I think colleges and universities in the United States ought to consider admitting US citizens first and foremost. For over 30 years we have educated foreigners here, with our taxdollars (although many of them paid tuition, the tuition was subsidized often with State Department programs when this idea was novel and in vogue). We hoped they might return to their home countries and promote US relations. That has not generally been the case, though it has worked out well in a few cases. But in some cases it was disaster. And even in some it was a national security debacle.</p>

7

<p>Hey d:</p>

<p>Here's a link, d (<a href="http://www.peswiki.com/index.php/PowerPedia:Transmutation%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.peswiki.com/index.php/PowerPedia:Transmutation&lt;/a&gt;) and, yes, I took physics about as long ago as you did. I'm just catching up on heliocentrism.</p>

<p>As I recall, there was nuclear fusion even then being done in magnetic bottles. I don't follow that stuff much any more, so I don't know where the current technology is. Clearly, it's not yet available for commercial use and my understanding is that it's still a long way away.</p>

<p>As for Bose-Einstein condensate, I sat next to a man on a plane who was a staffer on a Nobel Prize-winning team at the U. of Colorado who explained to me how it works. The matter is supercooled to one billionth of a degree above absolute zero by, literally, stopping the motion of the subatomic particles in the atom with various vectors and laser frequencies!! I kid you not! The result is a sort of particle soup that's not like matter as we know it, at all. Link here: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bose%E2%80%93Einstein_condensate%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bose%E2%80%93Einstein_condensate&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Just think. There is a laboratory in Colorado that boasts the coldest place in the universe.</p>

8

<p>Swansong:</p>

<p>Without foreign nationals coming to the US and getting PhDs in hard sciences, and then stikcing around, we wouldn't be exactly dead in the water, technologically, but we would be falling behind. In fact, we're having an increasingly difficult time retaining these PhDs, now that the rest of the world offers more opportunity than it once did.</p>

<p>Thank your lucky stars that we attract that kind of talent from around the world and are able to retain at least some of it.</p>

9

<p>First, many thanks!!</p>

<p>UBC and SFU are definitely great schools, especially after professor Carl Weiman joined the UBC physics department; all science undergraduate courses have improved a lot since then. Even though there are many excellent mathematics researches at UBC (eg. category theory, ect), the physics researches here emphasize too much on physiology. Also, undergraduate researches are uncommon (but i might be different because I know many profs here already).</p>

<p>I am still applying to UBC but I want to apply for schools in US as well.</p>

10

<p>I'd forgotten about Weiman, though I'd read about his focus on instruction. Interestingly enough, it was Weiman who won the NP for Bose-Einstein condensate, I think (though maybe it was something else).</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

11

<p>Yea. One thing I would like to ask. Why did Weiman leave Colorado?</p>

12

<p>As a member of the Big Ten (it's an academic conference first), Northwestern WILL offer great research opportunities.</p>

13

<p>Tarhunt, great links, thanks. I had no idea there was a place in Colorado that was the coldest place in the universe.</p>

<p>I of course, didn't know this either.</p>

<p>"Condensates are extremely low-temperature fluids with properties that are currently not completely understood, such as spontaneously flowing in their container. The effect is the consequence of quantum mechanics, which states that systems can only acquire energy in discrete steps. If a system is at such a low temperature that it is in the lowest energy state, it is no longer possible for it to reduce its energy, not even by friction. Without friction, the fluid will easily overcome gravity because of adhesion between the fluid and the container wall, and it will take up the most favorable position, all around the container."</p>

14

<p>
[quote]
One thing I would like to ask. Why did Weiman leave Colorado?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Sorry. I don't know.</p>

15

<p>
[quote]
"Condensates are extremely low-temperature fluids with properties that are currently not completely understood, such as spontaneously flowing in their container. The effect is the consequence of quantum mechanics, which states that systems can only acquire energy in discrete steps. If a system is at such a low temperature that it is in the lowest energy state, it is no longer possible for it to reduce its energy, not even by friction. Without friction, the fluid will easily overcome gravity because of adhesion between the fluid and the container wall, and it will take up the most favorable position, all around the container."

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Isn't the universe a wonderful place?</p>

16

<p>Thanks boys for the physics lesson. Thoroughly enjoyed.</p>

<p>To the OP: A vote here for SUNY Stony Brook. C N Yang (Nobelist) created its physics dept. Stony Brook now administers Brookhaven National Labs, one of the top physics research facilities in the world (about 20 miles east of SB).</p>

<p>Both Brookhaven and Stony Brook are very friendly to those from other countries. There is a big international population, many, many ethnic restaurants, groceries, etc., a strong Asian community, promixity to NYC and the largest Asian Center in the country.</p>

17

<p>"Isn't the universe a wonderful place?"</p>

<p>Yes it is. And I learned something new today. That's good. :) I'm glad I read your posts.</p>

18

<p>"Condensates are extremely low-temperature fluids with properties that are currently not completely understood, such as spontaneously flowing in their container. The effect is the consequence of quantum mechanics, which states that systems can only acquire energy in discrete steps. If a system is at such a low temperature that it is in the lowest energy state, it is no longer possible for it to reduce its energy, not even by friction. Without friction, the fluid will easily overcome gravity because of adhesion between the fluid and the container wall, and it will take up the most favorable position, all around the container."</p>

<p>One stupid question: how can you have extremely low-temperature fluids? If the energy level is already at its lowest state, wouldn't it condense and become solid?</p>

19

<p>kit4ubc:</p>

<p>We're getting near the limits of my knowledge, but I'll answer as best I can and hope someone more knowledgeable corrects any errors.</p>

<p>Almost all elements become solid at a certain temperature (helium is the exception and solidifies only under pressure). When temperature reaches a certain low, a substance reaches its lowest, quantum state. At that point, matter as we know it doesn't really exist. Atomic structure breaks down and the particles become a sort of soup. You know how electrons are in different quantum shells depending on their energy, and how adding energy causes them to make a "quantum leap"? Well, if the energy is low enough, all the bosons collapse to the lowest possible state.</p>

<p>I found a GREAT link: <a href="http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/bec/what_is_it.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/bec/what_is_it.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Enjoy!</p>