<p>I was accepted at both Brandeis and Rochester, and must endure the time-honored tradition of choosing between two seemingly equal schools. I received $35,000 from Brandeis and about $32,000 from uofr, pretty much equal, yet ultimately that $3,000 may add up. I am looking to major in physics (have done the prestigious research, the Intel ISEF, etc., and to ultimately go into theory, so I will probably start at a higher level course), yet want to receive a liberal arts education. At first glance Brandeis seems like the better liberal arts school, yet Rochester has an open curriculum that is quite appealing. The physics department at rochester seems larger, and I hear it is very well funded (with the laser lab and all), although once again the school does not seem to have the total academic package. On the other hand, I have talked to physics majors at Brandeis and they say the program is great, working with some of the top professors in the world. The students at both schools seem scholarly, and I believe I will have equal opportunities for research at both schools, so I remain confounded. In terms of prestige, I hear Brandeis is more well-known, internationally it would seem, which should not be a factor in my decision because it is undergraduate, yet I do care. In terms of social life, Brandeis is far superior. In terms of campus, rochester wins, simply because it is a traditional, aesthetically pleasing campus (perhaps because it wasn’t covered in blinding snow), while I visited Brandeis on the worst day of the year, seeming devoid of students. In terms of location, it’s Brandeis, being close to Boston and all, and coming from NYC I love cities. And I believe that’s all, aside from the horrible room mate selection process and distigusting food at rochester, I mean really bad. I know this is a Brandeis thread yet I would appreciate an objective opinion.</p>
<p>I do not attend Brandeis yet, so I can't really give you an opinion on the physics side of things. But after reading your post, it seems as if Brandeis has more positives than Rochester. I think that, seeing as you seem to have an extremely passionate interest in physics, either school would be fine as long as you are willing to pursue your interest. If you have as much self-motivation as you seem, you could most likely achieve any level of acedemic success that you strive for. Having said that, the rest of the reasons that you listed, including the Brandeis campus's proximity to Boston and the reputation of both schools, all signs point to Brandeis. From what you listed on your post, I think (from an objective view point) you should go with Brandeis.</p>
<p>thanks jesster...</p>
<p>does anyone know anything about the physics department program at Brandeis??? and is there any freedom with the curriculum????</p>
<p>for the best and most accurate answer to your question see: <a href="http://www.physics.brandeis.edu/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.physics.brandeis.edu/index.html</a></p>
<p>also, I'm sure the physics chair, Robert Meyer, would love to get in touch with you. His e-mail is <a href="mailto:meyer@brandeis.edu">meyer@brandeis.edu</a> and his phone is 781-736-2870</p>
<p>So, taking a look at the physics curriculum, it seems pretty flexible. It's 11 courses for a BA and 17 for a BS, which isn't awful...Chem is more and I still have room for a minor, university requirements, and several electives.</p>