Strong Physics major related institutions for California resident : Please advice

College Search & Selection
1

Trying to first get an idea about the admissions within UCs for a junior who will be applying to colleges in the fall 2016. Want to get ideas about where should I apply and which are good matches to me. Also want to do pure Physics research as an undergraduate and would most probably take honors/accelerated programs, if available.

GPA UW : 4.0
GPA 10-12 a-g : 4.53
GPA cumulative Weighted: 4.33

ACT (first attempt): 32 Composite Will give it again in April 2016
SAT Math 2: 800 Will give SAT Physics in June 2016
PSAT 760 Math, 650 Reading/Writing

AP courses: (sophomore year) 1 : AP European History
(junior year) 3 : APUSH, AP Comp Sci, AP Calc AB
Self Studying for AP Calc BC and AP Physics C: Mechanics to give exam in May 2016

Honors Courses : 3 (Pre Cal and Trig, Chemistry, Physics)

School’s limitation: Only 1 Math and Science subject can be taken

Academic ECs:
ATDP at UC Berkeley in Applied Physics as rising junior in summer (semester long credits/ 48 hours)
Pre Calculus enrichment course at local community college as rising sophomore (year long credits / 70 hours)
Trying to do some research related summer program coming summer

Non Academic ECs: Badminton varsity team since freshman year (2 awards), CSF Member (4 semesters straight, enrolled in 5th), Math tutoring, Math club member, Math tournaments (no awards yet) gave AMC 12, AAMT etc., Physics Olympiad Club, Gave F=ma exam, Creative Writing Society (gave a few presentations there, love it)

Basically totally love Physics. Also love Math, Writing and Badminton

Thanks for the help

2

Anybody??? Please advice

3

You can apply to all the colleges in the University of California system with a single application.
(http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/)
It looks like you have a decent shot at Berkeley/UCLA, and a very good shot at the other UCs.

Especially if you can raise your Reading score, you might also have a shot at some of the more selective private schools (such as Cornell, Rice, or Harvey Mudd). Depending on your family’s financial circumstances, these schools may or may not be competitive in net cost with the UCs. However, if you like the UCs and can afford to attend, there may be no need to look much farther.

4

UCSB College for Creative Studies has an extremely highly regarded Physics major. Very unlike any of the other Physics programs at other UCs. Look it up and visit CCS. You will be surprised. It is meant for undergraduates interested in research and is a PhD feeder. If you are serious about Physics this should be 1 of your top 5 choices anywhere across the US.

5

If you can get in, CalTech arguably has the best physics program in the country.

Back to reality, if you’re in state Cal, UCB, UCLA, UCSB would all be excellent choices.

Beyond that, excluding MIT and Princeton (as hard to get into as CalTech) I’d recommend looking at:
Harvey Mudd
Chicago
Reed
Rice
Carleton
RPI

As colleges that produce a good percentage of PhDs from their physics undergraduate program.

6

Agree with @khanam – you need to check out the physics program at UCSB. The College of Creative Studies – like a grad school for undergrads – will have you doing graduate-level research starting in your freshman year. It’s an exciting, very flexible program. And since it’s Santa Barbara - you’ll be getting this exciting education in one of the most beautiful places on the planet :slight_smile: