Studying Physics or a science at a Liberal Arts College?

College Search & Selection
1

Basically i’m an international student looking too apply to the US next…well right now.
From what I suspect, LACs(Liberal Arts Colleges) don’t have a strong focus on the sciences.
I’m mainly interested in Physics.

Is there anyone on CC that would like to share their experience of studying a science at a LAC?

2

bump

3

You don’t need to bump up the thread right after posting. :slight_smile:

There are many other threads on liberal arts colleges and sciences. Many LACs are very strong and known for the sciences including Physics. It’s incorrect and uninformed to think otherwise. Here’s a recent thread with a similar question:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19885785#Comment_19885785

4

totally incorrect concept.
many LACs have STRONG science programs- Carleton , Swarthmore, Pomona, Reed, Williams, are good examples of LAC’s with VERY strong science depts.

5

Thanks a lot fam @doschicos
Are there any rankings for LACs in Physics?
Which college has the strongest physics program and best graduate opportunities? Any ideas?

6

http://www.thecollegesolution.com/the-colleges-where-phds-get-their-start/

Presumably if a LAC is on there in Physics they do would be pretty strong.

7

This question seems to almost be an FAQ.

Here is an answer in another similar thread:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19885785/#Comment_19885785

8

This. Also: Harvey Mudd.

9

A few somewhat less competitive (admissions-wise) options might be Bucknell, Lafayette. Union, Franklin & Marshall. I suggest you go through the online course catalogs of any LAC you are considering.

10

You can add Bryn Mawr (females only), Wesleyan, and Haverford to the list

11

http://wesleyanargus.com/2014/02/27/research-takes-on-new-dimensions-with-3d-printer/

12

As noted there are quite a few liberal arts colleges with excellent physics (and other sciences). Do you need financial aid? This can be a key factor in international admissions, especially at small LACs.

13

Students from these “baccalaureate” colleges have received Apker Awards (for undergraduate research in physics):

Williams
Swarthmore
Amherst
Haverford
Hamilton
Harvey Mudd
Colgate
Reed
Macalester
Middlebury
Oberlin
Mt. Holyoke
Franklin & Marshall
Bucknell
Augustana (S.D.)

From this group, these schools have had graduates who have won a Nobel Prize in a science field:

Swarthmore
Amherst
Haverford
Hamilton
Oberlin

14

https://www.haverford.edu/college-communications/news/summer-centered-ben-soloway-‘18-crosses-atlantic-solar-research-0

15

I suppose it is my job to point here that since the rules were changed in 1992, Wesleyan is no longer considered a “baccalaureate” only institution (it has a few hundred graduate students) and therefore competes against MIT, Stanford, Caltech and other much larger universities, successfully, I might add:

http://newsletter.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2014/01/23/geyerthesis/
http://newsletter.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2010/10/13/hsu-10-honored-by-american-physical-society/

16

My son is a physics major at Hamilton and he loves it. The professors are excellent and always accessible.

17

@“Erin’s Dad” (post #5)

Here is a more comprehensive survey of the baccalaureate origins of STEM PhDs:
https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf13323/
It’s a couple years old but I doubt much has changed.

See table 4, which adjusts for school size.
Half the top 10 schools for per-capita alumni-earned STEM PhDs are LACs.
More than half the top 50 are LACs.

Their numbers may be somewhat inflated by selection effects. Unlike many universities, LACs generally don’t have undergraduate pre-professional programs (business, etc.) that typically would not feed heavily into PhD programs. Still, there are enough LAC alumni earning STEM PhDs to suggest the programs must be strong at some of these schools (assuming they aren’t gravitating disproportionately to weak PhD programs).

Other factors to consider:

  1. Many selective LACs seem to offer relatively good financial aid to international students;
  2. Even the most selective LACs may be less familiar to applicants in some foreign countries, so the competition may be a little less intense than it is to the Ivies or major state universities.
18

^ Thank you for that reference.