THE GREAT DEBATE LACs vs LARGE STATE SCHOOLS

<p>Perhaps Oberlin in Ohio, since it offers the usual upper division physics courses once per year instead of once every two years or less frequently?</p>

<p><a href=“Oberlin College - Acalog ACMS™”>Oberlin College Courses Offered in 2012-13 (and planned offerings in future years) - Oberlin College - Acalog ACMS™;
[Fall</a> 2012 Schedule of Classes](<a href=“Fall 2012 Schedule of Classes”>Fall 2012 Schedule of Classes)
[Spring</a> 2013 Schedule of Classes](<a href=“Spring 2013 Schedule of Classes”>Spring 2013 Schedule of Classes)</p>

<p>If you are interested in Swarthmore, would you be interested in Haverford or (if female) Bryn Mawr? Cross registration agreements with each other and UPenn can help with the upper division course availability.</p>

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<p>I agree. I’m biased toward LACs … but believe you might be better off at Pitt than at a LAC with a physics program that small. By comparison, Oberlin graduates ~12 physics majors each year. Bryn Mawr averages ~9/year (but this number would be augmented by students at neighboring Haverford). A lot depends on your own abilities and efforts, wherever you go, but the school does need to cover at least the basic courses expected for your major.</p>

<p>If your scores aren’t competitive for Swarthmore, then they might not be competitive for Haverford (and possibly Oberlin) either. Lawrence University (WI) has a good reputation for Physics, and is less selective than those 3 schools.</p>

<p>Muhlenberg’s physics program also looks strong.</p>

<p>If you are willing to go out of region for a LAC with physics, consider Reed. It has a relatively good selection of core and elective upper division physics courses, most of which are offered at least once per year (instead of once every two years).</p>

<p>[Reed</a> College | Physics | Courses](<a href=“http://academic.reed.edu/Physics/courses/]Reed”>Courses - Physics Department - Reed College)
<a href=“http://www.reed.edu/registrar/pdfs/sched_1314.pdf[/url]”>http://www.reed.edu/registrar/pdfs/sched_1314.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>It also has something else of interest for physics majors to use:</p>

<p>[Reed</a> College | Reed Research Reactor | Reed Research Reactor](<a href=“http://reactor.reed.edu/]Reed”>http://reactor.reed.edu/)</p>

<p>Yes, but if you apply to Reed, beware of the hippies: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1582046-ask-something-about-hippie-schools.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1582046-ask-something-about-hippie-schools.html&lt;/a&gt;
(Full disclosure: S is an ED applicant to Reed.)</p>

<p>Hippies are now in their sixties!</p>