<p>Okay, so I'm an aspiring astrophysicist and I need some help finding top schools for astrophysics. I've considered University of Chicago to be my number 1, and I've also heard it's a great astrophysics school. However, I checked their website and they don't offer a major in astrophysics. I'm kinda curious as to how it works, and of any other schools that I should consider.</p>
<p>[Colgate</a> University : Physics and Astronomy; Pre-Engineering](<a href=“http://www.colgate.edu/academics/catalogue/coursesofstudy/physicsandastronomy;preengineering]Colgate”>http://www.colgate.edu/academics/catalogue/coursesofstudy/physicsandastronomy;preengineering)</p>
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<p>OP, U of Chicago offers an undergrad Physics major with a specialty in Astrophysics. In fact, many other universities also offer their astrophysics courses and majors through their physics depts. So, you’re going to miss a lot of programs if you don’t look at the physics depts, too. </p>
<p>For astronomy/astrophysics depts, there are many schools you can consider depending on your personal preferences and stats:
Princeton, Caltech, Penn State, UCB, U Washington, Columbia, Ohio State, UCSC, Harvard, MIT, Arona, Cornell, Wisconsin, Johns Hopkins, Texas, Virginia, Michigan State, UCLA, Boston U., Colorado, Maryland, Yale, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, Florida</p>
<p>and then there are the physics depts., too.</p>
<p>2010 NRC Top Astrophysics/Astronomy Rankings</p>
<ol>
<li>Princeton</li>
<li>Caltech</li>
<li>UCBerkeley</li>
<li>MIT</li>
<li>PennState</li>
<li>Harvard</li>
<li>UofChicago</li>
<li>Johns Hopkins</li>
<li>Uof Washington</li>
<li>Uof Arizona</li>
</ol>
<p>The NRC rankings aren’t really that useful for looking at undergraduate schools, and it’s worth noting that the 2010 rankings actually used two different systems, both based on confidence intervals, so it’s hard to put up an exact numerical ranking.</p>
<p>To the OP: if you want to be an astrophysicist, you don’t necessarily need to be an astrophysics major. Any school with a strong program in physics (and there are many) should be a solid choice. Look for a university with an environment in which you think you will do well.</p>
<p>Princeton
Caltech
John Hopkins
MIT</p>
<p>One school i haven’t seen posted yet is Embry-Riddel Aeronautical University. they call it Space Physics but it seems like a pretty sweet program. from what i hear from my buddy that went there; the Prescott campus is alot nicer than the Daytona campus.</p>
<p>On piece of advise i would give you though is you can go to pretty much any school with a Physics program. For the most part the classes you will take in any Physics program will be about the same as an astrophysics program.<br>
The first 2 years your gonna take:
physics 1,2,3
calc 1,2,3
Chem 1,2,3, +Organic<br>
plus whatever GE’s</p>
<p>Then upper division your gonna take:
App Math to Physics
Upper division General Mechanics
Upper division Electricity and Magnetism
Upper division Quantum Mechanics
Some instrumentation labs
Maybe a research course</p>
<p>Sprinkle in some “astro-physics” classes and boom, your an astro-physics undergrad!</p>
<p>So basically what im trying to say is an Undergrad Physics program is and Undergrad Physics program. Dont feel like you need an “astro-physics” title yet. that will come when you go to grad school. Plus u might want to change your specialization when you start to learn a little bit more about nuclear and plasma physics, as well as materials and condensed matter. those are really cool topics in physics, and that is where the money is. an “astro-physics” degree might even set you back if you choose to move into those areas. </p>
<p>but physics is a great field. I love it. Congrats on having a good enough head on your shoulders to pick a good field!</p>
<p>Organic chemistry is not really necessary for physics in any way. Is that a requirement where you are?</p>
<p>haha my bad… thats because im in chemical physics…</p>
<p>it could be useful though. O-chem is all about election orbitals. haha</p>