<p>I have a couple questions regarding UIUC -</p>
<p>1) How is the Physics Program? In terms of class size, faculty ratio, quality of curriculum, etc.
2) How much aid do Out of State Students get? I can only pay about 15K a year.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Bumpp 10 char!</p>
<p>Please, need help, im a class of 2017er!</p>
<p>I just went to summer registration and signed up for Physics: Mechanics 211. The lectures are about 250-300 (the largest out of the classes I’m taking) while the labs and discussions are about 25-30. I can’t tell you about the quality since I will be there in the Fall. If your family is not well off, you could get the cost down significantly. I know someone that only has to pay about 14K, and only 1K after they factored in interest free gov’t loans (but you still have to pay that back eventually). I don’t know if out of state would get more because of their increased tuition. Best to call or email the admissions office.</p>
<p>you can’t really judge the physics program based on the intro sequence (phys 211-214). aside from teaching physics majors, they’re the required courses for basically every engineer. therefore, quantity over quality is the mantra of those huge lectures (you’ll realize that when you get introduced to smartphysics). its not ideal, but when you have such a big university with that big of an engineering focus, you’re left with little choice.</p>
<p>i can’t really answer your question on the physics program directly, but i’m sure its a good program. uiuc is pretty highly ranked for physics in the graduate department, but i’m sure some of it trickles down. once you get out the intro mechanics and e&m classes, sizes definitely shrink and you’ll know your professors better. its the same for basically every major. </p>
<p>as for financial aid, good luck. uiuc is awful with oos aid.</p>
<p>The Physics program at UIUC is excellent, and has been so for a long time. When I was an undergraduate there the upper division courses are about 40 but of course the introductory ones are bigger since many engineering majors take those courses too.</p>
<p>I don’t know about financial aid since I was in-state and it was a long time ago, before the rapid rise in tuition.</p>
<p>You should definitely consider UIUC but also look into some of the smaller [Association</a> of Independent Technological Universities: AITU](<a href=“http://theaitu.org%5DAssociation”>http://theaitu.org) schools which also have research oriented physics programs, smaller class sizes and often give merit aid.</p>
<p>Good luck</p>
<p>The State of Illinois is broke, thanks Blago, etc! UIUC is not very charitable for in state let alone OOS. Son was valedictorian, 34 ACT and 4.15 GPA, and in his upcoming sophomore year, is getting close to zero for help.</p>
<p>Not too sure about the strength of our Physics program, but I imagine it would be good since Engineering is so good and the two are very similar class-wise. </p>
<p>As far as aid, you really need top-of-the-line stats to get much of anything. I’m going for free because of a 36 ACT, #1 class rank, and National Merit Finalist status, but I have friends that had 34s/35s and were ranked a few spots below me still with the NMF that only got 10,000 a year in scholarships, so it’s really a crapshoot.</p>
<p>uiuc is ranked like #2 to about #4 (switching back and forth) for physics. So obviously great program, and the professors are great. And what I mean by that is, the classes may not be easy courses, but the professors know how to teach and actually help the students out. And regarding the class sizes, let me give you an example: Phys211. If you sign up for Phys211, you have to sign up for a lecture class, discussion class, and a lab class all for that one course. Now, the lecture classe has about 200-300 students. But once you break it down to the discussion class and lab class, one class will only have 20-30 students, so it ends up working out fine.</p>
<p>im guessing you’d be doing engineering? and i’m engineering, out of state also… so regarding fin aid, do FAFSA! its a given, but i know some idiots who missed the deadline. earlier the better! and through FAFSA I was awarded 5500 grant money, 3000 for work study. and from the university I was awarded 5280 grant for oos students(almost evry oos w/ fin need gets it) and then the school also offered me an annual 12K scholarship(so a total of 48K). its called the University Achievement Scholarship for oos which is based off of the college application you submit. so they dont even look at your financial need. i didnt even know this existed and they emailed me that i got it on april 24th so i was like… sweet?! haha so just make sure if you are going to apply, IMPRESS THEM!!
idk how your stats are but mine were good but not AMAZING… i was 6%, never took ACT, 2240 on SAT, Math II-800, phys- 760, chem- 720, korean -800, heavy extracurricular w/ leadership positions, and a few awards… ANYWAY, the rest of the tuition was offered through loans(also a part of the FAFSA shabang), since my expected family contribution came out to be only $30. and just incase you were wondering im asian so affirmative action didnt help me at all haha apply and wait around to see what you get from them! good luck!(:</p>