I have decided that I want to apply to liberal arts colleges for pure physics. After research I have found the following universities:
Claremont McKenna, Grinnell, Pitzer, Pomona, Franklin and Marshall, Knox and Bucknell.
Which of these are good for a pure physics course? Could you’ll also suggest me some other liberal arts college that I could and should apply to for physics. I really need help!
Are you a senior? Do a search on this website’s super match tool and put in the course you are interested in studying. You should get selections. You have provided no information about your grades or test scores, so without those it is impossible to make recommendations. You can put all,that info into the Supermatch tool. All those schools are selective, I think Bucknell, Franklin and Marshall, and Knox are the easier ones that you list. You need very high grades to get into any of the Claremont Consortium schools. Grinnel is also very selective. I really hope you are a junior. You do realize all your applications are due in about two weeks?
I am a senior. I have actually finished applying to most universities but applied only to large public universities. Only recently I was made aware of the advantages of the smaller private colleges. Hence, decided to give them a shot as well, as it couldn’t do me any harm.
I have an ACT score of 32 and GPA roughly 3.1
In activities, I have done 2 internships in the research and development at two firms. I have been a house captain. I regular member in the football and badminton and captain of the badminton team too. I have also participated in 5 MUNs and won in one. I have also been a volunteer in rural development organisation for a couple of months and taught students English. I have also volunteered at a school for the underprivileged and mentored students there.
Harvey Mudd, Oberlin, Reed can be considered.
Pomona, Claremont McKenna, and Grinnell are out of reach with your stats. I understand why you think there’s no harm in applying, but is it really worth the time and money to apply to schools you have no chance of getting accepted to?
Besides physics, what else are you looking for in a school? Some of these schools (like Bucknell and Grinnell for example) have radically different environments.
Regardless, I would check out Lawrence University. It’s one of the top feeder schools for physics PhDs and would probably be a match for you.
Thanks, but what exactly do you mean by radically different environment. How exactly are they different. As of now I am really not keen on anything besides physics
I can’t see CMC as a strong physics school. I agree that Lawrence is a good addition.
@Physicsapplicant Grinnell is known for having a quirky, liberal, hippie-ish environment, whereas Bucknell is known for having big Greek life and athletics, so generally they appeal to different types of people.
My impression is that Franklin and Marshall would fall into the same category as Bucknell in terms of relative popularity of athletics and Greek life. Also, Knox is a good school, and worth looking at for any number of other reasons, but hasn’t crossed my radar for Physics. (Maybe I missed something?)
With your GPA, you need to recalibrate your LAC list. Several schools are extremely selective: Pomona, CMU, even Pitzer and Grinnell that typically accept A students. Lawrence is a good choice.
You may want to take a look at Colleges That Change Lives for LAC’s. CTCL schools typically accept the B / B+ student. With your ACT score, you may get significant merit aid if the deadline has not yet passed.
Clark university is also a CTCL school. They give good merit, but no idea about physics.