I feel like I have few options based on other people’s stats around here. I realized too late in my high school career that I wanted to go to a top school and now it is definitely too late for that, but I need to know what schools I should be aiming for here.
I’m from Louisiana. I’m a student at a well known(at least in my area), high ranking secondary school. Cost is not an issue. Location is not an issue. I will be majoring in physics with aspirations of going to a good graduate school.
I need a school with good research opportunities and core classes for a physics major.
Stats:
3.35 uw GPA
31 act (I am taking it again in hopes of doing better)
Several honors courses. Only 1 true AP course (AP comp sci this year). I will be taking the ap psychology ap and calculus ab exams this year as well although I am not officially in the classes.
ECs:
Super smash bros club vice president (organized events and travel to tournaments)
Chess club
100 hour service project (required by school)
What is the problem with LSU? If you work hard and get good grades, and avail yourself of undergraduate research opportunities (that would lead to good letters of recommendation), then you should be able to get into a good graduate program down the road.
Also, don’t be concerned with being in a “top school”; go to a place that is good for you, where you can maximize your opportunities.
I have thought about lsu. My only problem with lsu is the research opportunities. It seems like the only field available to get any research expirence in is medical physics. A lot of people online say it is important to pick a field you are intrested in studying in grad school. I don’t know what branch of physics I would like to study in grad school yet. It seems like a bad idea to limit myself to only one branch of physics undergrad research.
Where are you getting your information about research opportunities there? Have you read all of the publication lists of all of the Physics faculty members? Check the department website for links to each of the faculty member’s individual web pages. You also can run their names through scholar.google.com to see what they have been up to recently.
You would be desirable to schools looking for geographical diversity. Maybe look at schools like Syracuse and Rochester Institute of Technology. Also, Clarkson Univ. GL
3.3 unweighted GPA may be higher depending on your honors and AP classes. The schools may refigure it.
Your ACT is pretty good.
Someone mentioned Clarkson, which is a good suggestion. RIT is also a good suggestion.
With your stats and your desire to go to grad school you may want to look at schools that focus on undergrad experience rather than being placed in a research university where teaching is less of a priority. Also at research university you would compete for research positions with grad students.
Schools that are liberal arts college can really work with you an individual student and can nurture your personal academic growth. Choosing the right LAC would also allow you to work immediately on research with a professor.
This forum wouldn’t let me post the list of ph.d. feeder schools. If you google “ph.d. feeder schools” you should find it on a website called college transitions.
Some of the LACs that are ph.d. feeder schools may surprise you and you may like them–