Many LACs (including Vassar, Smith, Wesleyan, Bucknell, etc) which typically pay something like $3500 for ten weeks research work (usually dorm housing but not food is provided). These programs are somewhat competitive, but not madly so, and can lead to publications (co-author, obvs). The are open to enrolled international and domestic students.
Yes, I’m planning to get a PhD in physics. I’m also planning to double major in physics and computer science as an undergraduate. I’m specifically planning to work in research and academics after i get my PhD. Will graduating from a LAC be in itself a disadvantage when applying to grad school?
Also, It’s typical for colleges to include student employment in FA packages for international students, can I still get a job on campus during the school year in the remaining hours of the week?
$3500 would be great but i’ll have to spend big part of it on rent and food. So, if i get in this program, can i still have an on-campus job? at least for the remaining month after the program is finished?
And a LAC degree is not at all useful in my home country.
@katliamom Yes they are eligible for internship/Co-OP that their majors are related to.
Of course, working in Walmart or store is illegal
It’s a mixed bag. On the one hand, it will be much easier for you to work closely with your professors, which can result in more opportunities and better letters of recommendation. On the other hand, graduate programs in physics and math seem to care about how advanced the coursework was that an applicant completed in college; most of the successful applicants to the top programs will have taken a good number of graduate courses in college, which unfortunately isn’t an option at a LAC.
For physics specifically, you may fare better in PhD admissions if you focus on experimental physics rather than theoretical physics in college - a good LAC will have more opportunities for you to advance in the experimental setting.
Btw, if you are sure about the PhD in physics, I would strongly discourage you from pursuing the double-major in CS. By all means learn how to program, but don’t split your time evenly between the two majors. You’d just handicap yourself for graduate admissions. Also be sure to take more math classes than required for the physics major, and (especially if you’re interested in the experimental setting) lab classes in other sciences.
That all depends on the college you attend. No point speculating in general until you have concrete offers in front of you.
If you feel that an LAC degree is useless why did you ask specifically about the example of "a liberal arts college in a small town?
Just to clarify, a degree from an LAC is not different than a degree from a university. Some LACs even have the word ‘university’ as part of their name. They are both full third level degrees. The main difference is that an LAC offers few, if any, 4th level degrees. I don’t know of a country that would not recognize a degree from Washington and Lee University but would recognize one from Spring Hill College (which is a university).
It is true that there are countries that struggle with the word ‘college’, and associate it with secondary schools. Trinity College Dublin has been re-branding itself as Trinity College Dublin / The University of Dublin (which is it’s full name) because the word ‘university’ is important in (for example) China. But to say that it is not at all useful is a bit of a stretch.
As for applying for a STEM PhD from an LAC, my physics major collegekid (who attends an LAC not known for science) has well-funded offers from all 11 of the unis she applied to, including four from the top 10.
I don’t know if the $3500 is exact or not, but you asked if you could clear “a few thousand” after room & board. If the college provides housing (which I noted was typical), that leaves only food. You said that you need to clear “only 2, maybe 3 thousand”. Just how much do you eat?
Finally, you don’t (or shouldn’t- I don’t know what country you come from, and how connected your family is) actually know how currency fluctuations will play out over the next 4 years. They could go to your advantage as easily as to your disadvantage.
"If you feel that an LAC degree is useless why did you ask specifically about the example of “a liberal arts college in a small town?”
@collegemom3717, I believe OP is waiting to hear from a small-town East Coast LAC he/she applied to, hence the question.
Thanks for that @katliamom - I should have checked the OPs other threads before responding. Still, it seems as if these questions are the sort you ask before you apply to a series of LACs.
Here is your problem, as noted by @b@r!um, you will be stretched thin. Your labs and group projects become more intense when you have to work in a group. If you plan to double-major, you won’t be able to work during the semester.
I’ve found that international students grossly underestimate the difficulty of the coursework presented at US universities. Yes, even at LAC’s.
This, in addition to culture-shock, prerequisite non-STEM course requirements, personal daily living skills, and financial planning/budgeting will impact you.
I’m pursuing theoretical physics, not experimental physics. And I’m not 100% sure that I want to get a PhD in physics. I’m also interested (but quite less interested) in AI and maybe I’ll go on with CS. Will taking a minor in CS be a better option? can i get into grad school to study CS with only a minor? I also strongly believe that I will be able to double major with no major problems. Academic background is generally the strongest part in my application (if not diversity from the perspective of many colleges).
All the colleges that I’m applying to (except for one or maybe two, along with 2 other research universities–U of Rochester and Emory) are top LACs like Hamilton, W&L, Vassar, Grinnell, Reed, and similar colleges. And I’ve checked the physics curriculum for many of them myself and it’s usually strong and rigorous.
I don’t at all feel that a degree from a LAC is useless. Someone here suggested that they’re not a good option and I asked for elaboration.
And for the colleges that I’ve checked, you do pay for residence if you’re going to work on campus. I’m not sure about the research program tho
Not letting you off the hook that easily:
post #29:
post #21
As far as summer housing costs & subsidies, it depends on the school. Vassar subsidizes, Smith just pays more (so you net about the same). You can research the schools you applied to, to see what their funded summer research programs offer- but apparently this is all theoretical, as you do not seem to have any actual offers yet, and at least one of your unis does not promise to meet full need for international students (W&L).
Most of the colleges that you are applying to have flexible enough requirements that you will be able to start the physics-track courses and take some compsci as electives, and get a feel for both the work load and your level of interest before you have to actually declare a major in second year.
You are surely aware that for theoretical physics a PhD is essential.
In terms of your understanding of liberal arts degrees (math, physics, literature), they tend to predominate at both highly regarded universities and liberal arts colleges. Relatively few “top-ranked” schools in the most-consulted USNWR rankings offer, for example, concentrations in fields such as nursing or business.
I only said it is useless in my home country, not in general. And I’m not planning to work in my home country anyway.
And also, those programs are for only 10 weeks, so I have a few weeks at which I will have to pay for residence and food.
And currency fluctuations won’t be in my favor because my local currency is floated recently and it just keeps falling.
I fully believe that you are capable of completing a double-major, in addition to working a part-time job. I just want to caution you that it may not be a good idea. Depending on what your eventual goals are, focusing on one field over the other may be advantageous.
I am not saying that you need to make up your mind right now. You can stay on track for a double-major for the first two years until you have a clearer picture of your preferences and goals. If you do eventually eventually decide to pursue a PhD, you may fare better in PhD admissions if you spend your junior and senior years focusing on that field (and supporting coursework in other fields) rather than a double major.