University of Waterloo

Atomos

I know UW is a big engineering, math, and computer science school, but how is their physics program relative to the other top schools in Canada?

JasonRox

Definitely high and probably the best.

They have a Theoritical Physics Institute in Waterloo itself! (Perimeter Institute.)

I would suspect that it is a great school for Physics.

Sane

Just a side note: Maclean's rated Waterloo the top University in Canada two years consecutively now. And I believe that's overall as well. As that ranking applies to Physics...? I have no idea.

Other Universities are actually outraged by this and withdrawing themselves from the rankings. Heh.

Wikipedia says:
Look at their website to read more about their Physics department. Warning: bias ahoy!

Atomos

Yeah, I wouldn’t trust their site. I applied for physics there, but I am just afraid that maybe I should change to something they are defiantly strong in like Electrical Engineering.

My fears come from the fact that thier admission averages for the physical sciences are in the mid 70's.

Sane

Oh yikes. You don't even know what you want? Why would you be second guessing yourself at the last moment?

Atomos

I know precisely what I want: Physics, I just feared that it might not be the best selection for that school.

Sisyphus

Admission averages can be misleading. Usually, they have less to do with the quality and difficulty of the program, and more to do with the size of the faculty and how popular the program is.

Sane

I'm currently asking a relative if she knows about their Physics department. I'll get back to you as soon as I find a response. I still don't understand why you would want to move in to Electrical Engineering if their Physics department isn't solid? Why wouldn't you just go to a different institution?

ZapperZ

Why not try UBC? As far as condensed matter is concerned, UBC is on par with U. of Toronto. They got George Sawatzky a few years ago, and it has been reported recently that they have managed to snag Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman from Colorado. And they have always had a world-renowned optical spectroscopy group.

Zz.

Atomos

UBC is my first choice , Waterloo (among other schools) is just back up. There are just a few things that bother me about UBC, namely the apparent lack of coop. However, Waterloo is working its way up on my preference list because of their outstanding coop program.

quasar987

(You can delete your posts. You gotta find where the button is)

Waterloo, is that the uni in toronto?

Is Lee Smolin a teacher at UW?

JasonRox

Also, UBC is at the other end of the country!!!

If you got the scholarships, go for it!

Sane

Great to hear you've been looking in to the matter and have noticed that. It is a very important part about Waterloo! "The University of Waterloo is famous for being the groundbreaking proponent of co-operative education in Canada and currently maintains the largest such program in the world" ~ Wikipedia

Atomos, did you get an avatar because you were once a contributor, which has since then expired? I'm confused.

Atomos

Yes, coop is very important for me. Correct me if I am wrong, but the two main criteria for grad school admission are marks and possible undergrad experience. Coop appears to be a good way to pad the latter.

edit: yes, I paid $20 a while ago and it seems to have expired after a year :-(

JasonRox

I'd be more concerned with NSERC Summer Research than Co-op as a key to graduate school.

Werg22

That's quite interesting. The match is definitely between UW and Toronto University, which one is best needs investigation.

George Jones

No, Waterloo is in Waterloo.

Smolin is at the Perimeter Institute, which is located in the city of Waterloo. Smolin has adjunct faculty status at the University of Waterloo.