Can't decide on undergrad school

[conker873]

So I've been accepted to a total of 9 schools and I've narrowed my decision down to UMD-college park, UIUC, and Umass Amherst. UMD and UIUC are top rated physics schools with great reputations but on the other hand Umass Amherst is a lot cheaper and i got into there honors program which will help with acquiring positions in research. Any information on the schools would be beneficial, also is graduating from Amherst in the honors program as prestigious as the other two.

 

[eri]

I've spent time at UMD and UMass, and had a friend go to UIUC. As far as quality of life goes, I'd vote for UMass. Although it might be the lowest ranked for physics between the three (not by much), it's still a great school with some very good research opportunities. And if it's significantly cheaper than the others, I'd say go to UMass.

 

[Nabeshin]

So I've been accepted to a total of 9 schools and I've narrowed my decision down to UMD-college park, UIUC, and Umass Amherst. UMD and UIUC are top rated physics schools with great reputations but on the other hand Umass Amherst is a lot cheaper and i got into there honors program which will help with acquiring positions in research. Any information on the schools would be beneficial, also is graduating from Amherst in the honors program as prestigious as the other two.

Honors program at UMass really isn't anything. You're obliged to take a few "honors" courses and do what they call a "capstone" project (basically a senior thesis). I don't know how much it helps with getting undergraduate research or any of that, but it seemed to me (was only there freshman year) to be more or less worthless. Wouldn't really let it factor into your decision too much if I were you...

It's a nice school in a nice area though.

(I have a biased opinion, but I thought the physics department there was trash. Again, just based upon my first year experience and my current undergrad institution [Cornell])

 

[member 178484]

You won't go wrong at any of them, but if it were me I would choose UMD or UIUC based of which you just like better, they are both phenomenal schools. UMass physics is decent and a friend's dad went to Yale for his masters afterwards, but Maryland and Illinois are both much higher quality. Also, UIUC does incredible research on campus, as to Maryland AND Maryland is right next to DC, meaning you have all sorts of gov't agencies and contractors available to you for internships. I didn't do EA to UMD and sadly got rejected bc of it, and may end up xferring there, and I personally would choose Maryland