College Choices for attaining Undergrad vs Grad degrees

[intellect7]

Hello PF,

I am currently in high school, and I am watching my brother go through the experience of choosing colleges. This started to make me think about my future. I plan to receive degrees in physics hopefully up to a doctorate. To do this I understand that multiple degrees are needed, the first two being undergraduate and graduate degrees. My question has to do with choosing schools for these two degrees. Is it wise to attend MIT (which in this case represents the best school for a physics degree, both grad and undergrad) for undergrad, then go elsewhere for a graduate degree, or the other way around - go to an average school for undergrad then MIT for grad? Apart from these two options is it possible to go to the same GREAT school for both undergrad and grad, or is this frowned upon? (for some reason I thought that it was)

Finally, what if I could only afford to go to MIT once? When would I go.

My current biology teacher went to an average school for undergrad, then MIT for grad, and I have had many other mentors do the same and say that this is the way to do it. But I have also heard how amazing undergrad life is at MIT and don't want to miss out.

Finally finally (really, this is final), please compare and contrast undergrad life with grad life at colleges similar to MIT while attaining a degree in the STEM field.

***I am not looking for opinions about the best physics school, or comments on my life choices when I am only in high school, or anything of this sort - this question is mostly hypothetical. Please just properly answer the questions at hand.***

THANKS SO MUCH FOR ANY AND ALL RESPONSES :)

 

[R.Mesri]

The decision of which school to attend for undergraduate and graduate degrees is a very personal one, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Generally speaking, attending a top school like MIT for both undergraduate and graduate degrees will give you the best opportunities for job placement and research. However, if you can only afford to attend MIT once, it may be better to attend for your graduate degree. This is because graduate studies are usually more specialized and focused on research, so having the experience of a top school in this area may be beneficial. As far as comparing and contrasting undergrad life at MIT with grad life, there are significant differences. For undergraduates, the focus is usually on coursework, extracurricular activities, and gaining a broad knowledge of the field. Graduate studies, on the other hand, tend to be more specialized and require students to conduct independent research. Graduate students also often take on teaching assistant roles, helping teach classes and grading assignments. In summary, whether you should attend MIT for both undergraduate and graduate studies or just one depends on your goals and financial situation. In general, attending MIT for both degrees may offer the best opportunities, but it is not necessary to do so in order to be successful.