Colorado Boulder physics undergrad

[Delta31415]

So recently I was accepted into CU Boulder COS&A for physics :)
I was wondering how good is the physics program( I know its good but I have heard bad things as well). how good is it education wise(research-wise I know it's near the NIST), however, its a large state school does this impact it negatively?
just give me your personal opinions

also thanks for the help

 

[Dishsoap]

First of all, congratulations! CU-Boulder is a really good school for physics, especially in AMO (atomic, molecular, and optical) research. Being a large state school is not necessarily a bad thing. Plus it's in one of the most beautiful places in the country.

 

[Delta31415]

First of all, congratulations! CU-Boulder is a really good school for physics, especially in AMO (atomic, molecular, and optical) research. Being a large state school is not necessarily a bad thing. Plus it's in one of the most beautiful places in the country.

thanks! what I was talking about being a large state school is I would prefer not to deal with 600+ student classes where your just a number( however since I have never had a big class in my life, take what I said with a grain of salt).

 

[opus]

Congratulations x2!
From my experience (very limited as I'm a sophomore at a large state school), classes can be very large or quite small. The large ones, and the largest I've seen is ~200, are the ones that everyone has to take. This would include all your gen eds, but more specifically classes that other students in similar majors also need to take. For example, a Physics degree at my university requires Calculus 1,2,3, Linear Algebra, Diff Eq, Physics I, and Physics II before you can even start your "actual" Phys classes. These classes are very large because many other degrees require them as well (engineering disciplines, math, etc). However after these classes are completed, and you can take classes that are much more specific, the class sizes shrink dramatically. Just out of curiosity, I looked to see how many students were enrolled in QM I for this semester at my school and it was 8 students.
This is strictly speaking from my personal observations at my university, so it could definitely be different in other areas.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

Not many Physics programs are worth digging a big debt hole for. The question most students should be asking is closer to, "Is program A enough better than program B in my home state to justify incurring $YYY,YYY more in debt?" If you are looking at six figures of debt, the answer is probably no.

If a program is in your home state, you probably still need to compare your total costs and expected debt of multiple options. Most recent high school grads can save close to $40-$50k over the course of 4 years by living at home and commuting to a closer school.

 

[Delta31415]

Not many Physics programs are worth digging a big debt hole for. The question most students should be asking is closer to, "Is program A enough better than program B in my home state to justify incurring $YYY,YYY more in debt?" If you are looking at six figures of debt, the answer is probably no.

If a program is in your home state, you probably still need to compare your total costs and expected debt of multiple options. Most recent high school grads can save close to $40-$50k over the course of 4 years by living at home and commuting to a closer school.

thanks for the tips also I plan to pursue a double degree in both physics and engineering does the same idea of not worth it if it cost too much also applies to engineering schools? Or just physics. However, if I get enough scholarships and UC Boulder becomes affordable is it worth it in your opinion.