How Do California State Campuses Rank for Physics Programs?

[marsdk]

Hello there,

I am studying Physics at the Technical University of Denmark (that's right, in Denmark, EU), at what corresponds to aproximately 3rd year college in the US.

I plan to go abroad for the next fall semester, 2011, and I am in the middle of choosing which University I will apply for. I am planning on going to either the US or Canada

My school has some exchange offers around the world, and I am going to apply for those, and I'd like some advice from someone who knows the places.

My Priorities are

1) Caltech (I know it is really, really good)
2) McGills, Montreal (Seems to have good rankings, and many good courses, any comments?)

I'm fairly sure these are going to be my first and second priorities

I'm thinking about choosing a third from the California State campuses, does anyone know how their physics programmes are? And which campus is the best?

Also, my school sends a lot of students to Raesellear Polytechnic in Troy, NY, so I can definitely go there. How are their physics programme?

Im looking forward to hearing from you,

Mikkel

 

[Kevin_Axion]

I know McGill, and University of Toronto (http://www5.physics.utoronto.ca/students/graduate-program/ )
are very good graduate institutions in Canada. Have you considered the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Canada? -
http://www.perimeterscholars.org/course-curriculum.html
http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/

 

[Phyisab****]

RPI is well respected for physics and engineering. But certainly not on the level of Caltech. I hope you realize that Caltech is probably the most selective school in the country.

 

[marcusl]

The Cal State universities are not in the same league, not even as good as RPI--and many will be very weak indeed. None has a graduate program. If you must, San Jose State has an ok physics program, and maybe Cal State Northridge (though living in a suburban part of LA may not be an exciting overseas experience). I suggest you stick with your other choices if you can.

EDIT: Are you sure you mean Cal State U, or University of California? They are vastly different systems--the UC's have world class physics programs. UC Berkeley is in the top 5 in the U.S., UCLA is probably in top 10, and UC San Diego is also excellent. The weather at all is great compared to bitter cold at RPI (Troy, NY) and Montreal. You can get a decent education at Irvine and Davis, though I wouldn't want to relocate to either area compared to the others.

 

[Kevin_Axion]

University of California Santa Barbara has the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics.

 

[Pengwuino]

The Cal State universities are not in the same league, not even as good as RPI--and many will be very weak indeed. None has a graduate program. If you must, San Jose State has an ok physics program, and maybe Cal State Northridge (though living in a suburban part of LA may not be an exciting overseas experience). I suggest you stick with your other choices if you can.

EDIT: Are you sure you mean Cal State U, or University of California? They are vastly different systems--the UC's have world class physics programs. UC Berkeley is in the top 5 in the U.S., UCLA is probably in top 10, and UC San Diego is also excellent. The weather at all is great compared to bitter cold at RPI (Troy, NY) and Montreal. You can get a decent education at Irvine and Davis, though I wouldn't want to relocate to either area compared to the others.

CSU's have graduate programs, but just masters programs.

Not that I'm bias or anything...

FRESNO STATE RULES!

 

[bogarts21]

How good is the Perimeter Institute? I'm also looking for international education opportunities.

 

[marsdk]

@Physiab: Yep I know it is selective, but luckily my university has an exchange arrangement, so they are the ones supposed to accept my application. I do believe I have a good change of being accepted by them.

@marcusl: Yeah, I wish it was the UC's, but my school's arrangement are with the Cal States. Thank you for the comments :)

Glad to hear about RPI and McGills, but any more thoughts are welcome,

also: Does anyone know about University of Wisconsin-Madison, that's one of DTU's arrangements as well? Is it good?

 

[jtbell]

Wisconsin is no Caltech, but it's a good solid school with a wide-ranging physics program. I'd guess it's somewhere in the top 20. Madison is a nice place, unless you really want to avoid winter. And there are a lot of people of Danish descent in Wisconsin.

 

[planethunter]

The CSU's really do give you a bang for your buck. You pay about 3k per semester for tuition, compared to some other schools, this is basically nothing.

The best CSU's are Cal State Long Beach, Cal Poly Pomona and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. I will be attending the applied physics masters program next Spring @ CSULB. CSULB has been ranked as one of the top colleges in the west and there have always been rumors that it will eventually become part of the UC system, so you know its a very good school.

Pomona is good as well, but is kind of way out there in the San Bernardino County. Not much to do around there. The same goes for San Luis Obispo. At CSULB, you have a great program and its walking distance to Belmont Shores, and very close to the beach and to downtown Long Beach and Orange County.

I might be biased since I also received my UG degree there, but I have attended other schools since then, and it really is a great school for the little money to spend on tuition there. Good luck!

 

[marcusl]

You might find the following rankings interesting:
http://grad-schools.usnews.rankings...raduate-schools/top-physics-schools/rankings"

There's always some argument over the ratings--should school X be above or below Y--but this will give you a solid sense of where the schools sit. You won't find Cal State listed since they don't have full grad schools.