How good and well-known is the physics program at RPI?

[GoldenOrbWeaver]

Hi! I was recently admitted to RPI with significant merit aid, so while I'm still waiting to hear back from other universities, there's a high chance I end up there. I'm hoping to double major in physics and math so I can go to grad school for geophysics or condensed matter physics (still deciding), and I'm wondering if RPI would prepare me for that. I've heard that it is very rigorous, which I want, but it isn't ranked particularly highly and seems to be mostly known for engineering. I very much want to go to a top school like MIT or Stanford for grad school and I'm wondering if RPI is good enough for that? Thanks.

 

[CrysPhys]

I very much want to go to a top school like MIT or Stanford for grad school and I'm wondering if RPI is good enough for that?

Most major US universities have an alumni office, or even specifically a physics alumni office. Check whether RPI does. If so, ask them whether they have stats for the last 5 or 10 yrs on how many BS Physics grads have gone on to PhD Physics programs at MIT, Stanford, or other university of your interest.

But be aware that your undergrad university per se is not dispositive. There are many variables. This forum once had a regular member named @Dr. Courtney, who often related the story of how he got his BS Physics from Louisiana State, but made a strong enough impression to be admitted to the PhD Physics program at MIT (but IIRC he had to take remedial undergrad courses at MIT).

 

[DaveE]

As you said, RPI has a good reputation in the engineering community (EE anyway). It's a good school, IMO. Your grad school admissions are a ways off, there's a good chance you'll change your path before then. In any case, your grades, test scores, recommendations, and such will probably be determinative from any reasonably good school.

I think undergrads put too much weight on a universities reputation. You will need to learn physics if you want to do physics. There are many, many good instructors that can teach undergrad physics. You don't need, nor are you likely to interact much with the Nobel laureates that the PR types advertise. Ideally you will choose a school that allows you to maximize your ability to learn, there are many good choices. Your happiness, lifestyle, finances, and the availability of alternate academic paths is probably more important than going to the "very best" school.

 

[gmax137]

As you said, RPI has a good reputation in the engineering community (EE anyway).

It has a good rep in nuclear engineering as well.

It's a good school, IMO.

I agree. I have known and worked with quite a few RPI alumni.

I think undergrads put too much weight on a universities reputation. You will need to learn physics if you want to do physics. There are many, many good instructors that can teach undergrad physics. You don't need, nor are you likely to interact much with the Nobel laureates that the PR types advertise. Ideally you will choose a school that allows you to maximize your ability to learn, there are many good choices. Your happiness, lifestyle, finances, and the availability of alternate academic paths is probably more important than going to the "very best" school.

This is so true. See if you can find out how many physics majors the school graduates each year. Use this to estimate the number of students you would expect to be in any particular course. A lower number is good. Who teaches the physics major courses? Professors or grad students? I think these kinds of questions are more important than "what's school X's rep?"

ask them whether they have stats for the last 5 or 10 yrs on how many BS Physics grads have gone on to PhD Physics programs at MIT, Stanford, or other university of your interest.

This is really sound advice.

Are you a skier? Troy has a long cold winter.

 

[Muu9]

S

Thread 'Which college is the best for physics research in general?'

Mar 13, 2025

Hello, my goal is eventually to go to grad school for physics. I am not yet sure what sub-field I find most interesting because all of them are very interesting to me. Of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Stony Brook University, and University of Rochester, what college will provide me with plentiful research opportunities in a variety of sub-fields? Thank you for any feedback you may have (please disregard cost for the sake of your recommendations).

• schmittno
• Physics Schools
• Replies: 38
• Forum: STEM Academic Advising

Just curious, how much merit aid did you get?

 

[QuarkyMeson]

Go to the school where you pay the least amount of money for your degree, within reason. At my university which is a "lower ranked" state R1, we have plenty of graduates who've gone to top programs at the University of Michigan, the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Arizona, the University of Maryland, etc. You get out what you put in and the name of your undergraduate school doesn't weigh that heavily over GPA, letters of recommendation, and research publications.

 

[GoldenOrbWeaver]

S

Thread 'Which college is the best for physics research in general?'

Mar 13, 2025

Hello, my goal is eventually to go to grad school for physics. I am not yet sure what sub-field I find most interesting because all of them are very interesting to me. Of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Stony Brook University, and University of Rochester, what college will provide me with plentiful research opportunities in a variety of sub-fields? Thank you for any feedback you may have (please disregard cost for the sake of your recommendations).

• schmittno
• Physics Schools
• Replies: 38
• Forum: STEM Academic Advising

Just curious, how much merit aid did you get?

31k a year. I'm waiting to hear back about need based aid, but given that my family's income is relatively low, I'm fairly certain I'll also get that.

 

[GoldenOrbWeaver]

Most major US universities have an alumni office, or even specifically a physics alumni office. Check whether RPI does. If so, ask them whether they have stats for the last 5 or 10 yrs on how many BS Physics grads have gone on to PhD Physics programs at MIT, Stanford, or other university of your interest.

But be aware that your undergrad university per se is not dispositive. There are many variables. This forum once had a regular member named @Dr. Courtney, who often related the story of how he got his BS Physics from Louisiana State, but made a strong enough impression to be admitted to the PhD Physics program at MIT (but IIRC he had to take remedial undergrad courses at MIT).

Thank you for the advice. I'll reach out to RPI and ask about that.

 

[GoldenOrbWeaver]

As you said, RPI has a good reputation in the engineering community (EE anyway). It's a good school, IMO. Your grad school admissions are a ways off, there's a good chance you'll change your path before then. In any case, your grades, test scores, recommendations, and such will probably be determinative from any reasonably good school.

I think undergrads put too much weight on a universities reputation. You will need to learn physics if you want to do physics. There are many, many good instructors that can teach undergrad physics. You don't need, nor are you likely to interact much with the Nobel laureates that the PR types advertise. Ideally you will choose a school that allows you to maximize your ability to learn, there are many good choices. Your happiness, lifestyle, finances, and the availability of alternate academic paths is probably more important than going to the "very best" school.

I understand that, and reputation isn't my only criterion, but I know that some graduate school admissions committees consider it a non-zero amount. If they have two applicants with 4.0s and research in an area close to what the school offers, with one from a mid school and one from say MIT, I'd imagine they'd take the person from MIT. I'm also worried that RPI might not have enough meaningful research to get involved in, given that it's an engineering school.

 

[QuarkyMeson]

I understand that, and reputation isn't my only criterion, but I know that some graduate school admissions committees consider it a non-zero amount. If they have two applicants with 4.0s and research in an area close to what the school offers, with one from a mid school and one from say MIT, I'd imagine they'd take the person from MIT. I'm also worried that RPI might not have enough meaningful research to get involved in, given that it's an engineering school.

MIT is on a 5.0 scale, so a 4.0 would be a straight B student!

That's not really the point you're trying to make, but you can differentiate between students more than just GPA and "same research area interest in application". There are also letters of recommendation which are important. The quality and quantity of undergraduate research. There are statements of purpose. There is demographic information. There is "is someone who wrote your letter known to us" information and etc.

The probability an admission committee finds themselves with two equally qualified candidates in every area is low, in those cases they would probably weigh undergraduate name recognition, as you're suggesting. I don't really know though.

I took a look at the RPI website: https://physics.rpi.edu/research

There is plenty of meaningful research to get involved in. The have a dilution refrigerator so you can actually play around with quantum hardware/CME's, which is cool. They have areas in both theory and experimental research. They appear better equipped than many state schools.

 

[Andy Resnick]

Hi! I was recently admitted to RPI with significant merit aid, so while I'm still waiting to hear back from other universities, there's a high chance I end up there. I'm hoping to double major in physics and math so I can go to grad school for geophysics or condensed matter physics (still deciding), and I'm wondering if RPI would prepare me for that. I've heard that it is very rigorous, which I want, but it isn't ranked particularly highly and seems to be mostly known for engineering. I very much want to go to a top school like MIT or Stanford for grad school and I'm wondering if RPI is good enough for that? Thanks.

I am an RPI grad (class of 1991), physics major. While the academics are quite demanding and the city is a pit of despair (the book "Upstate Girls: Unraveling Collar City" brings back a lot of memories...), I had a lot of great experiences, including "real" summer research projects (construction and testing of a Cerenkov detector as part of the Jefferson labs CEBAF accelerator facility). I met Robert Resnick once who (playfully) accused me of stealing his mail.

As others have mentioned, you will get out what you put in.

EMPAC is pretty cool, too.