Admissions Is Public College the Right Choice for Theoretical Physics Research?

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Applying to a public college for an undergraduate physics program is a viable option for those aiming to specialize in theoretical physics and pursue research, especially if financial constraints limit access to private universities. For California residents, institutions like UC Berkeley and UCLA are highly regarded and offer lower tuition rates compared to private schools. However, non-resident tuition can be significantly higher, so it's essential to check specific school websites for accurate costs. If finances are particularly tight, starting at a community college for two years before transferring to a university is a recommended strategy to reduce overall expenses while still pursuing a degree in physics.
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Hi guys , Is applying to a public college for an undergraduate physics program a good idea if I want to specialize in theoretical physics in the future and do research ? How much does it cost on average ? I don't have the money for other universities and I didn't graduate from a US high school which means no SAT scores etc also my first language is not English and I didn't take TOEFL yet .So other options are limited.
 
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For someone who was a resident of, say, California, and wanted to do theoretical physics research, I would certainly suggest going to a UC. UC Berkeley and UCLA are two of the best universities in the world, and for a resident they are much, much cheaper than a private school.

Are you currently living in a foreign country?

If so, then you're going to be paying nonresident tuition, which is much higher. You can find out how much it is by looking on the specific schools' web sites.

If money is very tight, you could consider going to a community college for two years, then transferring to a university.
 
Hey, I am Andreas from Germany. I am currently 35 years old and I want to relearn math and physics. This is not one of these regular questions when it comes to this matter. So... I am very realistic about it. I know that there are severe contraints when it comes to selfstudy compared to a regular school and/or university (structure, peers, teachers, learning groups, tests, access to papers and so on) . I will never get a job in this field and I will never be taken serious by "real"...
Yesterday, 9/5/2025, when I was surfing, I found an article The Schwarzschild solution contains three problems, which can be easily solved - Journal of King Saud University - Science ABUNDANCE ESTIMATION IN AN ARID ENVIRONMENT https://jksus.org/the-schwarzschild-solution-contains-three-problems-which-can-be-easily-solved/ that has the derivation of a line element as a corrected version of the Schwarzschild solution to Einstein’s field equation. This article's date received is 2022-11-15...

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