Schools Transferring Schools: Preparing for the Differences

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Transferring to a science and engineering-oriented college may present a significant shift in both work ethic and classroom dynamics compared to a smaller, less science-focused institution. Students can expect larger class sizes, which may result in less direct interaction with professors and more reliance on teaching assistants for support. While many professors at the new institution may have prestigious backgrounds, such as degrees from Yale or Harvard, this does not guarantee superior teaching quality. The effectiveness of lectures can vary widely, and students should be prepared to engage with the material independently, potentially relying more on textbooks. Overall, adapting to a more research-driven environment may require a proactive approach to learning and seeking assistance.
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Hi, I'll be transfering colleges come this August and I'm curious about the difference in work ethic and classroom material that I may encounter. The school I attend now isn't very science oriented. It's a small school, and hence a small physics department (although it has its hand in some national research projects), and the professors that teach here are usually graduates from this very school. I'll be transfering to a school that is science/engineering oriented, and I'm curious about what I should expect both in and out of the classroom. The majority of the physics professors at this school are graduates from places like Yale, Harvard, etc. Should I expect their lectures to be clear and concise, or might they be the type of professors that expect you to learn all of the material from your textbook alone? Any advice is appreciated.
 
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One thing that you may experience would be less attention from professors, especially if your going to a bigger, research university from a smaller, teaching university.

At the bigger school, you may have more interaction with TA's etc. and less with your professors.

Also, I wouldn't expect the professors lectures to be better just because they come from Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. A professor's "pedigree" doesn't neccessarily determine how good of a teacher he/she is.
 
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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