University of Alabama Tuscaloosa

[WrinkleDinkle]

Well, I qualify for free everything and entrance into honors college.
But it's University of Alabama, and isn't ranked very high.
I'd be going there for undergrad, and my dream is to go to a big school like Stanford or MIT for graduate studies.

 

[TheKracken]

Free? Take it, it will be a good decision for you. I looked up their physics department and they have active research as well as plenty of graduate classes for you to take if you are to surpass the undergrad curriculum. At lower ranked schools you should have an easier time to shine and from there have more research opportunities and better letters of rec.

Good luck to you and whatever you decide.

 

[F=qE]

I agree, if it's free, take it. Alabama is a pretty state and I bet going to Bama will be an INCREDIBLY fun undergrad experience. You got to have fun too in addition to studying to stay same.

Stanford and MIT will be just as hard to get into almost regardless of where you complete your undergrad with 1 or 2 exceptions.

 

[raddian]

For those wondering (if any) how UA is free

http://scholarships.ua.edu/types/out-of-state.html.
A first-time freshman student who meets the December 15 scholarship priority deadline, has a 32–36 ACT or 1400–1600 SAT score (critical reading and math scores only) and at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA will be selected as a Presidential Scholar and will receive the value of tuition or $99,800 over four years ($24,950 per year).

Also more rewards for the NMF. No catch. Both scholarships (NMF and Pres.) are automatic once you apply. Tell your kids, friends, family, etc.

 

[ZombieFeynman]

I went somewhere roughly equivalent to Alabama for my undergrad in terms of quality of physics education. I certainly think it is possible to learn a lot of physics there. I also got into a grad school that's much, much better than where I went, although still not as prestigious as MIT and Stanford. On the other hand, hard-working students which I know who are undergradutes at the school I go to grad school are placed in even better schools than here! If you otherwise will go into debt, I would strongly suggest you attend a school for free. It's too good a deal to pass up, especially when you don't know if you even will go to graduate school. However, I think that you should recognize that going to better schools for undergraduate will only be beneficial to your academic goals. Students where I attend now have a plethora of opportunities that do not exist at smaller physics programs with less funding, less well known faculty, and less extensive research programs.