What nearby colleges in NYC have strong physics programs for transfer students?

[Leptos]

I currently go to Queensborough Community College, but I plan to transfer as soon as I have enough credits. I live in Jamaica Estates, Queens. I want to live in my parents' house for my undergraduate years, and I was wondering what nearby colleges I could apply to. I can manage a 3.9-4.0 GPA, but it's at community college.

I'm looking for schools based on the quality of their physics programs.

At the moment, I'm considering Queens College, and City(CCNY), but I'm not sure which one to pick. I know Queens College is probably the closest college to where I live(and thus most favorable in terms of commute).

As far as I know, CUNY pools its resources together so regardless of which school I transfer to(i.e if it's a CUNY school), I shouldn't have a problem as long as it has a strong physics program.

 

[Roni1985]

Why don't you go to NYU or Columbia ?
you will lose credits, you will pay crazy money, but its worth it.

As far as I know CCNY is a good engineering school (good in terms of public schools).
Queens also has a very good science department.

I would look deeper into their Physics departments (since this is what you want to do) and would base my decision on this.

In my opinion, if you are willing to take a loan, go for a private school.

 

[story645]

Why don't you go to NYU or Columbia ?
you will lose credits, you will pay crazy money, but its worth it.

Why? NYU doesn't really have a reputation in physics; most people assume that they bought poly in part to improve their overall science rep. I've always heard good things about Columbia's grad science programs, but, at least for engineering, nobody takes their undergrad program all that seriously.

As far as I know CCNY is a good engineering school (good in terms of public schools)

Only 'cause it's the only option available to a lot of people. Okay, so I'm horribly horribly biased against the place, but to be honest it's really not the worst place to be. Professor quality seems to be normally distributed (some awesome, some hideous, most middle of the road), the material is the same covered anywhere else (ABET accreditation and all that), and the guys who actually try to learn do end up knowing their stuff reasonably well. There's also lots of awesome research floating around, new giant research center coming soon, and nowhere near enough grad students to fill the spots, which means most every undergrad that I know who is doing research is getting paid for it and most get published. The only qualm I have with the physics dept. is that they've got one terrible professor who they can't fire, so their solution is to give him sections but warn students not to take him.

 

[twofish-quant]

The only qualm I have with the physics dept. is that they've got one terrible professor who they can't fire, so their solution is to give him sections but warn students not to take him.

Heh... Heh... Heh... Happens in a lot of places...

It's really amusing when the reason that they can't either fire the professor or remove him from the section that he wants to teach is because the guy happens to have a big award like the Nobel prize or Fields Award.

 

[Mathnomalous]

Why? NYU doesn't really have a reputation in physics; most people assume that they bought poly in part to improve their overall science rep. I've always heard good things about Columbia's grad science programs, but, at least for engineering, nobody takes their undergrad program all that seriously.


Only 'cause it's the only option available to a lot of people. Okay, so I'm horribly horribly biased against the place, but to be honest it's really not the worst place to be. Professor quality seems to be normally distributed (some awesome, some hideous, most middle of the road), the material is the same covered anywhere else (ABET accreditation and all that), and the guys who actually try to learn do end up knowing their stuff reasonably well. There's also lots of awesome research floating around, new giant research center coming soon, and nowhere near enough grad students to fill the spots, which means most every undergrad that I know who is doing research is getting paid for it and most get published. The only qualm I have with the physics dept. is that they've got one terrible professor who they can't fire, so their solution is to give him sections but warn students not to take him.

As far as I understand, CCNY's Science division is considered the most prestigious within the CUNY system. The Physics' department current faculty is mostly composed by graduates from the most prestigious universities in the U.S., Columbia and Berkeley being the most represented. So at the very least, one may obtain an indirect Ivy League or top school education/influence, if that means anything to anyone.

So, "the only option available to a lot of people" is also the best option available to a lot of people. I see no reason to invest more than $30,000 tuition on an undergraduate education. I think that capital would be more productive if invested on an advanced degree not to mention graduating with little to no debt.

@Leptos: If you truly don't mind traveling 1hr 30mins (one-way) from Jamaica Estates to Upper Manhattan, then by all means go to CCNY. Otherwise, Queens College is your best option.

 

[story645]

So, "the only option available to a lot of people" is also the best option available to a lot of people.

I go to CCNY, so take my comments with a grain of salt 'cause I'm slightly cynical at this point (but like the place enough that I'm sticking around for a phD from the grad center.) I chose CCNY instead of schools that rank far higher precisely 'cause it was cheaper (the scholarships worked out such that I made a profit on my education) and nobody really cares where an undergrad engineering degree comes from, (especially in NY, where a good number of people are from CCNY) so I don't disagree with you.

As far as I understand, CCNY's Science division is considered the most prestigious within the CUNY system.

I think that's also partly 'cause CCNY is kinda the research university (We're called a college, but we've got 4 schools on campus) branch of CUNY, and there is a lot of research coming out of here. As for teachers? I had a friend who was much happier with the physics classes she took at Queens, and I've just heard lots of mixed reviews. The rule of thumb is usually that the harder guy is better, but wonky things happen to. I once had a horrible/easy professor for lecture and an awesome/difficult one for recitation, so I learned stuff and didn't have much trouble with the grade.

If you truly don't mind traveling 1hr 30mins (one-way) from Jamaica Estates to Upper Manhattan, then by all means go to CCNY

I got so sick of the commute that it became a big factor in why I decided to just move up to Harlem.

 

[Leptos]

Why don't you go to NYU or Columbia ?

I don't mind losing credits. I'd expect that for any school I transfer to.
Columbia is one of the schools I'm applying to.
My list for transfer schools was:
1. Columbia
2. Queens College or CCNY - Safety schools. Most likely Queens College because commute is troublesome.

As for NYU, I have no idea why someone would apply there as a physics undergraduate student. Both of my sisters went to NYU, but they were in business.

 

[Codester09]

Columbia has Brian Greene. He is amazing. Read "An Elegant Universe" or "Fabric of the Cosmos" sometime. I would KILL to be enrolled in Columbia's physics program.

 

[SpiffyKavu]

I have applied to the graduate programs for both Columbia and CUNY in astronomy. My impression is that the programs at both schools are solid.