Which University should I go to for my undergrad in physics?

[Maddy467]

Did you make a post on each university's subreddit?

I did!
Why do you not recommend Stony Brook and/or UofArizona? Do they not have as good of a reputation and research outlook as Rutgers? (They are sure better ranked... Arizona leading in Astro and Stony Brook is just better overall)

Yeah well, Rutgers is big, but I'm just afraid it's quantity over quality. Please correct me if that is the case... I really think Stony Brook and UofA are 2 ends of my spectrum... good overall whereas good specialisation... Rutgers falls in between ig...

 

[Vanadium 50]

reputation

Reputation...Reputation...Reputation...Reputation...Reputation...

I am sensing a theme. It almost makes me want to ask "So, what part of India are you from?"

All four are excellent schools. None is at the very tippy top. And at the risk of repeating myself, which one you will do best at depends more on you than it does the school.

 

[MidgetDwarf]

Rutgers has figure skating.
Iowa State has cow-tipping.
Take your pick.

Iowa is the choice if ones likes the big bovine variety.

 

[MidgetDwarf]

All are great choices. Stop overthinking. Pick the one with the hottest girls.

Go with the one that offers the higher scholarship amount. This would reduce the hours needed to work, and thus, more time to study.

 

[WWGD]

All are great choices. Stop overthinking. Pick the one with the hottest girls.

Go with the one that offers the higher scholarship amount. This would reduce the hours needed to work, and thus, more time to study.

I suspect, with a handle " Maddy467", she is a girl.

 

[MidgetDwarf]

I suspect, with a handle " Maddy467", she is a girl.

Fair enough. Im Comanche, and first time i seen the name Maddy. I assumed the op is prone to being mad.

 

[Maddy467]

I suspect, with a handle " Maddy467", she is a girl.

Nah ... I'm a guy

 

[Maddy467]

All are great choices. Stop overthinking. Pick the one with the hottest girls.

Go with the one that offers the higher scholarship amount. This would reduce the hours needed to work, and thus, more time to study.

Well, I do have a girl. And yeah well xD you're right... Rutgers is the cheapest for me... but only by a slight nudge... tbh all of them differ only by a grand or two a year... Although... I do have an admit into the honors college at Rutgers, but its the worst-ranked (qs) among the two, unfortunately. Although, after some research... it looks like a solid college to attend. I am really confused about Rutgers and Stony Brook!!! aghhhhh

 

[WWGD]

Nah ... I'm a guy

Apologies, Maddy467!

 

[Vanadium 50]

I suspect, with a handle " Maddy467", she is a girl.

Her position might well be "Whichever one I choose will be the one with the hottest girls."

 

[Vanadium 50]

If rankings are that important to you, pick the one with the highest ranking and be done with it. Personally, I think this makes as much sense as picking the school with the best football team, but hey, it's your life. You'll learn soon enough that rankings are not everything.

 

[Maddy467]

All are great choices. Stop overthinking. Pick the one with the hottest girls.

Go with the one that offers the higher scholarship amount. This would reduce the hours needed to work, and thus, more time to study.

Well I do have a girl... and the costs are around the same... they do differ by a grand or two a year. but yeah... ig you guys are right. I am overthinking. But ig... that's okay, I just don't want to regret spending all this money (yes, it is a lot for me) and think ohhhh I would have been better off graduating from that college.

But yeah... Ig... That won't happen with any of these colleges... I sure will get opportunities, and if I'm good enough, I'll avail them.

ig... Stony Brook it is (probably).. (or maybe Rutgers) xD... idk
I have a couple of weeks to decide, and I will continue researching. But yeah, Ig more than college, I need to research my own interests and ask myself what do "I" want.

Vanadium is right... well... He has been from the very beginning. But I'm glad I had all this discussion. Thank ya'll!

I will post an update about what I chose to do. hehe.. but yeah, thanks for the inputs... Now I do have a sense of what to look for.

 

[Maddy467]

Her position might well be "Whichever one I choose will be the one with the hottest girls."

nahhh lmao... I'm a guy... Maddy was just a nickname I had for how crazy I was... unrelated to Maddie

 

[Maddy467]

If rankings are that important to you, pick the one with the highest ranking and be done with it. Personally, I think this makes as much sense as picking the school with the best football team, but hey, it's your life. You'll learn soon enough that rankings are not everything.

Yeah well, you're right. I did post stuff on the subreddit. People told me about their experiences. Stony brook seems fun (a bit introverted physics grads as it sounds)! Rutgers is fun too (but people doing physics there seem to not have the best experience... also not as research-oriented school ig)! UofA has opportunities around the area but largely for US citizens since a lot of them have some defence security involved.

But yeah, Ig I would be good going to either one of SBU or Rutgers. I will indeed calculate the net costs again and see if Rutgers is worth it because of the Honors College thingy. But yeah... one of those it is.

 

[Muu9]

I did!
Why do you not recommend Stony Brook and/or UofArizona? Do they not have as good of a reputation and research outlook as Rutgers? (They are sure better ranked... Arizona leading in Astro and Stony Brook is just better overall)

Yeah well, Rutgers is big, but I'm just afraid it's quantity over quality. Please correct me if that is the case... I really think Stony Brook and UofA are 2 ends of my spectrum... good overall whereas good specialisation... Rutgers falls in between ig...

Stony Brook because of the miserable campus, UofA because it's optics-focused and you aren't.

Wherever you go, make sure to take the most advanced courses you can (honors/sophomore classes); this will play a big role in developing a network of similarly motivated students.

 

[Maddy467]

Stony Brook because of the miserable campus, UofA because it's optics-focused and you aren't.

Wherever you go, make sure to take the most advanced courses you can (honors/sophomore classes); this will play a big role in developing a network of similarly motivated students.

That points me towards thinking Rutgers is the option for me lmao! Well, I will read up few more reddit posts about the undergrad experiences of physics undergrads at each of these univs, and see which one is better. So far, Stony Brook seems to be a good experience (as far as physics goes). But yeah, Rutgers might be great too... whichever it is, I'm now happy with the options I have

 

[WWGD]

That points me towards thinking Rutgers is the option for me lmao! Well, I will read up few more reddit posts about the undergrad experiences of physics undergrads at each of these univs, and see which one is better. So far, Stony Brook seems to be a good experience (as far as physics goes). But yeah, Rutgers might be great too... whichever it is, I'm now happy with the options I have

Note both are largely suburban settings. You may be within a few hours of NYC, but it wouldn't be an urban setting.

 

[gwnorth]

Well, I do have a girl. And yeah well xD you're right... Rutgers is the cheapest for me... but only by a slight nudge... tbh all of them differ only by a grand or two a year... Although... I do have an admit into the honors college at Rutgers, but its the worst-ranked (qs) among the two, unfortunately. Although, after some research... it looks like a solid college to attend. I am really confused about Rutgers and Stony Brook!!! aghhhhh

A) Nobody cares about QS rankings
B) Even if they did, QS is not a ranking of undergraduate program quality
C) What you do in undergrad is far more important than where you go when it comes to graduate admissions
D) Pick the school that you would be happiest to attend beyond the program or their affiliation with national labs. You can always apply to national REUs in the summer. You don't have to attend a university with a national lab affiliation. Some of the most successful students when it comes to graduate admissions actually attend LACs, not even R1 universities.

 

[WWGD]

A) Nobody cares about QS rankings
B) Even if they did, QS is not a ranking of undergraduate program quality
C) What you do in undergrad is far more important than where you go when it comes to graduate admissions
D) Pick the school that you would be happiest to attend beyond the program or their affiliation with national labs. You can always apply to national REUs in the summer. You don't have to attend a university with a national lab affiliation. Some of the most successful students when it comes to graduate admissions actually attend LACs, not even R1 universities.

Lakhs of students do fine that way, right @Wrichik Basu ?

 

[berkeman]

Lakhs

TIL a new word!

 

[WWGD]

TIL a new word!

It's an Indian measurement, that's why I pinged Wrichik . They also have a numbering system I had never seen, along the lines of 30,00, 250.

 

[Maddy467]

It's an Indian measurement, that's why I pinged Wrichik . They also have a numbering system I had never seen, along the lines of 30,00, 250.

well, yeah, the first 3 digits are the same... then we go thousands, 10 thousands, lakhs, 10 lacks, crore, 10 crore... so on... Indian system of counting.

 

[Maddy467]

A) Nobody cares about QS rankings
B) Even if they did, QS is not a ranking of undergraduate program quality
C) What you do in undergrad is far more important than where you go when it comes to graduate admissions
D) Pick the school that you would be happiest to attend beyond the program or their affiliation with national labs. You can always apply to national REUs in the summer. You don't have to attend a university with a national lab affiliation. Some of the most successful students when it comes to graduate admissions actually attend LACs, not even R1 universities.

Yeah, that's alright. But it sure doesn't hurt to try your best to look for something worth it all when you're paying a whole bunch of money. Yes, it will come down to the amount of effort I put in, but it sure would help if I get a research-oriented college that does have people who are meant to help students look for research positions!

 

[WWGD]

well, yeah, the first 3 digits are the same... then we go thousands, 10 thousands, lakhs, 10 lacks, crore, 10 crore... so on... Indian system of counting.

Ah, yes, I had forgotten the crore, bhai. Kuch Nahi. As N'Sync wrote: " Bye, bye, bhai".

 

[CrysPhys]

Yes, it will come down to the amount of effort I put in, but it sure would help if I get a research-oriented college that does have people who are meant to help students look for research positions!

Did you do what I suggested earlier? That is, contact the physics departments at each of the universities and ask them about research opportunities for undergraduates?

 

[Maddy467]

Did you do what I suggested earlier? That is, contact the physics departments at each of the universities and ask them about research opportunities for undergraduates?

I wrote an email to Rutgers... Handed out a link to me with all the places that students get a chance to research. Was pretty nice... as for SBU, I haven't yet

 

[Maddy467]

Woah! I just read up some stuff which makes me think Rutgers might be better than Stony Brook...

Stony Brook housing and food both are trash. To the point that people often end up with food poisoning. Also, the stuff is super pricey for what it's worth.

Rutgers Housing seems much better and cheaper (although I would switch to off-campus after 1st sem/year). The food there also seems to be nicer, if not good. Also, considering I'm an honors student, I would be able to live with other honors students which might be fun eh?

But yeah, As far as the academics go, SBU gives better research opportunities and their curriculum is more "Real Lifey". Rutgers has opportunities but they aren't as good as SBU, where you're working with one of the best people in the industry. Also, the Brookhaven lab's right next to SBU so people get tons of experience (either there or somewhere else) right in undergrad. Rutgers... I'm not quite sure (I know there's Princeton right next doors but still... a little dicey of a situation). But ig the Honors thingy would help at Rutgers! (FR I was going through each of their faculty and SBU faculty members are BEASTS as per Google search, Google Scholar, and researchgate. Yes Rutgers has great peeps too but Hands down, SBU academics are better)

Overall, Rutgers is cheap, but good
Stony is a little touch expensive. The living environment is not very good but academics are top notch!

Which one would you pick? (again academics are my top priority but OFC I don't want to live in turmoil)

 

[CrysPhys]

It's a futile exercise to ask what others would pick. Each university has its own particular pluses and minuses. But for each prospective student, the pluses and minuses will vary (and the weight assigned to each will vary) according to the particular needs and desires of each prospective student. All we can do is point out the factors for you to consider (which we have comprehensively by now). The decision rests with you.

Your scenario is a bit unusual: an international student selecting among 4 large state universities. For a US student, the decision would be straightforward: the tuition between in-state and out-of-state residents is substantial. The default would be to select in-state unless there are extremely compelling reasons to select out-of-state. But such is not your case.

 

[Maddy467]

It's a futile exercise to ask what others would pick. Each university has its particular pluses and minuses. But for each prospective student, the pluses and minuses will vary (and the weight assigned to each will vary) according to the particular needs and desires of each prospective student. All we can do is point out the factors for you to consider (which we have comprehensively by now). The decision rests with you.

Your scenario is a bit unusual: an international student selecting among 4 large state universities. For a US student, the tuition between in-state and out-of-state residents is substantial. The default would be to select in-state unless there are extremely compelling reasons to select out-of-state.

fair enough.. well (tbh that gave me a tinge of machine learning vibes... weights assigned to different factors ... makes me wonder if I could write up a code that would determine a "College Score" as per my needs...)

Anyways, Thanks for your help. You're right. Things are right in front of me... I just need to make up my mind. but yeah 1 last question... that's it.


IF I were to pick Rutgers, would you say I'm missing out on an opportunity to learn and work from Amazing people at Stony Brook? AND that I would not get as many opportunities even with the Honors College thingy? (online, I can see Honors College students get to interact a lot more with professors)

 

[CrysPhys]

IF I were to pick Rutgers, would you say I'm missing out on an opportunity to learn and work from Amazing people at Stony Brook? AND that I would not get as many opportunities even with the Honors College thingy? (online, I can see Honors College students get to interact a lot more with professors)

* "Amazing" and "Honors" are indicators that you are still hung up (overly preoccupied) with "reputation" and "prestige". I used to know a couple of physics professors at Rutgers, but they are long gone. And of the Rutgers students that I'm friends with from figure skating, none are physics majors. So no personal insights there. As for Stony Brook, I also have no personal insights. My only comment is that for a student planning to major in physics at a NY state university, Stony Brook is the best choice among the NY state university campuses.

* For an undergrad student, potential access to top researchers and national lab facilities should not be paramount. What you want is ready access to good teachers and good mentors and good research facilities. Note that "good teacher" and "good mentor" are not synonymous with "amazing" on a Google search. You'll have a far more rewarding experience receiving personal attention from a few professors in their own on-campus labs than vying with a multitude of students from all over for attention and time slots with top researchers at national facilities. On-campus opportunities allow you flexibility for pursuing research during the academic year. You can always seek opportunities elsewhere during the summer.

* Money is an issue for you. When inquiring about research opportunities, make sure there are funded research opportunities for international students. Many are limited to US students.

* If you've pared down your choice to between Rutgers and Stony Brook, I'd recommend that you try to discuss your specific concerns via Zoom or other Internet communications service with a representative of the physics department from each. Email them in advance to let them know that you've narrowed your list down to two, and you need further information concerning X, Y, Z to make a final decision. Best case, they both agree. Worst case, they both ignore you. Intermediate case, one accommodates you and one doesn't; that in itself though would be a good indicator of which to choose.