Schools Which US universities offer top AMO programs for graduate studies?

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The discussion centers on preparing for graduate school in physics, specifically focusing on atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) programs. The primary interest is in the University of Colorado at Boulder, noted for its strong AMO research. Other recommended institutions include Harvard, MIT, University of Maryland at College Park, and Rice University, with an emphasis on the importance of selecting a graduate program based on potential advisors rather than solely on the institution itself. The conversation highlights the significance of finding professors whose research aligns with personal interests, particularly in areas like Bose-Einstein Condensates.
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I finish my physics courses this semester. Then I will begin applying for graduate schools, and probably switch to a double major (math + physics), and take grad/math courses locally while I apply.

I'm pretty sure my #1 preferred school is Boulder Colorado's university (because of my interest in AMO)

Does anyone have input on other good AMO (atomic, molecular, optical) programs US-wide? I'm somewhat interested in Bose-Einstein Condensates, but I don't want to confine myself too much.
 
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When I think of AMO, universities that come to mind (besides University of Colorado at Boulder, which you've already mentioned) include Harvard, MIT, and University of Maryland at College Park (which might seem out of place on this list at first glance, but not when you consider its proximity to NIST).
 
Hulet's group at Rice (http://atomcool.rice.edu/) looks pretty good.

My two cents: don't think "what school do I want to research at", think "what professor do I want to get my PhD with". If there's a school with 2-4 profs that look like you'd want to work with them, apply there.
 
Stanford too
 
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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