<p>As the title implies, I am looking to study String Theory and related physics in graduate school (and ultimately become a professor in physics while researching string theory). I want to know not what undergraduate schools necessarily have the strongest physics programs, but rather what undergraduate schools will best prepare a student for the type of physics and rigorous mathematics that String Theory demands. That being said, it would seem that the schools with the strongest physics/mathematics programs would be those that would best prepare students for the field. I am looking at the obvious ones such as Harvard, Princeton, Cornell, etc., but I live in New York and am not really looking to leave the Northeast. I am curious as to what colleges you all have to recommend on this issue. Than you.</p>
<p>You can get a strong education in physics at basically any major university. I wouldn’t get so focused on string theory at this point if I were you, since you’re really not going to specialize much until grad school.</p>
<p>I know you said you’re not looking to leave the Northeast, but I thought I’d throw this out there anyway: Stanford is home to the “father of string theory” Leonard Susskind. And he’s accessible: he teaches an introductory seminar for freshmen (a class capped at 15 students), and surprisingly it’s not one of the very competitive seminars to get into. I met him before, and he’s so insightful/nice/funny. Definitely worth applying to Stanford. ;)</p>
<p>My brother is a physicist who went to a small LAC and then University of Chicago for graduate school. Where you go to graduate school is much more important. Small LACs with great math/physics like Swarthmore and Williams will prepare you well for graduate school.</p>
<p>Wow, I didn’t expect this many responses so quickly, thank you all! I am looking at some SUNY colleges as safety schools in case of rejection or financial problems. I really didn’t want to go that route, but, if I should go that route, I have heard good things about physics at Binghamton, Stony Brook, and possibly Fredonia. Maybe someone could chime in as to which of these (or other unlisted ones) are solid in physics. I’m not opposed to leaving New York so long as the college that I would be leaving for (a safety school) is cheap enough to compete with a SUNY school. Dorian_Mode, I definitely hear what you’re saying and I agree completely. The only reason I mention it though is that I am going into physics with basically the sole interest in investigating theoretical particle physics and T.O.E.s. </p>
<p>On a different note, I am intrigued by the Perimeter Institute in Ontario, Canada, and I heard that people can do Ph.D work with them through one of their sister colleges. I just wanted to know if anyone has any experience with P.I. and/or knows about how to get involved with it if it’s worth it. Thanks</p>