<p>I am considering majoring in Physics at Yale. </p>
<p>I understand that hard sciences are usually more difficult to get good grades in. What is the grading curve like for Physics at Yale?</p>
<p>Is it significantly more difficult to get an A in Physics than in most other subjects?</p>
<p>Another question: Is it true that Yale is generally less rigorous in sciences and engineering compared to its peer institutions such as Princeton or Harvard? I heard that science students who also get admitted to Princeton or Harvard choose to go to Princeton or Harvard more often than they choose to go to Yale. Does that change anything?</p>
<p>Since I am planning to go to grad school, I wouldn’t want my GPA to be low. Any help will be greatly helpful in planning my college career and beyond. </p>
<p>Thanx,</p>
<p>Doing well in physics classes at Yale typically requires more work than doing well in humanities classes, but that is probably true at Harvard and Princeton as well. Good grades are given out in physics classes at Yale. A large number of physics majors are elected to Phi Beta kappa. If you are serious about going to graduate school (take advanced classes, do substantial research), you will get in. </p>
<p>The Yale undergrad physics major is small (there are about the same number of grad students as undergrads). You may have fewer physics major friends at Yale, but you’ll get awesome research opportunities and more one on one time with professors. And keep in mind that just because the major is small, doesn’t mean there aren’t highly recognized professors and graduate students doing research at Yale. For example, nuclear structure and superconducting quantum computation groups at Yale are among the top in the U.S.</p>
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<p>These students who choose Harvard and Princeton over Yale for physics are often basing their decisions on the prestige of the schools’ graduate programs–and even with this said, Yale is still one of the best schools out there for receiving a graduate education in physics. At the undergraduate level, it honestly does not matter which of the three Ivies you choose to attend, as you will receive a stellar education at all three. How likely is it that you’ll ever need to know something so advanced during your undergraduate years that even your professors, with their PhDs and their decades of teaching and research, won’t be able to answer you?</p>
<p>hehe thanx everyone~</p>
<p>I am actually not considering going to grad school for physics. I am considering going to law school. Since for law school admissions a good GPA is very critical, I wanted to know if it was reasonably easy to get good grades in physics at Yale :).</p>
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I wanted to know if it was reasonably easy to get good grades in physics at Yale .*</p>
<p>if you’re good at it :-P</p>
<p>(sorry, I’ll shut up, I know that wasn’t especially helpful…)</p>
<p>While I think physics is totally awesome and love when people want to major in it, I don’t think you should major in it unless you absolutely love it. </p>
<p>If it is to impress law schools beware; the law faculty reading your app. want to see you passionate about practicing law sp you need to prove to them that you are by taking poly sci classes and in your extracurriculars. Languages over all seem to be a bigger plus than science compentecy. You can build a case about majoring in science if you’re interested in IP law, although top IP firms seem to really dig electrical engineers and biologist these days. </p>
<p>If you are very concerned about GPA … even the top physics students at Yale typically get a few “low” grades (~B). It’s quite feasible though to work hard, choose classes wisely, and get a 4.0 in non-science classes. In sciences, people’s in-major grades tend to be lower than their out-side of major grades.</p>
<p>If you like physics, I would suggest looking into the B.S. … fewer classes than the intensive B.S. at Yale. and double majoring in something else.</p>
<p>The great thing about Yale is that all the majors are really quite strong and you will great an awesome education no matter what.</p>
<p>Thank you so much la<em>vie</em>est_belle!</p>
<p>I am considering the B.S. degree and double majoring with economics.</p>
<p>I have reasons to believe that I will do well in economics. It’s just that I am good at physics but I am not as good at it as I am in economics. I still love physics though.</p>
<p>I also like politicial science and reasonably good at it so I guess I will take some courses in that subject as well. </p>
<p>I am really interested in IP law, and once considered majoring in electrical engineering. But I think pursuing the B.S. degree in electrical engineering would be challenging and leave little room for taking classes that I know I would get good grades in.</p>
<p>Biology is another science subject I am considering. I notice that there are three degree options for biology. I guess if I were to double major it would be wise to choose the B.A. option.</p>
<p>ckim, </p>
<p>Double majoring b/t physics and econ is definitely feasible. In fact double majoring w/ physics is super common (physics + theater, physics + art, physics + french, physics + english, physics + history …) And the physics curriculum at Yale has recently been revised to include lots of new, cool courses. If you do like physics, I would definitely suggest trying to do work in a lab (I don’t think it’s required for the non intensive B.S though). It makes all the class work so much more meaningful. Also doing research in a “hot” field can only help your IP law resume (although apparently firms don’t really hire for specific knowledge) and help you gauge whether you are even remotely interested in that area. For example, there are a few decent nano research groups at Yale.</p>
<p>I agree the it’s a lot to do an ABET B.S. in EE and a B.A in econ. Someone I know did that and is planning on applying to law school soon. Tough to do any extracurriculars with that combination. </p>
<p>I don’t know anything first-hand about bio, but overall it sounds like a good department. You’ll run into lots of premeds though… </p>
<p>Let me know if you have other questions.</p>
<p>I’ve always liked physics more than bio so I guess I will just major in physics and economics, the two subjects I really like and have the best highschool background in. Bio is okay but I like physics better.</p>
<p>I originally thought about getting a B.A. or B.S. degree in engineering sciences (electrical) but I don’t think I can take the USPTO registration exam with those degrees (I’m right, right?) and become a patent attorney.</p>
<p>ABET E.E. did sound like much to intensive to pursue along with econ and from you I have found out that it in did is. In addition, ABET E.E. probably is difficult and will lower my GPA. ABET E.E. + econ will also leave too little room for law related and writing intensive courses(Philosophy, PoliSci, History, etc) and ECs - I wouldn’t want that.</p>
<p>Econ is my favorite, but I really want a science/engineering subject to go with it. I guess for now it’s physics :).</p>
<p>I’ll be going for the B.S. in Astro & Phys, so see ya there! :)</p>
<p>What do you want to go to grad school in? That’s the most important thing…</p>
<p>Also, are you applying to Perspectives? If so, DEFINITELY take advantage of the summer research opportunities that program offers. That will be a great way to learn if you want to do physics for an extended period (such as your whole career).</p>