<p>My son is interested in physics with the goal of graduate school. He is currently accepted at Hamline, Gustavus, St. Thomas, St. OLaf, Drake, Luther, UW-River Falls, St. Cloud State, and Univ of MN. He is more interested in a smaller school with more interaction with professors and hands on research opportunities. He is also has strong intrests in chemistry, biology, and math.</p>
<p>What are your thoughts ranking these schools mainly for physics but sciences overall?
Are there other schools in the area that should be on the list. (forget about Carelton$$ and Mac$$, no merit based aid)?</p>
<p>St. Olaf is a good school. Unfortunately, they also know it. The merit scholarships we have there are less than the other schools and they are the most expensive by far, making it the most expensive of all the schools. We won’t get any need based financial aid, but we are not in the group that can just write a check and not think about it. As it stands even though he’s in, St. Olaf is out. </p>
<p>Drake was impressive, only downside is 250 miles away. It may be the best value. Any of the others stand out to anyone? </p>
<p>This kid can get in anywhere, so a last minute school is not out of the question.</p>
<p>Coe College, you can still apply and they gives tons of merit aid. Also has a really good physics program, a lot better than the other science departments there. It’s a liberal arts college in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.</p>
<p>We visited Gustavus and St Olaf on consecutive days last fall and were very impressed with Gustavus. Gustavus ranks 2nd in the nation among all liberal arts colleges for the most eventual PhD’s in physics (data covers the last five years and was part of the admissions department handout). The school also has the annual Nobel Conference–last fall’s was “Heating Up: The Energy Debate.” Our high school’s AP Physics teacher takes his classes to this conference each fall and also thinks highly of the school. Gustavus is definitely on my youngest daughter’s list; she has interests in science, study abroad, art and theatre.</p>
<p>I am an Iowa native and Iowa State Univ. grad. in ag. sciences. I know that Drake has an excellent reputation as a small liberal arts school. Des Moines is not that far away (abt 45 min) from Ames (home of ISU) nor Univ. of Iowa in Iowa City. I believe Drake students are able to “share” in some programs with both of these larger schools, yet have the benefits of the smaller school. I had a good friend who attended Drake’s music program, then went on for MA and PhD, now teaching at Yale. Though I can’t speak for the Physics program, knowing the caliber of students and where they end up, I’d say it would be an excellent choice.</p>
<p>As for Gustavus, St. Thomas, Luther, UW-River Falls, St. Olaf, and Univ MN: I knew kids from high school and a few others in college that attended all of these schools and seemed happy as well as seemed to be getting a quality education for their desired fields. I don’t know that any of them were in the science fields, however. U Mn of course is very large. But they may have resources in the science labs that the smaller schools don’t have access to. </p>
<p>I will throw Iowa State (actual name is Iowa State University of Science and Technology) into his possibilities to consider. VERY strong in sciences and applied sciences. My brother-in-law majored in physics there, entered the Navy (got tired of school) and now works on nuclear reactors. I would assume your son would qualify for the honors program and I believe those students can request research opportunities in their undergraduate fields. ISU’s application deadline is very late, so I know there would still be time to be considered. Though ISU and U MN are both larger schools, I have not been as impressed with UMn’s grads as ISU’s, but most of that experience is from an ag. sci. perspective. </p>
<p>I would say your son would get a quality education in any of these schools he is seriously looking at and that much of it depends on how comfortable he feels in smaller classes vs. larger. State University-wise, I had some classes of about 300 (Chem and Biol. lectures, but even these have a Recitation class at least once a week with about 35-40 students where individual questions can be answered more in depth) to classes in my major of about 15 students. I personally did not feel overwhelmed or overlooked as a student in a larger university setting. But then I came from a graduating class of 30 students and was ready to go to a larger school!</p>