MSc Physics in Swiss Universities (EPFL/ETH) generally well regarded in top US schools?

  • This has become our largest and most active forum because the physics GRE is just one aspect of getting accepted into a graduate physics program.
  • There are applications, personal statements, letters of recommendation, visiting schools, anxiety of waiting for acceptances, deciding between schools, finding out where others are going, etc.

Post Reply
ags14
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 10:21 am

MSc Physics in Swiss Universities (EPFL/ETH) generally well regarded in top US schools?

Post by ags14 » Tue Jul 18, 2017 2:19 pm

I was wondering whether anyone here knows if the two Swiss Federal Institutes, ETH and EPFL, are genreally well regarded by admissions committees in the top US schools. I guess it's beacuse I don't know anyone personally who has done the PhD in the US after having completed an MSc in Switzerland. I'm choosing them over an MSc in the UK, as I will get more research exposure with a group that is very highly regarded in their field.

Would appreciate any thoughts/comments. Or it would be great if you knew personally of people who have successfully made the switch, and whether or not it is a common thing to do.

TakeruK
Posts: 941
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 3:05 pm

Re: MSc Physics in Swiss Universities (EPFL/ETH) generally well regarded in top US schools?

Post by TakeruK » Wed Jul 19, 2017 2:39 pm

Yes, I believe these institutions are well known and regarded in the US. I am more familiar with ETH. I know of many PhD students at top US schools with MSc degrees from ETH. I also know that PhD students from ETH win prize postdoc fellowships in the US and I know some faculty at top US schools that have moved to ETH for better jobs etc.

ags14
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 10:21 am

Re: MSc Physics in Swiss Universities (EPFL/ETH) generally well regarded in top US schools?

Post by ags14 » Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:30 am

Do you mind me asking what specfic field of Physics that is in? Also, do you think those doing a PhD in the US that have an MSc from ETH are more/less than those who come from Imperial/Oxbridge?

TakeruK
Posts: 941
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 3:05 pm

Re: MSc Physics in Swiss Universities (EPFL/ETH) generally well regarded in top US schools?

Post by TakeruK » Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:10 pm

The ones I am thinking of are in the environmental and planetary sciences subfield. Specifically, ETH is well known to me for their strengths in atmospheric modelling, physics of fluids etc. I am sure there are other strengths too, and I've met grad students in physics across many fields, but I just don't remember specific people other than the ones in related research.

As for your second question, this is not really a well-defined question. There's no ranking of people like that and I'm not sure how useful it would be if there was. If you are asking whether ETH is as well known as a name as Imperial/Oxford/Cambridge, then I would say yes.



Post Reply