What's Been and What's Ben

The application process has started. I signed up for the GRE. I will be applying to

• University of Colorado: Boulder, Electrical, Computer, and Environmental Engineering
• University of Arizona: Tuscon, College of Optical Sciences
  
• University at Albany, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering
• University of Central Florida: Orlando, CREOL (optics)
  

These are among the best schools in the world in solid-state optics. My first choice is Boulder, but I don’t know what my second choice would be. The University of Minnesota’s Optical MEMS program interested me greatly, but the application deadline is something I can’t meet. It is interesting that these are all public schools. Even though I will apply in January, I won’t know if I get in for a few months. These schools are giving me encouragement to focus on my school work to get some good grades. I want to do something in optical computing, solar, or something else cool. I have decided to disregard financial aide in my decision because school is more important than being crushed under a pile of debt. It will be cool to teach classes any make some money at it. I almost considered applying to Harvard for their new degree in education, but I want to keep my focus for the time being. I hope this time next year I am living in the mountains of Colorado, doing awesome research, taking optics classes that will advance my knowledge, assisting fresh minds in class and lab, and relaxing with at night with a cold Fat Tire.