- #1
Ellegal
- 9
- 1
Hey Everyone.
So basically I'm having tonnes of anxiety about my future and would like a bit of a reality check on where I stand and what I will be able to achieve. I go to one of the best universities in the US for undergrad Physics, yet my GPA is on the lower side (3.1). This university was historically known for it's grade deflation (should give the school away lol) so maybe that will help?
I'm seriously in love with Theoretical Physics and I have a pretty solid understanding of what specific field of theory I want to go into. By the time I graduate I will have done 3-4 research projects, one of which has a chance of publishing. These projects have all been theory/computation based and so I feel like I will be able to write a really good and convincing personal statement showing off what I love and how I've got a good interest focus. I'm hoping that my rec letters will hold a fair amount of weight, given the professors are really well known in their fields, and maybe I can boost myself with GRE scores. My grades are really scaring me, though. Should I be worried if I intend to try and go to grad school, as I've heard that to go to grad school to do theory you need a seriously competitive GPA (no matter where you apply). I'm not looking to go to Harvard or anywhere of that caliber, I just want to continue my passion.
If grad school is off the table straight out of undergrad, simply because the GPA doesn't hit the mark, in what way can I boost my CV to look more competitive to theory grad programmes? I'm also looking at doing a masters in the UK but it seems they all want 2:1's (~3.3 equivalent), so I feel very lost on where to go after undergrad if not grad school?
Thank you.
EDIT: I'm about to enter my final year so there isn't much chance improving the GPA.
EDIT2: I also come from a poor background and am the first of my family to go to university. I personally hate to play this card but is there a chance that they will take this into consideration when assessing my performance?
So basically I'm having tonnes of anxiety about my future and would like a bit of a reality check on where I stand and what I will be able to achieve. I go to one of the best universities in the US for undergrad Physics, yet my GPA is on the lower side (3.1). This university was historically known for it's grade deflation (should give the school away lol) so maybe that will help?
I'm seriously in love with Theoretical Physics and I have a pretty solid understanding of what specific field of theory I want to go into. By the time I graduate I will have done 3-4 research projects, one of which has a chance of publishing. These projects have all been theory/computation based and so I feel like I will be able to write a really good and convincing personal statement showing off what I love and how I've got a good interest focus. I'm hoping that my rec letters will hold a fair amount of weight, given the professors are really well known in their fields, and maybe I can boost myself with GRE scores. My grades are really scaring me, though. Should I be worried if I intend to try and go to grad school, as I've heard that to go to grad school to do theory you need a seriously competitive GPA (no matter where you apply). I'm not looking to go to Harvard or anywhere of that caliber, I just want to continue my passion.
If grad school is off the table straight out of undergrad, simply because the GPA doesn't hit the mark, in what way can I boost my CV to look more competitive to theory grad programmes? I'm also looking at doing a masters in the UK but it seems they all want 2:1's (~3.3 equivalent), so I feel very lost on where to go after undergrad if not grad school?
Thank you.
EDIT: I'm about to enter my final year so there isn't much chance improving the GPA.
EDIT2: I also come from a poor background and am the first of my family to go to university. I personally hate to play this card but is there a chance that they will take this into consideration when assessing my performance?
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