Recent content by Randall Flagg

Nobody has an exact answer to this question, but I'm one semester into a graduate program with a profile that is at least in the same country as yours, if not the same ballpark. If it helps. I had no research experience, a 3.9 GPA, 640 PGRE, 160 quant (I believe), 4.5 writing, and I got into 4...

Your profile is very good otherwise. Like others say, try to find some during the next year. I'm about to start my first year of physics grad school and I was accepted to 4 programs without research experience and with notably worse GRE scores. As long as you set your bar appropriately when...

After emailing with some students, I get the idea that some professors can't support every student with an RA every semester so they have some TA, while the student still does research with their remaining free time (the TAing is ~20 hrs per week as usual) but the students also say that they...

I plan on writing a few today. Well, this is all my fault. I didn't switch to physics until after I started attending the school, which didn't have any active research while I was there (a new professor just started including students in his research this semester, after I've graduated). When I...

Hey all, I thought I'd check back in and report with some final thoughts and results. First, thank you all for the advice that you gave. I ended up applying to two more schools, but were not accepted to those two. From that list, I received four acceptances - Colorado State, SUNY Buffalo...

I had an easier time with E&M (Griffiths) than with Mechanics (Taylor)... ...I had not even begun a differential equations course during my Mechanics semester, and was taking multivariable calculus with it, whereas both maths were in my repertoire for E&M. All things being equal? E&M would have...

Why wouldn't your mother let you bring home and read books about outer space?

Thanks everyone!

Thanks for the advice, Zz. I am indeed checking the "assistantship" box, or doing the equivalent, on each application.

You're right about the fees, I'm absolutely broke right now. But I graduated a semester early and thus have 4 extra months to work and make up for that, something I haven't had the past 3 years. I know of people doing 20 applications! I don't think I'm being that crazy. I hope I get into...

Thank you!

Vanadium 50, do you have suggestions for other, larger programs that would fit the data I've provided?

Thanks for the reply. I'll keep filling em out!

I just graduated last week from a small private university in NY with a B.S. in physics. I'm just finishing up my grad school apps, and am absolutely terrified of the wait. (I've already posted a thread in the academic guidance section of the forum!) I'm obviously passionate about physics, and...

Thanks for the help, Zz.