Preparing for Grad School: Tips for My Last 3 Semesters of College

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around a college student seeking guidance on how to optimize their last three semesters before applying to graduate school. They plan to take the GRE next spring and express an interest in materials science and condensed matter physics, although they lack formal coursework in these areas. Their current GPA is 3.54, and they have no research experience, prompting a request for recommendations on Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) related to materials science. The student has a solid foundation in physics and mathematics, having completed several relevant courses and is enrolled in additional courses like Thermodynamics and Polymer Physics. Suggestions include checking the NSF website for REU programs, although there are concerns about the list's currency, encouraging further online research for updated opportunities.
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Hey all! I'm a little lost as to what I should get done in my last three semesters of college. I do plan on going to grad school and will take the GRE next spring, but I currently have no idea as to what else I should be getting done to prepare. I have passing interest in materials science and condensed matter physics, but I haven't taken any formal courses in the subject area yet so I'm not sure if I would want to pursue that path.

GPA: 3.54
Research Experience: None, any REU recommendations related to materials science would be much appreciated


Relevant Courses lined up so far for next semester:
Thermodynamics & Statistical Mechanics
Intro to Polymer Physics
<Math Elective>
Lab Safety Certification
Experimental Physics II

Science and math courses I will have completed by the end of this semester:

Physics I -> III + Relevant labs
Relativity
Quantum Physics (Griffiths)
Electromagnetism (Griffiths)
Classical Mechanics
Experimental Physics I

Calculus I - III
Ordinary Differential Equations
Linear Algebra
Probability I

Python
Matlab
General Chemistry I & II

Misc: Member of my school's local physics club, joined APS

Any suggestions are appreciated, thanks in advance!
 
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On the NSF website there is a list of REU programs for every subject so you could check that. They have plenty of materials science and physics with condensed matter. But it seems to me that the list might be out of date, so you can always just search the web to find more.
 
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