Other So You Want to Be a Physicist: A 22 Part Guide

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The discussion titled "So You Want To Be A Physicist" by ZapperZ addresses the common inquiries about pursuing a physics degree and the subsequent career paths available. It outlines the educational journey from high school through to obtaining a Ph.D. and explores various stages such as early physics education, surviving the first year of college, necessary mathematical preparations, and the life of a physics major. The series also covers applying for graduate school, expectations during graduate studies, and the US graduate school system. It highlights key topics like choosing a research area, initiating research work, publishing in journals, and preparing for a thesis defense. Additionally, it discusses alternative career options for physics graduates and the transition into postdoctoral positions. The aim is to demystify the process and provide a comprehensive guide for aspiring physicists.
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So You Want To Be A Physicist
Written by ZapperZ

"One of the most frequent questions we get in various physics forums and IRC physics channels (besides the annoying ”can anything travel faster than c?”) is the process and background of being a physics major. Often, we have students asking what are the requirements of obtaining a physics degree, and what can one do with such accomplishments. I am hoping that, in a series of postings on this topic, we get to go over and demystify the whole process of what one can expect as a physics major in college, all the way to going through a Ph.D program, and even beyond that in the land of postdoctoral work and employment."

Table of Contents
Introduction: The motivation for creating the series
Part I: Early Physics Education in High schools
Part II: Surviving the First Year of College
Part III: Mathematical Preparations
Part IV: The Life of a Physics Major
Part V: Applying for Graduate School
Part VI: What to Expect from Graduate School Before You Get There
Part VII: The US Graduate School System
Part VIII: Alternative Careers for a Physics Grad
Part VIIIa: Entering Physics Graduate School From Another Major
Part IX: First years of Graduate School from Being a TA to the Graduate Exams
Part X: Choosing a Research area and an advisor
Part XI: Initiating Research Work
Part XII: Research work and The Lab Book
Part XIII: Publishing in a Physics Journal
Part XIV: Oral Presentations
Part XIII: Publishing in a Physics Journal (Addendum)
Part XIV: Oral Presentations - Addendum
Part XV - Writing Your Doctoral Thesis/Desertation
Part XVI - Your Thesis Defense
Part XVII - Getting a Job!
Part XVIII - Postdoctoral Position
Part XIX - Your Curriculum VitaeDiscussion can be found here
"So You Want To Be A Physicist" Discussion
 
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