Can You Pursue Grad School with a 3.3 GPA and Strong Physics Credentials?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the prospects of gaining admission to graduate schools in physics with a GPA of approximately 3.3, alongside various credentials such as research experience, GRE scores, and involvement in extracurricular activities. Participants share their academic backgrounds, achievements, and concerns regarding their qualifications for graduate programs.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants highlight their strong performance in upper-division physics and math courses, indicating that their GPA is primarily affected by lower grades in biology and chemistry.
  • Others express concern about the implications of a low overall GPA, particularly when combined with a downward trend in grades, which may negatively impact candidacy.
  • Several participants mention their high GRE Physics scores and relevant research experience, suggesting these could bolster their applications despite a lower GPA.
  • One participant discusses their leadership role in the physics club and involvement in significant projects, arguing that these experiences may enhance their application.
  • Another participant questions the consistency of the GPA reported across different posts, indicating potential discrepancies in the applicant's academic record.
  • Some participants suggest applying to a wide range of graduate schools, while others caution that recommendations and overall application strength will be crucial for admission chances.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of optimism and concern regarding the impact of GPA on graduate school applications. There is no consensus on the specific schools that would be appropriate for applicants with a 3.3 GPA, and multiple competing views on how various factors (GRE scores, research experience, and extracurricular involvement) influence admission prospects remain evident.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that GPA calculations may vary based on the inclusion of different courses and that the impact of grades in non-physics subjects could be significant. There are also unresolved questions about the weight of recommendations and the overall strength of applications.

Who May Find This Useful

Students considering graduate school in physics with similar GPA concerns, those seeking advice on application strategies, and individuals interested in the admissions process for STEM programs may find this discussion relevant.

sol66
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Lets say that I'm the VP of the Physics club of my school, I have 2 years of research experience and a semester working at the National Terawatt Facility. I took 4 or so graduate classes which I get B's in, I get 90%> on the gre physics, but my GPA is like a 3.3. What schools am I looking at?

The GPA is low because I got C's in biology and chemistry, but the lowest I ever got in any other subject including physics and math is a B. My upperdivision physics and Math classes are all A's and B's.

What sort of Grad schools am I looking at, if any at all?
 
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How should I fare?

The question is ... can I get into an above average grad school for physics? So what are my credentials? I won't bore you with the details, but here it is...

For the first two years of my academic life I've gotten C's for two years of chemistry and one year of Biology. However I have gotten B's in all my math and Physics classes.

I am a year ahead of my class so I take classes like PDE's for the 2nd semester and all the upperdivision courses for physics my 2nd year. My GPA at this point is crap and around a 2.98.

However I have one redeeming thing going for me and that is I worked as a Diagnostics Technician for the Electrical Engineering team working on a 2 Terewatt Z-Pinch and Laser. I do this for one semester.

My Third year, however is great because I take 2nd year Grad Classes and 10 other Senior Physics and Math courses, getting A's in all my subjects. I am also voted in as Physics Club VP where I coordinated the construction of a Cyclotron and Farnsworth Fusor group project.

I also Conducted research for a biophysicist for that year and get published. Lastly I scored 90%> for the GRE Physics and General test.

I am currently in my 4th year and I'm applying to schools, I want to know what kind of schools I should be applying to and how well would these credentials fare? Thank you for your responses.
 


sol66 said:
I am a year ahead of my class so I take classes like PDE's for the 2nd semester and all the upperdivision courses for physics my 2nd year. My GPA at this point is crap and around a 2.98.

In https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=400957" message you say you were at a 3.3 a semester ago. That means you got something like a 1.4 this term.

This makes you a very poor candidate - 2.98 is very, very low. Getting a 1.4 is very bad. The steep downward trend will be very worrying.

You built a cyclotron? What did you use for magnets? How did you keep the vacuum quality high enough?
 
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Whats your major GPA?

Also, what is the GPA or grades you got in the graduate courses you took? What courses were they?
 


As for the 2.98, that was for my first two years, after my third year (being my good year) my GPA became a 3.4. Undergrad courses taken my 3rd was Quantum II, Thermal/Statistical Mechanics, Wave Mechanics, Special/General Relativity, Optics and Photonics, Numerical Analysis I and II. My Graduate level courses were Atomic Physics (2nd year), Solid State Physics, and Lasers and Masers. I received A's in all of those classes.
We had a high current DC coil wrapped around a V-3400 magnet to create a high density B field. This was a small scale Cyclotron so we experimented with super cooling the inductors and magnet to obtain superconductivity. The B field was a little over a tesla. Vacuum consisted of a normal vacuum pump and then a turbo pump which gave approximately 9 E - 6 atmospheres. We used positive ion hydrogen for the source because the light nucleus was easy to accelerate, it was also easy to obtain.
 
How do I look for Grad School?

I want to know what kind of grad schools I can expect to get in. I took my GRE general a got a 740 on the math and 400 verbal. I also took the GRE Physics and scored a 950 on the test. I will probably finish this year with an overall GPA of a 3.3, and probably a 3.3 for physics (never got anything lower than a B, but most my grades are B's) . As for work and research, I worked one semester at the National Terrawatt lab as a diagnostic technician working on a 2 terawatt zpinch and leopard laser. At the end of this year I will have volunteered for a year as a research assistant doing computational biophysics and I will be published. I am also the Vice President of my physics club where I've organized electronics workshops teaching people how to build and design electronics. Next year I will start my Senior thesis and I'll have another year of research. That is when I will graduate. I've also taken 2 grad classes ( Atomic Physics and Lasers ) and I received B's. So based on that, what sort of grad schools am I looking at?
 
sol66 said:
I want to know what kind of grad schools I can expect to get in. I took my GRE general a got a 740 on the math and 400 verbal. I also took the GRE Physics and scored a 950 on the test. I will probably finish this year with an overall GPA of a 3.3, and probably a 3.3 for physics (never got anything lower than a B, but most my grades are B's) . As for work and research, I worked one semester at the National Terrawatt lab as a diagnostic technician working on a 2 terawatt zpinch and leopard laser. At the end of this year I will have volunteered for a year as a research assistant doing computational biophysics and I will be published. I am also the Vice President of my physics club where I've organized electronics workshops teaching people how to build and design electronics. Next year I will start my Senior thesis and I'll have another year of research. That is when I will graduate. I've also taken 2 grad classes ( Atomic Physics and Lasers ) and I received B's. So based on that, what sort of grad schools am I looking at?
Hey,
It's the third time you ask the same question. There are some discrepancies with your last one: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=427283. Since you already got answers, my advice is to apply as a wide range of grad school and let's see where you are accepted.
 


Your Physics GRE score is good, but your GPA is low. If you get good recommendations you might be able to squeeze into a non-Ivy.
 


no ones answered this question, i guess that's why this is the third time I've asked.
 
  • #10


I have merged all the three threads together.
 

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