Graduate school Definition and 485 Threads

Recently I switched into physics from biochemistry after taking first semester of junior EM. Anyway I am graduating next year and fully plan on continuing physics in graduate school. In short I want to be a physicist and get my PhD. I have vague ideas of what I am interested in but I don't...

I was wondering what kind of graduate programs a math graduate can get into? Is it required that for example, programs in applied math or statistics need a large amount of applied math and statistics courses in the undergrad? Does having a pure math degree limit what you can do for...

I'm currently a junior pursuing my BS in Mechanical Engineering. The workload is difficult but the material I'm studying is interesting, albeit some more than others. I am currently taking an introduction to materials science course and feel like I've found something I would possibly like to...

I am applying to graduate schools for next fall and one of the chairman of one of the programs is visiting my campus on next friday for academic reasons. He directs the program at a school across the country, so this turns out to be a very good chance to meet him. I have worked out an...

My GPA isn't all that great, it's a 2.507. I have another semester left to bring it up some, but it won't be much. But I still will like to take what I have left and bring as much into my favor as possible. My plan is to do good in my GRE and PGRE and apply for graduate school at my current...

I need help with my Statement of Purpose. I have been doing research on experimental high energy particle physics for the past two years of my undergraduate career. However, I have discovered that there is no way I want to continue work in this field in grad school. In my personal statement...

Hi all, first time poster, been registered for a while though. so i just finished the 3 semester introductory courses that my school requires of all physics major (so I'm a sophomore). i am a bit worried though because in physics 3 the class average was 73 and even though my average was...

Soon I will be applying to graduate schools. In general, my interests lie in the domain of cosmology/astrophysics--don't know if theoretical or experimental, but I probably don't have the mathematical background for theoretical yet. However, most physics graduate programs do not start until...

I'm a second year undergraduate at UChicago, and I plan on doing graduate work in theoretical physics. So when the time comes, to which graduate program should I apply: mathematics, applied mathematics, or physics? From my research, it seems that the answer differs by institution. For example...

I'm a senior planning on going to graduate school for math. I'll take a year off and apply next year. I decided all of this kind of at the last minute, and as a result, my application is looking a little weak: Projected GPA: ~3.7 Projected Math GPA: ~3.62 (not including Calc 1,2,3 and Diff...

I am trying to get some feedback on my possibilities of attending Graduate School for a Ph.D in Pure Mathematics. Specifically, if it is possible... which universities can I expect to receive acceptance from. Which types? In specific, my highest goal is UVA, (University of Virginia). I have...

I am divided in a choice I need to make... I am employed in a program that requires graduate school. My employer will outright pay, with no cap for any school. Since there is no cap, I'm thinking I should shoot for some really good schools. What are your opinions on, 1) Trying to get into...

What are the main differences between personal statements ( / statements of purpose) written to support a graduate school application versus one for an REU? I have now written two successful REU personal statements, so one might assume that I was doing something right when writing them. In...

I'm glad that I'm already in graduate school. Thousands of wall street employees are going to be laid off this year as all these companies go under. I bet most of them will be fairly recent college graduates from prestigious undergraduate institutions. Probably, many of them are going to be...

Graduate School -- DSP, Signal Processing What are the top graduate schools for signal processing? I am currently looking at Georgia Tech. Any other recommendations? I would like (if possible) courses in radar.

Can anyone here would be able to extract some hope from the following scenario? I began my undergraduate coursework in physics in 2000 at a top-20 school at the age of sixteen, and did quite well--earning four fellowships, TAing an upper-division particle physics lab course before reaching...

I want to go to Graduate School and get my Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering. I am an Engineering Physics Major and I have only one more year until I finish my Undergraduate degree. I will be applying to graduate schools in December 2008. I would love to go to University of Michigan...

I want to go to a graduate school in Europe for an M.Sc in Mathematics, but I don't know my chances. I have an honors B.Sc in pure and applied math from a Canadian university and not one of the best ones. My GPA is very high, almost all A+s (they give them here), I speak five languages, was...

How does it work? I'm kind of interested in schools outside of the US (I mean, why not?) and I've started looking at websites because I'm graduating this coming year and was told to start applying early. What I see (from Oxford and Cambridge at least) are a 1st Honours and High 2nd Honours...

URGENT Graduate school help Hi guys, I've been getting a few offers from professors at University of Calgary and Manitoba (both in Canada), and I'm unsure which one I should accept. I have a strong interest in cancer pathology, unfortunately, most of the profs involved in this area do not...

I'm a math major, and will be taking enough math courses to qualify for 3 different mathematics options, theoretical, applied, and modeling. Does anyone think that the title of my math major will have any effect on my entrance to graduate school? Secondly, in your opinion which one sounds the...

I am currently a senior undergraduate student majoring in Computer Engineering. I initially chose this major to get a grasp on both "software" and "hardware" side of engineering namely, in "Computer Science" and "Electrical Engineering" aspect, which I believed might be handy once I start...

Hello, I'm currently a double major in aerospace engineering and math. I'll be graduating within the next couple years and I know I will be applying to graduate programs in computational/applied math. For graduate school, I want to branch out of purely mechanical problems and go into...

Hey everyone, I recently was admitted as a master of science canidate to the department of mathematics at NYU. I applied as a PhD student but did not score well enough on my subject GRE to admit me directly (at least this is my theory). I did not receive a fellowship or assistantship...

Hello, I have a question about the benefit of professional experience in getting into graduate school in physics. I have a BS in physics from a reasonable school and I had the good fortune of being hired after I graduated by a company that is doing research and development on emissions...

I really have no doubt that I will attend graduate school some time or another in my life. My question is about the choice of attending it straight out of undergrad, or after having worked for a few years. I am on a co-op term, and I will return to my 4th year at a Canadian university this...

I've asked this question before, but I have something different here. Ok, my school is probably going to have a certain amount of funding based on being a teaching assistant for a certain amount of hours per term (per week). It is predicted to be around $1800-2300 a term as far as I know...

I graduated just recently with a major in molecular biology, however, I'm not too sure what I should be doing next. Graduate school was my primary choice as a M.Sc. would allow me to find a job more easily in other nations other than Canada and US. I understand that in North America, entry level...

So, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and I really, honestly believe that this is my calling in life. Not just to get the Ph.D, but to teach at an upper education level with additional research as well. I'm just starting the process of looking at various institutions, but my general...

I didn't do very well in a couple of courses mainly due to some 'personal reasons' last year and i was determined to do better because if i had not run into those problems then i would've done much better. In any case my transcript is going to show that i took the course twice but it is going to...

The contents of this forum has, for me, made the prospect of becoming a theoretical physicist very intimidating. I now find myself wishing that I had become interested in the field at the beginning of high school, instead of at the end. But instead of dwelling on what I cannot change I have...

Hello! I am having trouble deciding which graduate school to go to. I want to work for NASA and I would like to go to the best school possible. Does anyone know the main differences between Purdue and Georgia Tech. I am primarily interested in spacecraft design and space systems. Thanks! What...

Hello, I have been looking into the cost of graduate school, and I am kind of confused about how much it costs. For example, on the MIT grad school website they say that most of their graduate school students get some kind of external or internal support, but they never really say whether that...

I currently am a sophomore EE student and I'm thinking ahead to grad school. Right now my GPA is at a 3.85 and will hopefully be >3.9 at the end of this academic year. Next year I plan to begin doing research (my school has a very good program for letting undergrads do research), and I have...

Hey guys, What do you think are my chances of getting into graduate school (either in AMO, condensed matter, or optics)? I go to the University of Toronto and am in the Physics Specialist program. I used to be in the Mathematics and Physics Specialist program but switched out after my junior...

I'm a senior in high school and I am going to major in physics in college. Ultimately, I want to become a theoretical physicist, but the problem is, I don't really know where I should go for undergraduate study for physics. All other variables aside, like cost and chance of acceptance, I would...

Just a hypothetical question. If you undergrad and did the research that is published, how much does it significantly improves you chances of getting into graduate school.

Hi, I am a Korean(South) citizen finishing my undergraduate degree in Canada and planning to apply to US graduate schools. I heard that public gradaute schools are more stringent towards admitting international student because amount of funding is less available compared to domestic student...

Long story short: I became addicted to poker last semester; my grades plundered, and as a result my GPA dropped to 2.82. I'm in my last year of an undergraduate degree in math. Should I stay a semester or two longer so I can improve my GPA? I can easily obtain a minor in computer science; should...

Where can I find a very detailed statistics about graduate school (Including books or websites), which includes the average GPA, GRE Scores of the entering applicants (Major wise), the population, available majors, etc.

Work or Graduate School?? Hello all, I'm a 28 year old EE undergrad nontraditional student. I'm going to graduate in 1 year and 1 quarter... So that means I'll be done in December of 2008. I'm planning to specialize in signal processing. I thought about applying to grad school this year...

Hi all, I have a friend who wants to get a PhD in Physics, and ultimately wants to be a tenured professor at a university or smaller college in the USA. He is considering going to graduate school in the UK or Canada. He wants to know if this will make it harder for him to find a tenure...

Well, my senior year is fast approaching and I'm not putting aside the decisions I need to make at the last minute. I have a year left for my Bachelor's of Science in Mathematics. I would like to go to Graduate School, but part-time. Here's why I think it would be good for me and you make a...

I don't know if this is common, but at the graduate school I am enrolling in starting in the fall they give all incoming grad students a "free shot" at the qualifier. Is it common for students that come into actually pass it (or parts of it) straight out of undergrad? Also, does anyone know of...

Here is my situation; I am currently in my 3rd year. My first term, I had an A+ A A- and B+ in all my math courses (real analysis, advanced diff, stocastic, and modelling) Those are okay grades, not bad. This term, I have all math courses again (4th year real analysis, complex...

One of the graduate schools I got accepted to was Ohio State. I was just wondering what people's thoughts were on the quality of the school. Are there any current/previous OSU grad students here who are willing to share their opinions? Thanks!

I understand that both of them are a huge factor of deciding admission to a graduate school, but which one is generally more critical?

Got my first acceptance letter today (from a school near the bottom of my list, so it's not too exciting). Just wondering if anyone else has gotten anything yet... :-p

I will be graduating next year from a German University with a physics degree and am toying around with the idea of entering a biophysics Phd program in the US. I'm a little overwhelmed at the whole process. Mostly, how do I choose the right school? I guess, I could just look at a ranking...

Google is quite useless in seeking such information so let me try it here, in case anyone knows any others who got into MIT math graduate school etc The sort of information I'm seeking here is 1)expected GPA 2)expected GRE(subject) Also, do you have to be one of those gifted genius who...