Graduate Definition and 1000 Threads

Hi, When I finish my undergraduate physics degree here in the USA, I would like to go on to get a PhD abroad, in particular in the United Kingdom. I have noticed that a lot of Universities in the US have programs that allow a BS in physics to go directly into a PhD program, rather than getting...

I am a final year undergrad and applied for graduate programs in various universities for Fall'16 admission. I recently got an admission offer from one of the programs. The admissions chair cc'd the offer email to potential supervisors I mentioned in my application. Here's the email from one of...

Hi all, I'm a college sophomore studying physics and computer science, and I was hoping to get a bit of perspective on graduate school and careers with respect to physics. In high school, I was very much a slacker, who would slide by in the "Honors Classes", but would occasionally do quite well...

Greetings, So first of all, I am not in this situation. I am just wanting to know about a hypothetical scenario. Yesterday I heard that I've been admitted to an Ivy League and though I couldn't be more thrilled, I'm also terrified to the highest degree since I'm not sure that I have the...

My Current Situation: I am currently a second semester sophomore at university going for a double major (BS in Physics and BS in mathematics). I went to college to get a physics degree . The mathematics degree is added on because I love mathematics and due to my strange circumstances had quite a...

Hello, I'm a senior undergrad at a liberal arts institution. I'm pursuing two majors one in studio art and the other in physics (BA). I just finished my [revolutionary] research project in cosmology and my grades are all over (everywhere from A to C+ in math+science, no comp sci classes). I am...

I have been asked to interview for a job that entails no access to internet for a few months. I am also currently in the application process for engineering graduate school phD programs. I have applied to the schools I am interested in, but have not began the interview process yet for those...

What skills should I focus on developing for when I graduate? I have experience with various controllers, PID loop tuning, PLC programming, I have a lot of experience with excel, etc. I'm also learning how to program in Python so that I can write custom programs to help out with mathematics...

Greetings, I recently got my Bachelors in Physics, and took a year off to help my family move out of state. The move is complete, and I am looking into Master's programs. My question is how can I effectively prepare for this? I don't think my skills have declined terribly, but I know they...

I'm sort of confused how to go about finding my educational path. I've been studying alone for some time, quantum field theory, quantum mechanics, relativity and I am struggling. I went to school graduate actually in mathematics, studied general relativity, some quantum. I have a degree in math...

Hey guys, just curious of your opinions on this matter. Which graduate schools are the best to earn a Ph.D. in physics theory from and research in concerning the theoretical sub-fields Quantum Field Theory, General Relativity, and Elementary Particle Physics (maybe String Theory)? Which has...

Hey guys, I was wondering if someone here could help me answer some questions, and if not at least give me some advice. I'm double majoring in CS and Math. I want to pursue graduate degree in the future after I finish my bachelor. The thing is, I have so much love for math and theoretical...

I have a bit of a dilemma with graduate school applications that I feel many people here would have encountered. Part of the applications requires either a CV or a resume, and I find that the list of my expierences, educations, presentations and awards is a little to short to be considered a CV...

Hi it's too late for me to apply for Fall admission since it's already December and I haven't started my applications. Can I apply for Spring admission since I don't want to wait a whole other year to apply for graduate schools and get in again.

Greetings all, Are there resources around to help with writing essays for graduate applications? I have asked a few professors around my department, but as we don't have a graduate program and most of them are young professors who have only recently left grad school themselves, most of them...

I was recently accepted into 5 universities Penn State University ( 2 years at Behrend then 2 years at main), Ohio University, Waynesburg University, Kent State University, and the University of Akron. I got into the physics programs in all of those schools. I was wondering which school would be...

If I graduate with a 3.3 gpa with a markedly better GPA in my last 2 years(3.5<) and suppose a great GRE score(optimistic/naive) what am I looking at when it comes to grad school admissions?(do I even stand a chance?) I'm a ambitious Junior Physics/Econ dual degree/major who let freshman year...

I'm currently a freshman a MIT. I was planning to do a Chemistry and Physics double major but after looking at the requirements for a Chemistry minor, it wouldn't take any additional classes to do a Physics and Math double major with a minor in Chemistry. The reason this is appealing to me is...

Hi PF! Please help me! I am completing a Master's of Science in Mechanical Engineering and finish this term. I successfully defended my thesis and am now waiting to graduate. I was informed some of my credits are redundant, and hence won't count towards graduation. I need 45 credits to...

Hello! I've been reading this forum for a while now, and while I see many threads asking about similar questions as I am, I still cannot get answers to some of my questions. So I hope to get some advice here on PF. I am very interested in pursuing a career in Physics, but I don't have any...

Okay, so I graduated in May with a B.S. in EE and want to attend graduate school for EE with a concentration in solid state devices. I had around a 3.6 GPA and over 160 quantitative and verbal on the GRE. I took a device physics graduate course in my senior year (did well in it too) and after...

Hi guys - I was hoping people might have some topic ideas for a project I need to do in graduate classical mechanics as well as math methods. It needs to be a solution to an advanced problem or cover an advanced topic. I'm just looking for ideas that haven't been beaten to death. Any suggestion...

I am currently a physics undergraduate doing research in applied optics (plasmonic waveguides/microscopy). I have a few questions. I'd really like to go to a top 10/15 EE graduate school and pursue research in these topics. Problem is I went to a school fairly unknown for its physics department...

If anyone has anything to say at all about acoustics, I'd love to hear it. I'm finishing up a B.A. in physics this year, and I would like to pursue a Ph.D. in acoustics, architectural acoustics, acoustic engineering, something like that. I've also seen degrees in mechanical engineering with a...

I'm currently in 3rd year of Medical Physics and hoping to work in the hospital as Medical Physicist. After going through the forum, it seems like the field is saturated and the PhD in accredited program is basically required to get into the residency program. Does it matter which graduate...

As an undergraduate, which graduate-level course will prepare me better for grad school, Complex Analysis or Topology? I probably can't fit both into my schedule, but I can definitely fit one. I have already taken undergraduate complex analysis and I'm taking now undergraduate topology. My...

I'm in a physics graduate program shopping around for research advisors and I met with my number one pick today. He works with biological systems using calorimetry and other lab methods a biologist would know. He saw my enthusiasm and liked it but was wary about my lack of biochem knowledge. He...

Hello all, I am currently an undergraduate studying chemistry with a question regarding physics graduate school. I know many threads have been started on whether or not one can get into a physics grad program and I have come to the conclusion that it is possible, so I won't ask that question. My...

Does anyone know how much undergraduate E&M you need to know in order to do well in a graduate engineering Optics course? Is it an absolute pre-requisite?

Hello, can an applied physics graduate be able to be a theoretical physicist? Our school only offers applied physics major in instrumentation but they do send students to do interns/ojt (on the job training) to CERN and various universities all over the world. I know applied physics is more...

Hi, I'm an undergraduate physics student in Turin (Northern Italy), currently in the first year of my bachelor degree. Before enrolling here in Turin, I thought a lot about going to sudy abroad because I would like to get a job somewhere in Europe or even outside it. But then, for several...

I finished my bachelors in electronics and communication in 2014 from India. Since then I have worked as an Application Engineer in the VLSI domain at a reputed company. I would like to transition to Nuclear Fusion Physics. I am planning to give my Physics GRE in October 2015. Some background...

I am applying for a PhD program in statistics and I want a full assistantship. Should I check the box to apply for additional financial aid or will that affect an assistantship chance? Thanks.

Hello all, I am a first year graduate student in chemistry studying electronic structure theory. I am fascinated with physics, and a lot of what we work on deals with some heavy QM and mathematical methods. I've asked my advisor and he supports my choice to take some courses in the physics...

I hear it's 60hrs + What's a day like for you? From waking up until going to bed. What's it like year round? Do you get any vacation?

Could you please list and elaborate as much as you can on schools that are heavy on the theoretical side of statistics? Thank you as I have to have my applications in by December-January for grad school (I plan to enter a PhD program and would like guaranteed funding).

Hi! I have found a few threads discussing medical physics, however I am still have many questions. I am going into my senior year of college with my plan all along being to get my Phd and teach physics at a university. After spending two years researching in an acoustic/optics lab, however, I...

Hello, my name is Israel and I have a B.A. in physics from California State University Stanislaus. I graduated in 2011 in the worst economy ever and in the worst part of the U.S. to be hit by the great recession. I have substitute taught in every subject in K-12, but I am looking to get into the...

Purpose: Seeking general advice! "What would you do in my shoes?" My situation: All of my undergraduate research (and passion) has been related to computational projects-- Monte Carlo simulations, data analysis, and more recently image analysis (all in Python). My summers have gone into this...

I am currently studying math (honours) in a university in Canada. Due to family issues that made my first and second year of very stressful,which caused problems to my mental health Anyway here is my full transcript:First Year: Mechanics 1: 86 Calc 1: 90 C++ programming: 91 Economics: 82 Optics...

http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/195538/prepare-for-hep-th-graduate-application-books-research-opportunities-etc I want to specialise in high-energy physics theory. I feel quiet unconfident because the I just knew that the field is insanely competitive, so I really need your advice to...

Hey PF, I'm currently double majoring in engineering and physics. I want to be a licensed engineer and go on to grad school to study molecular engineering or something similar. However, I love my physics department. It's smaller so students get more funding and attention and way more...

Dear Physics Forum advisers, I am a rising college junior (five-years tract) with a major in mathematics and an aspiring mathematician in the fields of theoretical computing and cryptography. I apologize for this sudden interruption but I wrote this email to seek your advice on the impact of...

I hold a 3 year BEng in Mechanical from a British university and currently I am working. I want to switch over to Physics. I am planning to do a BSc degree with Physics major from an distance education university in India namely IGNOU i.e. Indira Gandhi National Open University. This program...

So, for next fall I was thinking of taking: 1) GR 2) E and M 1 3) Abstract Algebra 1 4) not sure I was thinking of taking either graduate quantum or taking graduate E and M instead of the undergrad version and instead take a second math course. Now, I have taken undergrad quantum, but I was...

I am a rising senior at a small liberal arts college, with an incredibly small (and therefore unrecognized) physics program. I am seeking advice regarding which Ph.D programs are within my reach. I plan on applying to AMO (Atomic, Molecular, and Optics) Ph.D programs with the intention of...

Ideally I'd like to apply to graduate school for physics (leaning towards Astrophysics or Condensed matter); however, I don't think my course work or research is sufficient. I'm already using an extra year to complete the degree (I changed to physics the end of my Sophomore year) and wouldn't...

I've been reading many of these forums regarding students with low GPAs, or low GRE scores, etc., but I am in a slightly different situation. I am about to head into my senior year of undergrad and will receive a physics BS and an applied math BS. My GPA isn't much better than a 3.0, which it...

To begin, I've had a fairly long college career. I was a wellness science major for 3 years and decided it wasn't challenging enough at my small college. I switched to physics and jammed 4 years of math and physics into 2 years. I have one more year left and then I will be in graduate school...

Hello, I'd like to create a list of short, intensive physics and/or math courses offered around the world. I'm primarily focuses on the U.S. as that is where I live but for the sake of completeness, anywhere would be good. The courses I'm looking should be short, usually 1-3 weeks in length and...