School Definition and 1000 Threads

I did my undergrad in mathematics, and I really enjoyed studying that subject. After graduating, I've been continuing my study in Real Analysis with one of my undergrad professors, and I really feel like I'm blooming into a decent analysis student. This week I'm going to start learning...

What are some of the physics and calculus textbooks in common use in American high schools today? I have this fantasy that I want to finish out my career as a H.S teacher rather than an aging cube jockey. I'm pretty sure I understand the material at the high school level, or at least can...

I'm going into Senior year. I live I have taken 9 (3 I paid for so they don't count as dual enrollment) dual enrollment courses and next year I'm taking 4 more. I've reached my limit on college dual enrollment courses yet I have 2 spots in my schedule. I would like to use these to take...

Hi, I have heard from multiple sources that you need good research record to be admitted to any top grad school and most of them want recommendations from research groups, on other hand, most professors who do theory consider undergrads not to be qualified enough to help them in any manner...

Hello! I'm a college student entering my second year. Last year I studied at Clemson. I'm somewhat set on getting a physics bachelors and then an architecture masters. This is a tentative plan made because of what I want to learn and not because I know it will get me a good job (I don't know...

Hey, guys! I'm a ME major and I am going into my second year (I know, gen. ed and copious amount of math classes lol). Anyway, I am currently attending UNLV and I've heard that it isn't a "good" school for ME. I am very motivated and I strive for a high GPA and I will be looking into...

Hello all, I'm a German undergrad student wishing to do a physics graduate program in America. But the universities I looked at seems all too selective for me (for example at Louisiana State University they are looking for someone that have already done independent research and published...

Hi there, fellow physics forums members & guests. I'm starting the 1st semester of grad school, and I'm faced with a tough choice between two different classes. I could take Intermediate Analysis 1 or Applied Linear Algebra. The only course I've taken involving proofs is Discrete Math...

The following question was supposedly given in an admissions test for an elementary school in Hong Kong.

Hello, I am going to begin my senior year soon as a physics/mathematics double major, and I will be applying to graduate schools later this fall. I am unsure how I rank in the field, and would like to know how people think of my status. Major GPA (physics): 3.52 Major GPA (math): 3.80...

I'll be applying to PhD programs in pure math this fall. However, my profile isn't that outstanding, so I'll most likely being going to a "mid" to "low" rank (as determined by US News Grad Rankings, for what it's worth). Ultimately, I'd want to do research as well as teach lower/upper division...

Hello, Physics Forums. I am a recent graduate from UCLA with a bachelors in chemistry. I would like to pursue a graduate degree in physics in (in order of preference) quantum computing, atomic physics, or nuclear physics. Right now I have four schools that I think are fairly safe but, my degree...

ah, but which ones? There's some personal stuff mixed in here, which I hope you don't mind reading, but which is relevant. Some background (for those that don't know me here) I'm 37, just completed my bachelor's (BA in mathematics). I am married, no kids, but with a supportive wife...

what countries(aside from Canada and USA) have good schools for going to engineering grad school? I'm also looking for a country where the cost of living and tuition of schools is not that pricey. Any ideas? Thanks

I switched majors after my third year to physics. As a result, I have an unordinary schedule. I will be graduating either in summer of 2015 or fall of 2015. I haven't taken the GREs yet, and I am not planning on taking them this coming fall since I am doubling up on physics courses and don't...

Hi guys, I'm about to be a senior in High School, in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. I am a San Diego native, but I currently live in Tijuana. I want to go back to San Diego to major in Physics, but I'm afraid that if I try to go straight into a university, I might get charged "out of...

Hello all, I am thinking of returning to school to complete a PhD in Physics and hopefully work in particle or astrophysics. I will be 43 in August and think a PhD would be a perfect 50th birthday present to me, along with the knowledge it brings. Of course, I am nervous about my age but I...

Okay, so I had a phone interview and I have an interview for a PhD program in Photonics this week. I know first impressions matter, so I want to know what to wear. I have a campus tour, lunch with the professor, a tour of the facilities etc. Online I'm seeing every suggestion from "not dirty...

hi, I am planning to go to grad school for bme but also interested in electrical engineering. So before going to grad school, i want to take some useful and potential prequisite courses. Are there any you guys can recommend? Thank you!

Hello friends. I am an incoming high school senior this year, and of course, the college application process is just around the corner. Despite my harsh troubles with Honors Chemistry last year, it was my favorite class. I am naturally a math & science oriented person, so I know this is the...

I'm just reaching out to fellow graduate students who have already been through this. I'm about one month out from starting classes for physics phD program. Here are my concerns/questions: There is a preliminary exam; if students do not reach a certain percentage they will recommend (and may...

Hello, I need some help trying to decide my future degree. Any comments would be appreciated! My History: I want to dedicate my career innovating Electrochemical technologies (Fuel Cells, Batteries, Solar Cells, etc...). Before entering college, I originally applied as a "Chemical...

I will be applying for schools soon in physics, although my bachelors is in chemistry. Although I have decided that I would rather pursue physics than chemistry in graduate school, at the moment, I do not have my heart set on any specific sub-discipline of physics. So, assuming I have absolutely...

Hi, I finished my M.S. in Astronautical Engineering in 2010, B.S. in Aerospace Engineering in 2009 with a minor in physics, and am finding that the work I have been doing in the aerospace industry for the past 4 years is unfulfilling. I would like to focus on something more research...

I have six weeks (19 school days) to teach half-a-course worth's of material to the students who failed Conceptual Physics. I have five days to teach: What is physics, the concepts and some basic problems of linear motion, and all three Newton's laws. Alas, the first three days haven't...

Hello PF! Today have not been my day, as in calc 2, which I expected to get an A-, I ended with the final grade B+. A single grade wouldn't discourage me, but I am also taking a different math course (much harder) that I expect to get nothing more than a B- at most. Not a good way to start...

I'm getting ready to apply to grad schools, and I'm having a hard time choosing schools to apply to. I'm an applied math major, and I'm really interested in mathematical/computational biology. I don't necessarily want to study math in grad school, but I'm open to math programs with a more...

Hey guys I've gotten accepted into RIT Rochester Institute of Technology for electrical engineering and Embry Riddle for Aerospace engineering. I'm a non traditional student aged 28 with a BA in Econ who always had a passion for engineering. I am still making up my mind between EE or Aero. I...

Hey guys, I'm going into my third year of college and I really want to go to grad school. Unfortunately, I messed up really badly this year, so my GPA is currently a 2.743. Here's my grade breakdown: Freshman year (fall): General Chemistry I: B+ English Writing: B+ Calculus I: C Intro...

Hi everyone. I'm a twenty-four year old and I just finished college with a degree in biochemistry. I wanted to get into graduate school but I didn't get get in. I was thinking of working for a year and applying again but part of me thinks I'm not ready for more school. I love science but I...

Hello all, I am entering my senior year. I have a over all gpa of 3.3. My subject gpa currently is 2.83 due to some bad classes my freshman year. I have 6 classes left towards my major so I have a chance to bring up my major gpa. But I study and work hard as it is, and can't get an A in my...

So basically I'm wondering if any of you guys find small talk annoying. I'm still in high school, where interpersonal relationships are becoming more complex and 'formal'. Personally I find it really contrived, as I'm used to engaging in some activity with others before conversation naturally...

Hi, I'm an applied math major who wants to go to grad school for molecular biology. In my plan, I have included: Intro to cell biology & lab Intro to genetics Intro to microbiology molecular biology & lab advanced cell biology bioinformatics biological sequence analysis intro to...

I am planning to attend the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Pakistan starting this September for my undergraduate degree in engineering. I understand that getting into a grad school ranked in the top 50 after getting my BS would pretty difficult, if not impossible. I also...

Hello all, I'm a third year applied mathematics major. After finishing my undergrad, I hope to transition to an engineering oriented grad program. Preferably it would be in electrical engineering, but honestly I love all engineering. 1) What schools should I look into? 2) With a good...

My daughter needs some math assistance that I am not able to help her on. I would like someone who is experienced in middle school math (12-14 year olds) and who can explain how to go about each of these problems. The actual test is in 12 hours and will have different problems. But these six...

Find the acceleration of the system Ff= u(Fn) Fnet=ma I would just like to know if the way that I solved this problem is correct.

Hey guys. I've been accepted to attend a summer school at Cambridge this year and they have sent me a part of a quantum mechanics introductory textbook to do at home beforehand. However, I am having a lot of difficulty with it even the first few examples where they are trying to get you used...

Hello Physics Forums, I'll be graduating with an Ms in Applied Physics in 2014/15. I could see myself getting deeply interested in high energy theories from SM to SUSY to LGR to string theory. Particularly string theory - even before my first lecture on F=ma I daydreamed about a rudimentary...

There's a good deal of interesting grad school info here (though mostly for non-astrophysics, of course), but it seems quite US centered. I'm a few years ahead of graduation now but figure it's best to plan ahead. My interest was piqued since the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in...

I am a rising Senior in high school, and planning to major in Physics, with the intent of pursuing a Doctorate in Physics. Recently I received a "golden application" to the Colorado School of Mines (http://www.mines.edu/)... a school that I was not previously familiar with. Apparently this...

I'm applying for grad school in the fall and I need some opinions about my chances, where I should good, etc. I am majoring in math, with a minor in physics. I went to a community college then a UC. At my community college, I had a 4.0 major GPA, 3.8 overall GPA. At the UC I'm at now, I have a...

I just looked Physics graduate admission application guidelines on websites of various US and other International universities. There wasn't any mention of Extracurricular activities at all, unlike undergrad applications which use them as a crucial factor for admission decisions. Do they matter...

Hello together, we are working on a project on energy production in connection with shoes. That means, we want to manufacture a shoe that you can use to load a battery. Our model is a pocket lamp that you have to shake to make it flash. Now we want to know how to build in a capacitator to...

I went back to school and so I have a gap between now and my last job. It's a 3 year gap. Should I do anything about it, like put school as one of my 'jobs' in the list to close up that gap? I fear that putting school at the top of the resume will call attention away from my jobs that I...

1) How much does it matter when getting a job? Would a student with a lower GPA that went to a more prestigious school be considered more than a student with a nearly perfect GPA going to a school that is not that great? 2) How much does it matter when applying to graduate school? For...

Hi, I'm wondering whether it's harder to find a job or get accepted to a PhD program after obtaining a MS degree outside of states. Does the employer or adcom treat people who obtained a degree outside of states as an international applicant regardless of citizenship?

Hello everyone, This is my first post on the website or a blog for that matter. I'm currently going to a division 3 school for my bachelor's in physics and mathematics but it has taken me a lot longer to finish my degree. Consequentially, I've done poorly in some classes because of a medical...

Hello, I currently hold a B.S. in Physics with a minor in Mathematics, but personally felt that to be more prepared for a job in industry, I would need to obtain a Master's degree, so I went through the whole graduate school application process, got into graduate school, and just recently...

I've applied to the best ranked (according to QS) university in my country, the National University of Science and Technology (NUST). Of course the university isn't really all that nice in international standards, but in impoverished third-world standards, its facilities and faculty are pretty...