Chances of getting into grad school

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the chances of gaining admission to a top 10 graduate school in physics, focusing on the significance of research experience, GPA, letters of recommendation, and standardized test scores. Participants explore various factors that may influence admissions decisions.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions their chances of admission with only two REUs and no publications, seeking insight into how this experience may weigh against other factors.
  • Another participant suggests that exceptional qualities are generally required for admission, indicating that lacking exceptional research experience may necessitate strong performance in other areas.
  • A follow-up inquiry considers whether a GPA of approximately 3.8, average letters of recommendation, and an 80th percentile score on the physics GRE would be sufficient for top schools.
  • A different participant emphasizes the uncertainty of admissions outcomes, noting the lack of complete information compared to what admissions committees possess.
  • Statistical insights are provided regarding the number of PhDs awarded and the estimated acceptance rates for top programs, suggesting that only a small percentage of applicants are admitted.
  • Concerns are raised about the significance of average letters of recommendation and the importance of in-major and recent coursework in evaluating a candidate's profile.

    • Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

    Participants generally agree that there are many factors influencing admissions decisions, but there is no consensus on the specific weight or importance of each factor. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the adequacy of the participant's qualifications for admission.

    Contextual Notes

    Limitations include the lack of detailed information about the admissions process, the subjective nature of what constitutes "exceptional" qualifications, and the variability in the importance of different academic metrics.

proton
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will i stand any chance of getting into a top 10 grad school if my only research experience consists of 2 REUs (no research done at my big state university) and no publications?
 
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proton said:
will i stand any chance of getting into a top 10 grad school if my only research experience consists of 2 REUs (no research done at my big state university) and no publications?

Of course, we can't tell what your chances are. In general, however, accept students who are in some way exceptional. If your research experience is not exceptional, it would be best if some other factor was.
 


Vanadium 50 said:
Of course, we can't tell what your chances are. In general, however, accept students who are in some way exceptional. If your research experience is not exceptional, it would be best if some other factor was.

would i stand a chance at the top schools with 2 REUs (no research at my school), ~3.8gpa, average letters of rec, and ~80th percentile on the physics GRE?
 
We still can't tell, of course. We don't have all the information that the admissions committee does, and even then, we're not the admissions committee.

There are about 1000 PhDs awarded every year, which means there must be about 1500 people entering each year. I don't know how many students the top 10 programs accept, but I'd guess between 150 and 200. So you're talking about being in the top 10-15%.

You can ask yourself if any of the things you listed suggests your being in the top 10-15%. Certainly 80% percentile is not, and certainly average letters are not. (If they were, they wouldn't be average) Participating in an REU doesn't impress me - strong letters coming out of it do, but the odds are that I will not be on your committee, so you take take that any way you like. You can decide for yourself where you think a 3.8 lies, but even that doesn't tell the whole story: in-major classes are more important than other classes, and recent classes are more important than classes you took years ago.
 

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