Schools Curious about a couple of grad schools

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The discussion centers on the average GPAs of undergraduates accepted into prestigious physics programs at institutions like Princeton, Caltech, Chicago, MIT, and Cornell. There is a consensus that specific GPA thresholds are difficult to define due to the variability in applicant profiles. However, a GPA around 3.8, especially when accompanied by graduate coursework and multiple publications, is viewed as competitive for these top schools. Strong research experience, solid recommendation letters, and a good performance on the physics GRE are also critical factors in the admissions process. Participants encourage applying even if applicants feel uncertain about their chances, as many have successfully gained admission despite initial doubts.
JVanUW
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Hi!

I've been searching the web trying to find out the average GPA's of undergraduates in physics
who were accepted to Princeton, Caltech, Chicago, MIT, Cornell, etc... with no luck. Could someone enlighten me as to the approximate tiers of difficulty and the corresponding ~GPA's?

On another note, would a GPA around a 3.8 while taking graduate classes and with several publications make it worth applying to some of these top schools? Any help is greatly appreciated.


Thanks!
 
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JVanUW said:
On another note, would a GPA around a 3.8 while taking graduate classes and with several publications make it worth applying to some of these top schools? Any help is greatly appreciated.


Thanks!

In short, yes. Browse the physicsgre.com forum about this application year, you'll see a hodge-podge of people who got into these top tier schools. It's not so easy to make a clear criterion (because one does not exist). But a 3.8 GPA with strong research, good recommendation letters, and a strong pgre should certainly make you competitive.

Just on a more anecdotal note, I'm somewhere on that list that was posted and I managed to get into many top-tier programs even though I thought it would be a longshot. It doesn't hurt to apply, assuming you can afford the ~$80 application fees.
 
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