Admissions Getting into a top tier Physics PhD Program with a Masters Degree

Thread starter ForTheBit
Start date Jun 20, 2023
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Masters degree Phd Physics

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The discussion centers on an individual with a bachelor's in aerospace engineering considering a transition to a PhD in Physics, starting with a Master's degree to strengthen their application. Key advice includes selecting a terminal Master's program that emphasizes core physics content, achieving a high GPA, excelling on the GRE, and obtaining strong recommendation letters from physics faculty. The conversation highlights the competitive nature of top-tier PhD programs, noting that a GPA of 3.2 may hinder acceptance despite potential improvements in a Master's program. Additionally, there is a suggestion to consider pursuing a second bachelor's degree in physics to gain relevant coursework and research experience. The individual expresses a genuine interest in physics, indicating a desire for a career shift towards this field.

Jul 10, 2023

Vanadium 50

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jtbell said:

I used to have a T-shirt that read "Harvard: the Michigan of the East."

I used to have a bumper sticker that said "I brake for animals - except Wolverines.:"

I think that the variation in quality in graduate schools is smaller than the public as a whole thinks it is, I think the top schools vary more by subfield than the public thinks, I think the top schools in some subfields are not the big names (Nuclear experiment, I'd rank Michigan State well above Harvard - Go Spartans!

) and I think that the OP will have a harder time getting into the "lesser schools" than he thinks.