- #1
Lip
- 1
- 1
Good evening,
I rarely post on forums, but I’m looking for some outside perspective on my current situation.
To keep it short: I am a Master’s student in Europe. My program is focused on theoretical High Energy Physics (covering General Relativity, QFT, the Standard Model, etc.), with some minor courses in computational physics and machine learning. I’ve really enjoyed the program, specifically the particle physics theory and the projects involving data analysis and ML techniques.
However, at the start of my Master’s (right after my Bachelor’s), I faced some health issues. While not life-threatening, they prevented me from attending lectures. I had to self-study while not at my physical best, and as a result, my initial grades were mediocre. My "Intro to Theoretical Physics" grade was "meh," and my General Relativity grade was okay, but not excellent.
Fortunately, my health improved and I was able to attend lectures again. My grades improved significantly; for instance, I recently received a very high grade in QFT, which I’m quite proud of.
As I approach the end of my program, I am considering a PhD. I’m interested in a theory-oriented program—specifically phenomenology rather than formal theory—ideally with a computational aspect. However, I’m worried about my chances. Even if I graduate with a strong final grade, I’m afraid my "sloppy" start, my average Bachelor’s grades, and a 1.5-year gap due to health issues will hurt my applications. I am also a year or two older than my peers.
I would appreciate your thoughts on a few things:
Thanks and good day.
I rarely post on forums, but I’m looking for some outside perspective on my current situation.
To keep it short: I am a Master’s student in Europe. My program is focused on theoretical High Energy Physics (covering General Relativity, QFT, the Standard Model, etc.), with some minor courses in computational physics and machine learning. I’ve really enjoyed the program, specifically the particle physics theory and the projects involving data analysis and ML techniques.
However, at the start of my Master’s (right after my Bachelor’s), I faced some health issues. While not life-threatening, they prevented me from attending lectures. I had to self-study while not at my physical best, and as a result, my initial grades were mediocre. My "Intro to Theoretical Physics" grade was "meh," and my General Relativity grade was okay, but not excellent.
Fortunately, my health improved and I was able to attend lectures again. My grades improved significantly; for instance, I recently received a very high grade in QFT, which I’m quite proud of.
As I approach the end of my program, I am considering a PhD. I’m interested in a theory-oriented program—specifically phenomenology rather than formal theory—ideally with a computational aspect. However, I’m worried about my chances. Even if I graduate with a strong final grade, I’m afraid my "sloppy" start, my average Bachelor’s grades, and a 1.5-year gap due to health issues will hurt my applications. I am also a year or two older than my peers.
I would appreciate your thoughts on a few things:
- Has anyone been in a similar situation? How did you manage the application process?
- Am I being delusional about a PhD? In US terms, my GPA would be roughly 3.6. Given the competitive nature of HEP, is this realistic?
- What are the industry alternatives? If a PhD doesn’t work out, I’d be happy working for companies involved in physics or environmental tech. Would looking for a Data Science internship or a similar role be a viable pivot with my background?
Thanks and good day.