Nuclear Engineering: PhD & Job Prospects

[eXorikos]

I score average about 13/20 on my exams, so according to http://www.foreigncredits.com/Resources/GPA-Calculator/Belgium that gives me a GPA of only 2.0. A 13.6/20 average would make me eligible for a PhD at my department (if I find a promotor).

If I fail to get at least a 3.0 GPA it's probably not a good idea to go for a university in the US, because the decent ones probably won't let me in? Anyway I find plenty of programs on fission, but not for fusion so suggestions are welcome.

 

[Ryker]

You'll notice that calculator is very crude. Having experienced the Belgian system at your university (well, one semester only, so take it for what it's worth), along with another European and now Canadian system, I'd say 13/20 is a bit harder to get than a C average (i.e. 2.0). It's still not the greatest grade, unforunately, so I can't really say how competitive it makes you.

Again, this is all anecdotal, I just know the Belgian system (same goes for the French one, from what I hear) is tougher on the grades than the Canadian/US system. You probably know of no one that has a 20/20 or even a 19/20 average, while there's always people at universities with 4.0 GPAs. The material can be equally as tough elsewhere, but the grades just seem to be skewed towards the low end in Belgium.

 

[eXorikos]

You'll notice that calculator is very crude. Having experienced the Belgian system at your university (well, one semester only, so take it for what it's worth), along with another European and now Canadian system, I'd say 13/20 is a bit harder to get than a C average (i.e. 2.0). It's still not the greatest grade, unforunately, so I can't really say how competitive it makes you.

Again, this is all anecdotal, I just know the Belgian system (same goes for the French one, from what I hear) is tougher on the grades than the Canadian/US system. You probably know of no one that has a 20/20 or even a 19/20 average, while there's always people at universities with 4.0 GPAs. The material can be equally as tough elsewhere, but the grades just seem to be skewed towards the low end in Belgium.

And probably the US universities will be aware of this situation? Do letters of recommendation really count or is there always a first selection on grades and afterwards they read the letters?

As for the grades, I know only one person who's had a 20/20 for an exam (he actually had almost every exam period multiple 20's). He graduated with I believe about a 19/20 average. Apart from that the most brilliant people I know have about 16/20 average.

 

[Ryker]

And probably the US universities will be aware of this situation?

I have no idea. I imagine they are to an extent, but I'm pretty sure they aren't aware of all or even most of it. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they were only aware that the difference exists, and maybe compare your grades to those of previous successful applicants from Belgium. This is all a guess, but it doesn't seem unreasonable.

So if you're applying to US universities, you have the average itself going against you, since numerically speaking, it's low. I think you need to convince them that it's not because you're at the low end of a curve, but that the peak itself is skewed to the left. I did the same when applying to Master's programs in the UK, although even strictly from a numerical standpoint, my GPA wasn't bad by any means. This was in a different field, so I don't know how it would translate to Physics, but since we're talking about general knowledge of systems, I think it would quite well.

As for the grades, I know only one person who's had a 20/20 for an exam (he actually had almost every exam period multiple 20's). He graduated with I believe about a 19/20 average. Apart from that the most brilliant people I know have about 16/20 average.

Yeah, that's what I heard when I was in Belgium, as well.

 

[eXorikos]

I still haven't received a reply from the professor, but I found extra documentation myself. Apparently the courses are:
1. - Electrical engineering and energy, 6 ECTS
2. - Numerical analysis, 5 ECTS – not for master math
3. - System analysis and control theory, 6 ECTS
4. - Material science part 2, 6 ECTS
5. - Thermodynamics and turbomachines, 7 ECTS
6. - Heat transfer and fluidum mechanics, 7 ECTS
7. - Mechanics for engineers, 5 ECTS

As a physics student I don't see why I should take mechanics and numerical analysis though. These courses don't seem very exciting. The program itself still is very interesting though. It is a part of the European Nuclear Education Network.