PhD Physics in Europe with Low Grade but a potential Publication

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the challenges faced by a prospective PhD candidate in physics with low academic grades but a potential publication. Participants explore the implications of academic performance, the impact of personal health issues on academic records, and strategies for enhancing credibility in applications to European universities.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Chetan expresses concern about his low MSc grades (3.35/6) and whether to mention his chronic illness in his CV or statement of purpose (SOP).
  • Some participants suggest that a C grade in graduate school is viewed negatively, regardless of the reasons behind it.
  • There is a discussion about the credibility of publishing in low impact factor journals and the implications of submitting work to platforms perceived as less reputable.
  • Chetan mentions his independent research on Non-Hermitian QM and its presentation at an international conference, questioning if this enhances his application.
  • Participants highlight the competitive nature of PhD applications, noting that many candidates have stronger academic records and are not changing fields.
  • There is a suggestion that Chetan needs to build a compelling case for his application to stand out among other candidates.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally disagree on the impact of Chetan's low grades and health issues on his application prospects. While some emphasize the challenges he faces, others suggest ways to improve his credibility and application strategy.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying opinions on the significance of academic performance, personal circumstances, and publication credibility, with no consensus on the best approach for Chetan's situation.

Chetan_Waghela
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Hello Friends,
My name is Chetan Waghela and I have done M.Sc Physics from Pune University, India. My specialisation course has been Quantum Field Theory but I want to work on more application based subjects like BEC or Quantum Optics.

I have very low grades i.e. 3.35/6 in MSc which amounts to a C grade. I have always scored a First Class in my academics, but have scored low in MSc due to aggravation of a disease called Ankylosing Spondylitis. I feel a bit worried and awkward to write it in My CV, but is it professionally and formally correct to mention it in SOP or CV?

I have worked independently on Non-Hermitian QM and have submitted my work to Int.J.Theo.Phys. Does having a paper and that to "independently" add to the credibility while specifically applying to Europe? I would confess that my work is not a major breakthrough but clears out a good amount of ideas related to people working on it. Also, I keep reading a lot of research work related to these subjects does it add upto credibility by mentioning in SOP ?

Can anyone give an example of a friend or an acquaintance who has been through such an issue and got a PhD position. Thanks in advance.
 
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I have some bad news for you.

A C in graduate school is considered failing. Having a chronic condition that explains the C is not helpful, because you will still have this condition in graduate school.

Int.J.Theor.Phys. is a low impact factor journal. Also, "submitted" and "accepted" are two different things. Finally, submitting it to Vixra - a known crackpot site - was probably a mistake. It doesn't make you look like a serious researcher.

Truth be told, there are plenty of students from India who want to go to North America or Europe to continue their education. Most of these are less risky to the university: better grades and not changing subfields.
 
Thank You for your reply, what can be done to improve my credibility ? I took a break from studies and have got the problem in good control, just to hit back and do Physics efficiently. I am a serious researcher and cannot imagine myself not doing research. I will surely try and apply in India. I forgot to mention, I had it presented as poster at HRI, Allahabad at an international conference QIPA2013.
 
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Your competition is the many students who graduated from better colleges with better grades and who aren't changing subfields - or posting papers on crackpot web sites. Why should the university take you over them? (Hint: "but I really want this" won't work - they want this too). When you have an answer, whatever it is, you need to build your application around that.
 

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