Preparing for Graduate School: Tips for Freshman Physics Majors

[Josh0768]

What are some things a freshman physics major can/should be doing to get a head start on becoming a competitive applicant for graduate schools?

 

[Dr. Courtney]

Get As and Bs in all your classes. More As than Bs. Work lots and lots of problems in all your math and physics courses. This is your best early work toward your GPA and doing well on the PGRE.

Figure out how to get into research as soon as you can. Do your very best in every research opportunity. Your research advisers' recommendation letters and any publications you co-author will be very valuable to you.

The above points cover the most important 4 aspects of your grad school applications: GPA, PGRE, research, and recommendations.

If you think other activities are important enough to take time away and reduce your accomplishments in the above areas, you are probably wrong.

 

[Choppy]

1. Learn good study habits. Remember that the approach that you took to studying in high school may not always be as reliable as you move forward in university. Learn how you learn and play to your strengths. Not everyone learns the same way and a big part of the university experience is figuring out what works best for you.
2. Surround yourself with like-minded students who have similar goals and aspirations, and who want to help each other succeed. Having friends like this can help to keep you motivated. And if you sometimes feel like the "dumbest" person in the group, that's probably a sign that you're hanging out with people who can help you improve.
3. Develop a strong relationship with your academic advisor.
4. Ask questions to your professors and TAs. This isn't (just) about developing relationships. Crossing that action potential of stepping forward and asking the really important questions can be a big challenge and it's harder if you've never asked a question before. Asking questions can initiate dialogue and this can sometimes lead to far more insight about a problem or topic that you originally gained in class.
5. Make time to read up on and explore stuff that interests you. A typical undergraduate physics course load can eat up ALL of your time if you let it. But even taking one or two hours a week out for personal reading can really do a lot to maintain your motivation.
6. Attend departmental seminars, colloquia. You may not understand everything the speakers are talking about, but they should start with general introductions that are accessible by undergrads. This will help you to learn about the research that's going on in your own department.
7. When selecting your courses, thing about the skill sets that you're developing. What are you learning that you'll be able to carry forward into graduate school and, eventually, the workforce?
8. Take good care of yourself. Get adequate sleep. Eat properly. Exercise. Socialize. Make sure you have some decent down time.