Self-Studying Physics in 8 months for a University Entrance Exam

[gmax137]

I shall be scanning most of the things I see in the books if not study them completely. I want to have a good grasp of the concept if nothing else.

These two thoughts do not really go together.

 

[hutchphd]

I think the likelihood of your obtaining admission to a "top rank" university by learning the entire undergraduate curriculum in in 8 months to be very small indeed. Perhaps you should try to obtain entrance to a lesser institution for a Masters with hopes of making up these deficits over the next 2yrs +8 months? I do not know the institutional structure in India, but in the US there are many lesser institutions that can provide good pedagogy to a motivated student. Your (internal?) demand for admission to a "top-rated" or nothing seems self-defeating. One needs to work for success, not just aspire to it.

 

[Vanadium 50]

"Failure is not an option.

Note that Apollo 13 did not make it onto the moon. It is an example of successfully executing Plan B.

 

[Slimy0233]

Note that Apollo 13 did not make it onto the moon. It is an example of successfully executing Plan B.

"A successful Failure"

You make a good point!

 

[Slimy0233]

I think the likelihood of your obtaining admission to a "top rank" university by learning the entire undergraduate curriculum in in 8 months to be very small indeed. Perhaps you should try to obtain entrance to a lesser institution for a Masters with hopes of making up these deficits over the next 2yrs +8 months? I do not know the institutional structure in India, but in the US there are many lesser institutions that can provide good pedagogy to a motivated student. Your (internal?) demand for admission to a "top-rated" or nothing seems self-defeating. One needs to work for success, not just aspire to it.

Plan B would be not so top university but university which helps me get out of the country for my PhD anyway! The reason I am aiming for the top university is because the greater the reputation of the university, the greater the chance I am gonna get into a better university abroad for my PhD (because doing a PhD in India as you might know is a (more of a) nightmare acc to my peers).

>

Your (internal?) demand for admission to a "top-rated" or nothing seems self-defeating. One needs to work for success, not just aspire to it.

I shall do that sir. I shall heed to your advice if I fail, but I will try not to fail in the first place!

 

[Vanadium 50]

I don't think we're getting through to you.

Your Plan A is to learn in 8 months what it takes most people 4 or 5 years to learn with all the benefits of the university environment, and to do it so well you can outcompete them for university admission.

Your Plan B is to learn in 8 months what it takes most people 4 or 5 years to learn with all the benefits of the university environment, and to do it so well you can outcompete almost all of them for university admission.

This might be a good time to remind you that the alphabet has 26 letters.

 

[StatGuy2000]

To OP:

I had sent you a PM.

 

[Zexuo]

The first eight chapters of Boas encompass the math requirements in the syllabus entirely. You can definitely cover that much in eight months if you already know single variable calculus. However, I doubt that you could cover the other material in that time, even at the level of Halliday and Resnick, much less at upper division level implied in the syllabus. I would still recommend chewing into H&R as much as you can in that time and beyond if you want to study physics.

 

[Vanadium 50]

So we are almost 2 months into your plan, and you have covered about half (as far as I can tell) of one book of your list of 11, and it wasn't even on your list of 7.

Do you think it's time for a new plan?

 

[Slimy0233]

So we are almost 2 months into your plan, and you have covered about half (as far as I can tell) of one book of your list of 11, and it wasn't even on your list of 7.

Do you think it's time for a new plan?

Dear sir, I am really thankful for your concern, however, I am using them as reference books. My exams don't need me to read all of them and understand every concept in the book, so I need not read the whole book, but it's good to have them anyways. I will not be completing them, but I will be using them to understand concepts my tutor didn't do a good job of explaining and for extra reading.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Um...okay, but you;re still on freshman mechanics. Do you think you're ready for graduate study and can outcompete people who spent 4-5 years on this? When will it be time for a new plan?

 

[Vanadium 50]

We've now used 4 of the 8 months. Are you halfway done? If not, is it time for a new plan?

 

[Slimy0233]

We've now used 4 of the 8 months. Are you halfway done? If not, is it time for a new plan?

I don't know what the new plan is. I don't know what you are trying to do, probably knock some sense into me, but there is no "new plan". I do what I can do and write the exam 128 days from now.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Well, it;s up to you, but if the plan doesn't get you where you want to go, does it make more sense to keep it or to change it?

 

[Slimy0233]

Well, it;s up to you, but if the plan doesn't get you where you want to go, does it make more sense to keep it or to change it?

I don't like to entertain that question. What if this doesn't turn out how I want it to be. Yeah, that's terrifying. The alternate plan is nothing. I don't know. Do a Physics MSc in NIT and then try to get into Europe for a PhD. I need your help. I can't imagine myself doing anything but physics, Physics research to be more specific and I want to do it away from India in a free country.

But, I don't know if I want that life anymore, it has been struggle for me. I need to dm you! It's weird, but I want your advice.

Believe me when I say, I wasn't ignoring you, I was ignoring the question you posed, but things are way too real now. Can't ignore things any longer.

 

[Slimy0233]

Well, it;s up to you, but if the plan doesn't get you where you want to go, does it make more sense to keep it or to change it?

Hey, what would you have as a backup plan if you were in my shoes? I mean, what would be your backup plan? My father can't work anymore, his savings can sustain the family for a few years until I finish my PhD, but yeah, taking another drop year is not an option and it's not even attractive at this point.

 

[Haborix]

Part of what @Vanadium 50 is trying to get you to do is engage with the reality of the situation. You never answered if you were roughly a quarter done after two months or half done after four months in your eight month plan (assuming there was something that qualified as a plan and not just hope). Have you taken a practice test under realistic conditions to gauge how prepared you are?

 

[Slimy0233]

Part of what @Vanadium 50 is trying to get you to do is engage with the reality of the situation. You never answered if you were roughly a quarter done after two months or half done after four months in your eight month plan (assuming there was something that qualified as a plan and not just hope). Have you taken a practice test under realistic conditions to gauge how prepared you are?

I am reconsidering everything right now. I don't know anything anymore. I am going to share a post I made to share everything I am going through.

I was on my way to do this when you commented.

 

[berkeman]

Thread paused for Moderation...

 

[berkeman]

After a Mentor discussion, this thread will also remain closed. Please talk with a trusted medical professional about your situation.