Schools Should I know what field I want to go in for grad school?

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Senior undergraduates preparing for graduate studies in physics often face uncertainty about their specific field of interest. Many express that undergraduate physics serves as a broad introduction to various disciplines, making it challenging to choose a focus. A common strategy is to apply to universities with diverse research areas, allowing for exploration and discovery of preferred fields later on. Some students aim to work outside academia and therefore rule out theoretical fields like particle or high-energy physics. Instead, they consider practical applications such as condensed matter physics, material science, optics, optoelectronics, and semiconductor physics. This approach helps narrow down options while keeping future career goals in mind.
theDRG5
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Hi,

I'm a senior undergrad preparing for graduate studies.
But I have this problem where I don't really know what field of physics I want to go in.
I really have no clue.
And I feel like that is a big part in deciding what schools to apply/attend.
Then again, I feel like no one really knows either, since undergrad physics really is an assortment of appetizers of all the different fields of physics.

Could anyone share some words of wisdom? Thanks.
 
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I'm kinda going through the same thing. Though I have been able to narrow things down a bit, I'm still interested in about 3 different areas.

I suppose you could apply to universities which have a wide variety of research areas, so if you decide you like a certain field, you can get into it.
 
Well, I know what I don't want to do at least.
I want to work outside of academia when I'm done, so stuff like particle/high energy physics or pretty much anything theoretical isn't what I want to do.
Other than that, no clue lol
 
theDRG5 said:
Well, I know what I don't want to do at least.
I want to work outside of academia when I'm done, so stuff like particle/high energy physics or pretty much anything theoretical isn't what I want to do.
Other than that, no clue lol

That actually narrows it down quite a bit. You should consider looking into condensed matter experiment and material science.
 
That makes 3 of us lol.

Jack21222 said:
That actually narrows it down quite a bit. You should consider looking into condensed matter experiment and material science.

Took the words out of my mouth. That or something related to optics/optoelectronics or semiconductor physics come to mind.

If you're in the UK/EU you might want to have a look at this:
 
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