Undergraduate Research: How to Get Started in Theoretical Physics

[eXorikos]

I'm actually wondering what you all mean by research in this situation. Is it actually research where you can publish an article in a journal?

 

[eri]

The research most undergrads do won't get published in a professional journal, but might end up in an undergraduate research journal (many universities have their own) or being a poster presentation at a professional conference. However, some undergrads do manage to get published in a professional journal, and that looks great to grad programs. I've seen everything from last author of 50 for contributing something small to a large collaboration to a first author Nature paper from undergrads.

 

[Anonymous217]

Isn't Berkeley somewhat stronger than Yale in mathematics though? Do you just mention Yale for the name recognition then? Of course, Princeton has an incredibly strong math dept.

Sorry I just noticed this question. Yes, Berkeley is somewhat stronger than Yale in math, and yes I just mention Yale because people tend to view the best schools as the most prestigious and so I would just mention those two (I believe Caltech is also stronger than Yale in math). Yale does currently have a Putnam fellow (who became one freshman year), but I can't attribute that solely to a strong math department since the student placed 1st on the IMO multiple times.
I don't mention Berkeley though because I'm a student there and stating admission would be inherent.