Which is better? math tripos in cambridge or msc in physics in germany

[psg]

I have been offered a place to study part iii of the math tripos (with a commonwealth scholarship). My area of interest is theoretical physics. However the problem is that quite a bit of the stuff that has been covered in part ii of the course (and hence is a prerequisite for part iii) has not been covered in my previous undergrad program. For instance, I've had no advanced course on quantum mechanics. On the other hand, I've been offered a place to study for an msc in physics at the bonn cologne graduate school in germany. This course is two years in duration and starts off from a point that I can grasp given my previous background. I am unsure of how hard I will have to work to cover whatever I've missed to get something meaningful out of the tripos course. I am also concerned that if I do take the german course I will be missing out on an excellent opportunity. Moreover, since I am an international student, I am worried about the funding situation. What happens if I do not get a distinction on the tripos exam? Which one would be a better choice under the circumstances?

 

[rhombusjr]

I would contact the appropriate representative of DAMTP and let them know the details of your educational background. They would then know if it would be appropriate for you to enroll in Part III.

 

[ahsanxr]

I don't know about your other option, but Part III seems like a great opportunity if you are interested in theoretical physics, especially since you have a scholarship. Since the program doesn't start until late September, you have quite some time to self-study what you feel your knowledge lacks, such as quantum mechanics. I would read and do the majority of problems in either Shankar, Sakurai or Zettili. Feel free to skip the later parts for now such as approximation techniques and what-not but do make sure that you understand the essentials very well.