Work experience placement ideas.

[Ryanzmw]

Hey, I'm currently in year 9 in secondary school and am aspiring to become a theoretical physicist. Since my year is taking linear G.C.S.E. physics and all the exams are taken at the end of the 11th year our school is taking ages teaching all of G.C.S.E. physics and over a year we have almost completed module 1.
Since its taken so long to complete module 1, I've learned most of the whole course and quite a bit of particle physics I am now looking for a work experience placement. How can I find a good physics placement where I can see how physicists work on problems.
I'm thinking of applying for work experience at a Russel Group univerisity, and my questions are these: What will I do, What would I be expected to know, and what should my letter say, and how do I apply (e.g. email a particular department?).

(I know I won't do anything difficult or anything, but is it strange to apply for this sort of thing?)

 

[chiro]

Hey Ryanmzmw and welcome to the forums.

This kind of question gets asked a lot, but there are two great documents that you should read.

The first link was written by a mentor here on PF exactly for your question and another is a guide by an actual theoretical physicist. Here they are:

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1KBovBeg_kl6nAk8fTBYQdHMo8o3o0IgunPE3R7_OEHM

http://www.staff.science.uu.nl/~hooft101/theorist.html

Apart from the above advice though, just worry about getting into the right university program which will mean getting high enough general grades and do the hardest mathematics that you possibly can.

Good luck!