Grad school application Definition and 61 Threads

Hi Guys! I'm a student studying undergrad Sophomore, pursuing Honors B.S. in Physics and Applied Math. I have been looking up Princeton Program in Plasma Physics (PPPL) and got very interested in their research in nuclear fusion. Any advice on how to get good/prepared enough to have high odds of...

Hello, I’m looking for some feedback on my statement of purpose. I’m looking to get into a PhD program for high-energy theory. For a bit of background, I studied math during undergrad, then got into an accelerated quantum computing-focused physics masters’ program. I did alright (3.8 GPA) in...

I will be applying to graduate programs in theoretical particle physics this winter in the US (for the Fall 2025 intake) and I would appreciate some help with finding appropriate programs/schools. My interests (and experiences) are a weird mix of hep-th and hep-ph, so, I would like to look for a...

Hi, I would like some feedback on my draft of a SOP for a grad school application for particle physics. I am mostly targeting places in the US. I am finding it difficult to identify areas I should focus on and areas that are not as important. I read that such a statement should focus on research...

I want to pursue a PhD in physics in the US or Europe. I applied last year to a small number of unis and got rejected. Now I wanna expand my list. So, PLEASEEE share the list of unis you applied to! T_T

I have gone through some posts on a low GPA on this forum but I need more personal response on my profile. My BS (3.37/4.0) and MS (3.58/4.0) in Physics from a university in Africa (Nigeria). I am interested in theoretical condensed matter physics and I have 4 years experience in ordering and...

I'm a junior based in the U.S and my research project is ending in one or two months, so I am writing a report with my results. I am not sure if I will be a first author as there are two other students, but they have graduated so I have been working on it alone for a while now since the summer...

I Need some advices about my physics undergraduate options. I did my A/L s in biological science stream which means I didn't took Applied mathematics and pure mathematics as my A/L subjects. I learnt certain amount of calculus during Past few months and I actually like the subject and good at...

Hi, I'm an international student and I am planning to apply for HEPth PhD in the US in 2026. I'm afraid I won't get accepted anywhere because it is too competitive. I have a low GPA in undergraduate courses and there are 2 schools since I transferred to another Uni. In detail, #First school-...

I'm currently in the process of applying to grad schools and I'm having second thoughts (and honestly even second guessing) on my odds of admission and opportunities in grad school. I'm a senior at a liberal arts college. Physics-Astronomy combined major and a Math minor. I'm an international...

Hi! I want to apply in Grad schools in USA as an international Student. But my cgpa is around 2.69. Most of the graduate school require at least 3.0. But there are some that do not have any minimum cgpa requirement on their website. But people say it's very difficult to get admission. I've not...

Hello everyone, This is my first time posting here. I'm currently a rising senior double majoring in physics and math at a top 10 (maybe top 15) research institution. I'm quite worried about my admissions prospects and I'm wondering whether my application is competitive or not. More exactly, I...

Greetings, This is a slightly longer post but it's coming from someone who's humbly and sincerely passionate+motivated about pursuing Physics and hence I'd be immensely grateful to everyone who can help me clear my confusions and see a ray of light and hope! You'd be doing me a solid :) My...

This is my first time posting here, but not my first time viewing this website over many years. Right now, I am an undergraduate senior in physics (with a minor in math: includes real analysis, linear algebra, complex analysis, abstract algebra), and like many other students, worrying about...

So I graduated in 2019 from a smaller state university with 2 honors BAs in physics and applied math. 3.83 GPA, all A's in my 400 level classes, few years of computational research and some independent honors projects, and I was involved with tutoring, TA'ing, led the SPS chapter, etc. Didn't do...

Hi my name is Idan. I plan to study for a physics Bachelor at Israel, my homeland. although is way too early I'd like to proceed towards higher education as well, particularly in the US. The problem is that in Israel there is no physics internships and research projects offered for students at...

I am at a bit of a fork in the road. I know after I am done with my undergraduate degree, at least at some point, I would like to either go to graduate school or be an independent researcher -- either way, I really want to do research. The way I see it, conducting research could help me on...

I am a liberal arts student who is interested in pursuing physics after graduating. I've taken some physics courses over the last 2 years. They are waves and oscillations, classical electrodynamics, Qm1 and Qm2, statistical physics, and one course in experimental physics. I have learned topics...

Hello, I hold a BS in mathematics and want to pursue a career in physics. Is there any way where I can directly join a physics grad program from my current background? What are the options available? And would it be better to pursue an MS in applied math and then switch to physics? Would a good...

I am an undergraduate physics student from Indonesia, entering the fourth year this September. I am very excited about physics, about studying the behavior of a phenomena through math. I would like to apply for PhD in physics after graduating next year. I know PhD is research oriented, and...

Hello! I am planning on applying to physics PhD programs in the fall. My first two years of undergrad I averaged Bs in my lower division classes. Last two years I got a majority of As and A-s in my upper division courses. Those first two years I had some extremely personal extenuating...

Hello everyone, I currently have a 2.8 GPA after my sophomore year. I am working towards getting my BS in Physics with two minors, Computer Science and Mathematics. I know that my GPA is low to get into Grad school at this moment but I believe that I will be able to pull the GPA up to a 3.3 by...

I Know this is prob the wrong site to post this but... Hello, I am a student at a low-ranked college in New York State actively pursuing a bachelors (BA) in Math in my junior year. I have a 3.7 GPA overall and a 3.73 in Math. I am looking to apply to PHD programs next year in Statistics or in...

Hi everyone. I am looking for some advice on how to go about writing grad school applications next year. My freshman year (Fall 2011) I developed a brain disorder that, while untreated, dramatically reduced my cognitive ability. I took two years off of school starting in 2013 came back in 2015...

I'm doing my best to be realistic, but can't see the forest for the trees right now. Thoughts? Opinions? I'd appreciate it if anyone tried to answer my questions – many thanks in advance! Background Double major Physics & EE (with a couple minors) at nowhere special Physics GPA = 3.3 / EE...

I am currently writing emails to potential grad school advisers. I have no past publications, however I am about to write a paper (1st or 2nd author) as well as an honors thesis. Should I list these on my CV?

Hey everyone, I'm new to this community, and I came here hoping to find some advice on applying to graduate schools. A bit of educational background about me: Biology BS & Applied Mathematics BS Double Major Neuroscience & Chemistry Minor (declared neuroscience officially, but earned the...

I'm here to get advice on my personal statement/statement of purpose for grad schools. However, my major is biology and I have a low overall GPA (but not physics GPA). In fact, I was academically dismissed earlier in college because of grades. However my previous two years were very good and...

Hello everyone. I'm currently a sophomore working toward a BS in physics (and a minor in astronomy) at a top private engineering school. With the semester finishing up, I'm a little worried about where I am now and where I will be after graduation and I have a few questions. A little...

My questions are regarding admissions at top universities in Europe. Many of them are of a rather general nature, I hope that is okay. I am from Austria (EU) and I currently studying for a BSc in Physics from the University of Vienna. I will graduate in July 2017 after three years of full time...

Hi, everyone. I really, really want to go to graduate school. My focus will be AMO and I'm aiming for a PhD. However, I've looked through a lot of forums to see how others fared when offers rolled around. I also use this as a way to set goals. The problem is: I can't find a lot of people like me...

The Physics group at my university is building an optical telescope (it will have a dome the size of an 8mX4m room and the mirror will have a diameter of about 65cm.) and we might also build a radio telescope or an array of telescopes which will work as one giant telescope. Also, I heard that we...

Hi, I'm currently a final undergrad student and trying to apply for grad school. The thing is that on the application forms there is a section about "scholarships, prizes and distinctions" and last year I was nominated for the JYA programme at Cambridge by our university with a conditional...

Hello everyone, I am posting here in this forum in order to get some insight on what my chances are on getting into a Medical Physics program. Here is a small summary of my academic background, I graduate from Arizona State University with a 3.4 GPA and have two Bachelors of Science one in...

I just received an offer of acceptance from a graduate program yesterday (May 17th). I think the offer letter is a little generic. It says that I should get back to them "ideally between April 15th and April 30th" - which is way past. I have another school which got back to me 10 days ago...

Hello every one I am from Hong Kong. I am in my mid-twenties and I have a very bad result in my undergraduate degree in physics and it hinders me a lot in applying for a graduate degree. Theoretical physics (gravitation, quantum field, strings) is the field that I want to do research in for my...

I'm currently in my third year of undergraduate Physics, and plan to graduate at the end of my fifth year (since I'm doing CO-OP). I'm starting to think about grad schools, one element of which is my faculty recommendations. I worked in a well known scientist's lab in my first year, first...

Is taking complex analysis before graduate school apps a "make-or-break" deal if one is looking to apply for theory? I am currently deciding whether to take it junior spring or defer it to senior spring. As it has come up in my research, I have studied some of it, but I'm wondering if it must be...

I have been asked to interview for a job that entails no access to internet for a few months. I am also currently in the application process for engineering graduate school phD programs. I have applied to the schools I am interested in, but have not began the interview process yet for those...

I have a bit of a dilemma with graduate school applications that I feel many people here would have encountered. Part of the applications requires either a CV or a resume, and I find that the list of my expierences, educations, presentations and awards is a little to short to be considered a CV...

I am senior physics undergraduate. I am interested in high energy physics, quantum entanglement and information as well as a little bit of astrophysics. I am applying to grad school this semester. Hope to get some help in grad school applications!

I am a rising senior at a small liberal arts college, with an incredibly small (and therefore unrecognized) physics program. I am seeking advice regarding which Ph.D programs are within my reach. I plan on applying to AMO (Atomic, Molecular, and Optics) Ph.D programs with the intention of...

OK so I currently attend The University of North Texas, which is by no means a prestigious school for physics. I am a physics major with 72 hours of coursework under my belt. I plan to attend graduate school and would like to get into a good school for something in the realm of theoretical...

Hi, I'm from an arguably near top Canadian uni, most schools look at 3rd or 4th year grades. I have an average around 80 which is about an A-. But I did really well in my first 4th year term, full course load, four 400 level courses including something like 98 in Electrodynamics(or E&M3) and...

I know that there are multiple threads regarding retaking classes but everyone's situation is different and I wasn't sure if those posts were going to apply to my situation. I suffered medical problems, both mental and physical, before even entering university and had them all through freshmen...

I'm applying for grad school in the fall and I need some opinions about my chances, where I should good, etc. I am majoring in math, with a minor in physics. I went to a community college then a UC. At my community college, I had a 4.0 major GPA, 3.8 overall GPA. At the UC I'm at now, I have a...

So I took quantum I using Griffith's and I only got an A- 3.7 out of 4. Will that look bad on my grad school application considering I'm competing with people who got A in quantum. I plan on getting into a PHD program and getting a Stipend. My overall GPA is like a 3.78.

Hi everyone. Just for a bit of background info, I earned my B.S. in Physics in May. I'm applying for grad school (for next year), but I'm kinda stuck on part of the application. It's kind of silly, but I'm a worrier. There's a spot on the application for you to select what degree you are...

I would like to apply to grad schools next Fall. If the school requires 3 recommendations, is it ever a good idea to include more? Also, what do you guys think about including a CV?

I need to write a statement of objectives for a grad school application. Here are the instructions online: So where to start: Does this mean: write a sensibly structured statement in coherent English? What is that even supposed to mean? I'm applying to a very broad program...