Graduate Definition and 1000 Threads

I'll be applying to graduate school this fall which is my second to last semester. Do they make the decision without seeing these grades?

How do courses work in graduate school? I'm in undergrad right now and even though I am a physics major, I am mostly free to take whatever class I want to. However, I know in graduate school one is supposed to be becoming more specialized so how does taking non-physics classes work in graduate...

My stats: -3.85 GPA in math from small state university -Honors graduate -Taken every undergraduate math class, including 2 abstract algebras, 3 analysis classes, 3 calculus classes, 1 differential equation, 2 geometries, 1 linear algebra, combinatorics, actuarial science, linear algebra, 3...

Overview: Can't decide between two scenarios. 1)Graduate spring 2014 with B.S. in physics 2)Graduate spring 2015 with B.S. physics and B.S. in computational mathematics (also with additional physics courses and labs) Situation: I can graduate next spring with the minimal classes for...

I'm a junior electrical engineer at a NY state school I'm looking to get my masters in EE with a specialization in signal processing. What are the best graduate schools for this? Thanks

Very sad story but true.Philip Elliott recently completed his doctorate degree in Physics. He was not able to find any job and decided to take a call center job. Graduate Programs are supposed to make people successful in academia. I feel very sorry for this guy. Here is the full story...

So I believe I have a very good understanding of QM as it was taught at the undergraduate level. I have some downtime next semester so I wanted to take it a step further and understand it at a much deeper level. Would it be better to read through Dirac's famous text or Principles of QM by...

I'm headed off to graduate school soon, and I was wondering if it is common or even allowed that a student in Department A take a course on a topic in Department B. In my situation, I will be in the mechanical engineering department, but say I wanted to take a class on rocket propulsion offered...

What were your experiences in Chem E schools? Sorry if this thread has already been made. I am first year Chem E and I was wondering if I could get some insights from graduate engineers on the website. The way the schedule is designed in Arizona is that the first two years is almost entirely...

So I was wondering what mathematics I will need under my belt before starting at a brand name graduate school(MIT, UChicago, UC Berkely, CalTech, Harcard, etc...) if I were going to specialize in particle or soft-matter physics. Thank you!

So as may be evident from other threads, I will be graduating this year with a BS in Physics. Since I failed to procure entry into a graduate program, I would like to know what I can do with the skillset I have, which I'll describe below. Namely, I'd like to know what kind of companies (with...

Hello, So I'm going to be a third year molecular and cell biology major soon and I'm barely catching up on the requirements to complete the major at my university. I really had a hard time choosing between this and physics, thinking and weighing out the differences between the two for a few...

Hi I’m a second year Electronic and Electrical Engineering student, just about to sit my first set of exams for this year. I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do after I graduate, and unfortunately I do not think I want to go into EE engineering. I do however definitely want to be an...

Hi everyone. I've heard back from 2 programs I applied to and both have rejected me for the program. My GPA is low so I understand that is one thing that kicked me out of the running. If I don't get accepted into any program I'm not sure what to do. I know I could always apply next year but...

I have so far been admitted to three graduate programs in pure math. Without being too specific, all three schools are top-40 programs (one of which is also top 20, and another is top 30) - these numbers have been extracted from the NRC and US news rankings for graduate math programs. As I am...

I'll be starting a graduate program in a computational science department in September. My research will be in the field of Fluid Mechanics. However, I don't come from an engineering background. My undergraduate degree is in Applied Mathematics where I studied ODEs, PDEs, Calculus, Algebra...

(I've been reading PF for years now, and decided I should finally contribute. Unfortunately, my first significant post is a question, but I hope that will change in the near future!) I'm graduating in May with a double major in Physics and Mathematics, and I have a couple offer for graduate...

I graduated in 2010 with a degree in math. Now I wish to go to graduate school, but I have no one I can think of that I would help me write a academic recommendation. I never build any relationships with professors when I was in college. From reading what I can online, I am told that I should...

Hi, I've been accepted to few places so far and would like input for selection. Background: I did few years of research as an undergraduate in the CMS experiment, and I would like to continue doing research in experimental particle physics, though not necessarily in LHC. Caltech: They are...

hi, i'm an agriculture engineer and i want to take graduate degree in Physics -especially Astrophysics. I'm 36 years old. i need to remember many course. therefore, I'm searching best books in this forum. but i can't make a decision which them are the best... also i have these books...

I am a female sophomore physics major at San Francisco State, and I have applied as a transfer to four schools: UCLA, UCSD, UCB and CalPoly. I currently have a 3.97 GPA and plan to keep it that way. I think I have little chance of getting into UCB, but I have a slight hope for the others. I am...

Hello, I am a new engineering graduate student who did my undergraduate study in mathematics. I am now a few weeks into my first semester and I am in an advanced internal combustion engine class which I am sorely under prepared for. I have tried going to my school's library and checking...

Here is my situation: I am currently finishing my undergraduate physics program and thinking of doing graduate studies. My only concern is that the knowledge of mathematics is fairly weak. My program offers little mathematics, its very general physica. I am interested in doing theoretical...

I'll be finishing a BS in Physics at UNT (University of North Texas) and am considering a master's program. My objective is to land a science/engineering position as a civilian working for the military/government in some kind of space-related or aerospace program. I have friends who work at...

Hi, I'm most probably going to opt for an MS degree in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in Heat and Mass Transfer after a couple of months. There are some questions that I have in regard to research as a graduate students, both MS and PhD. 1. Is it always possible to keep up...

Hey y'all, I'm in my last semester about to obtain my physics degree, and I am very interested in biophysical research or energy research. With that in mind I have my eyes set on biophysics programs and straight physics programs. The concern I have is that for my last semester I can only take...

I am an aerospace engineering student trying to decide which graduate school to pick. I will be getting my masters degree, and I am trying to decide between the University of Florida (where I did my undergrad) OR the University of Michigan. At UF I would go into the fluid dynamics area and at...

Hi I have already applied to the schools I want to get into and two others which i know I have a shot at. However I am looking for some physics graduate programs (in the US) which are easy to get into for safety. I'd appreciate your help.

Hello, I am a second year master's student at a so-so engineering program, and am trying to determine what the downside to finishing my degree sooner rather than later might be (if any). My undergraduate major was physics with a math minor (beyond the substantial math I learned, I have yet...

What are American Universities interested about? Is it the cumulative average or is it the major average? Add to that, if you submit you graduate application early, does it start to be read? Or not? Thanks!

Hi all, thank you in advance for reading this and potential advice :) I am an undergraduate at a tier 2 research university in the US. I am going for a combined chemistry (biochemistry emphasis) and applied mathematics degree (I am a year away from getting both degrees). For the chemistry I...

Im a physics major and will probably be able to fit in 3-4 graduate physics courses. Is this enough for top schools? Thanks for any help or advice!

I am currently a sophomore attending Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and majoring in physics. I am very studious and have maintained a 4.0 for the three semesters I have completed so far. I am hoping to graduate with a 4.0, which will be difficult but I think it is achievable. I am...

I was originally a Physics major going to start my upper-divisions in the fall. However, a couple days ago I talked with a civil engineer and was genuinely interested. As of right now, I went and reviewed thoroughly much of my lower division physics and math courses courses (up to quantum...

I was wondering how committees work? Do a certain number of people have to agree to admit a student? What exactly does a chair do, does he get the "last say" or something? I know every school is different but does anyone know in general? Also how about this hypothetical case: You have a very...

Hello. First post and sorry if the forum is flooded with similar questions, I'm 24 and I was a physics major but haven't spent a day in a class room since 2007 when i dropped out of college to care for an ill family member. I want to go back to school but what concerns me is how much of a...

I know the school that i'd like to go to(Clemson) it's close to home, the program is more applied than theoretical, the campus has a nice home-y feeling to it, i very much like the graduate programs that I'm looking at (mathematical sciences and computer science), etc. I know people say that...

I am a female physics major at an Ivy League university (ranked ~15 in physics). I am currently a junior and am planning to apply to grad school next fall, indicating interests in condensed matter theory and possibly high energy theory. However, I am a little concerned about some of my grades. I...

I am currently graduating from the University of Texas at Arlington with a 4.0, and I have my BofSci degree in math with an emphasis in ops research. I'm preparing for my actuarial tests, and I'm not worried about passing them. However, I know it's a bit of a tight market. I was considering...

Suppose for a moment that you found just the one professor that you wanted to do a postdoc with. However, that professor works for a university that does not offer a physics graduate program. Can you still attempt to get a postdoc with that professor or you'd be better off finding another...

I'm in the 3rd year of my BSc Physics degree in the UK and have decided that I think I'd like to do a Masters too. For background info, I should graduate with a solid First (+70%) and I probably won't go on to do a PhD. My options at the moment are either switch to the 4 year course at the...

Hi, Would anyone be willing to read my statement of purpose for my graduate school applications and give me some feedback? I wanted to stop in my academic resource center to have it looked at this week, but the writing center was all booked. I'd prefer not to post online, so if there's...

I recently started a terminal masters program in physics. Shortly after starting, I had a big anxiety issue that I never had in my life before. In my undergrad I worked 2 jobs, was in a fraternity, was in a physics program full time and had a social life. I managed to make it all work and life...

I am going to graduate school for math and i think i am interested in computational mathematics (I say think because i don't fully know what computational math is). I have taken a numerical analysis class in my undergraduate program and i can program in a few different languages. I'm just...

I'm a graduate student in experimental condensed matter physics. Over the last few months, I've found my motivation for physics decreasing substantially going from "I'm definitely doing my PhD in this" to "grabbing my MS and change fields"; now I'm not even sure I can withstand the MS. As I...

Good Evening (depending on where you are) people of PF, I shall rant again about my life and you will have no choice but to read it and have an opinion. Anyway here's the deal: Following complications associated with an illness, I had to spend about 2 weeks in the hospital. Consequentially, I...

I've decided on going back to school for a physics degree. I want to know it, and there's nothing else out there that I'm as interested in. But school isn't for pleasure, it's for getting a job. A 4-year in physics alone, from what I've been reading, is about as good as any other degree. It'll...

Hello, I know I know...it is not all about the GPA. Graduate school admittance is based on many factors like GRE scores, recommendations, research experience, etc. My question however is: what is the GPA at which admission to a graduate program will be rather challenging? I am obviously...

I'm not sure how familiar people on here are with this topic. I really love the UK (studied in London for a few months) and was considering going there for my graduate studies. However, the university I was really interested in (Imperial) stated that they do not offer graduate students...

Hi all, So, I didn't do so hot on either the GRE or the Physics GRE. I've always been rubbish at standardized tests, and these proved no exception either, even with studying. I know I scored low on the GRE for math (for a physics major). It's not as if I don't know the material, but it's...