A question about the importance of GRE physics outside the US

[Florian Geyer]

Hello respected members,

I hope this message will find you all well.

I want to ask a question that I had for a long time, which is: Does the GRE physics have any importance in countries other than U.S? if you think that “other countries” is too unspecific statement then please tell me if you know about any of these countries: Germany, Japan, UK, Italy, Australia.
In my humble opinion (I do not consider it better than that of specialists), since it covers almost all the introductory level physics (with very little upper level but much less than the standard textbooks), I think it will be a valuable and helpful certificate, please correct me if I am wrong.

Thank you for considering my thread.

 

[Vanadium 50]

And around and around we go. Please reread your old thread: https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...ters-in-theoretical-particle-physics.1055231/

You can keep asking and asking and asking but the unpleasant fact of the matter is that you are unprepared for a graduate program in physics.

As a PS, you can complain about how easy the PGRE is once you take it and ace it. With a 16th percentile score in the practice test, you are in no position to complain it is too easy.

 

[fresh_42]

Hello respected members,

I hope this message will find you all well.

I want to ask a question that I had for a long time, which is: Does the GRE physics have any importance in countries other than U.S? if you think that “other countries” is too unspecific statement then please tell me if you know about any of these countries: Germany, Japan, UK, Italy, Australia.
In my humble opinion (I do not consider it better than that of specialists), since it covers almost all the introductory level physics (with very little upper level but much less than the standard textbooks), I think it will be a valuable and helpful certificate, please correct me if I am wrong.

Thank you for considering my thread.

To my best knowledge and by the last time I checked, combined with Wikipedia's statement "The knowledge asked corresponds approximately to the curriculum of the secondary school level I." GRE alone does not qualify to study at a German university. Furthermore, multiple-choice tests are not very popular over here. They measure the wrong things.

I assume it is similar in Italy and probably even harder in Japan.

 

[bhobba]

In Australia, we are in the transition stage of moving to the recommendations of the Bolognia process.

GRE is not particularly relevant. You do a two-year Master of Research if you have a bachelor's or a master's with a credit average. If you get a credit average on that - preferably better - you will likely be admitted to a PhD. If not, you can still be admitted to a Master of Philosophy, which often gives automatic admission to a Ph.D. But during this transition stage, exceptions abound. Whether it will ever be fully implemented in Australia is an open question. And for those research-based degrees, more emphasis is on grades for research work than coursework.

Thanks
Bill

 

[Florian Geyer]

And around and around we go. Please reread your old thread: https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...ters-in-theoretical-particle-physics.1055231/

You can keep asking and asking and asking but the unpleasant fact of the matter is that you are unprepared for a graduate program in physics.

As a PS, you can complain about how easy the PGRE is once you take it and ace it. With a 16th percentile score in the practice test, you are in no position to complain it is too easy.

Nope, not this the point.
Firstly, I admit my weak background, and I am working hard to change that. I do not see any difference between my and your opinion in this regard. i.e. I know I am not qualified yet.
Secondly, What I have said has nothing to do with difficulty, but rather, it is a matter of level, for example some of the problems on the freshman level can be pretty hard (consider the challenging problems in freshman physics textbooks), whereas some problems of the upper level can be fairly easy, try for example $\nabla (x^2y^2+2z)$ this is more advanced in level but is much easier than the challenging problems aforementioned.
Thus I have not said that the exam is an easy one, it is tricky and hard, but not as advanced as the qualifying exam for example.
Thirdly, my opinion is based on my mock exam, since I think even if I could not get a high score, I still can have a sense of the level of the exam. Moreover, most of those who took the exam agree with me, if you want I will provide you with some of these opinions.
Lastly, the most important part of my question can be put this way: I will take the TOEFL test in 17 August, what shall I do afterwards? does it really worth taking the effort to prepare the GRE if it is most likely that I will not go the US? what shall I do so that I will be best qualified for graduate programs in other countries?
After all, if the GRE is not important in these countries, then I will simply reserve my effort for more important things.

 

[Florian Geyer]

To my best knowledge and by the last time I checked, combined with Wikipedia's statement "The knowledge asked corresponds approximately to the curriculum of the secondary school level I." GRE alone does not qualify to study at a German university. Furthermore, multiple-choice tests are not very popular over here. They measure the wrong things.

I assume it is similar in Italy and probably even harder in Japan.

First, thank you for your reply and time.

Please let me ask,
Do you have some other standardized tests?
What are the things one may do that will help him in improving his opportunity in applying for a graduate program?
Do German universities consider online courses like these in Coursera, Edx, NPTEL, futurelearn... etc?
Any other recommendations will be highly valued.

 

[fresh_42]

First, thank you for your reply and time.

Please let me ask,
Do you have some other standardized tests?
What are the things one may do that will help him in improving his opportunity in applying for a graduate program?
Do German universities consider online courses like these in Coursera, Edx, NPTEL, futurelearn... etc?
Any other recommendations will be highly valued.

Studying abroad is qua definitionem a non-standard case. The standard case is a general exam after secondary school level II that consists of solving various exercises and tasks in various fields, not only one, and none of which is a multiple-choice test.

This demonstrates the gap between such an exam and whatever a student has to pass in their home country. In the case of GRE, the gap is quite huge, in content and form. In other cases, the gap might be smaller or even non-existent, so there might be countries where their exams will be automatically accepted. There cannot be one-answer-fits-all. I'm not even sure whether it can be answered on a country level, or has to be individually addressed at the university you want to study at.

You can always do what I did: check the official administration websites to find out what has to be done on the country level. You can also email universities, and ask. Or attend a local school for the last two years and pass the exam.

Things are different if you already have a master's degree in a field and want to get a doctorate. Since those positions are rare, you will probably need some connections, appropriate references, and a supervisor who agrees to spend his time on your case. Such a case doesn't have any automatisms anymore.

 

[Choppy]

In the Canadian system the physics GRE is often used as a mitigator. Many schools will either require, or highly recommend that you take the PGRE if you're an international student.

Undergraduate curricula across the country are reasonably uniform, at least insofar as the core courses. But once that extends outside the borders, admissions committees don't have as much experience with students from those different schools across the world. So one of the options they have as a mitigator is the GRE. It's not used as a substitute for prerequisite coursework, rather if your GPA and letters of reference seem to indicate that you're in the top 10% of students, a GRE ranking in the 90th percentile can independently confirm that. Of course if you're under the 50th percentile, it will raise a flag.

If you don't take it when it's optional, that leaves you as a question mark. While it's not necessarily assumed that you're a weaker student if you don't have it, remember that the committee will have a pile of applications from students who have taken it. Those who have not require more effort to evaluate.

 

[Vanadium 50]

This thread is going about things backwards.

Before worrying about how you are going to demonstrate that you know enough physics, you need to learn some physics.

 

[Florian Geyer]

This thread is going about things backwards.

Before worrying about how you are going to demonstrate that you know enough physics, you need to learn some physics.

Well, but still demonstrating and proving this is important!
At the same time, what I have learned here is very important (to me), and will undoubtedly be a good guidance in my journey in physics learning. Thus, I am grateful to the members who decided to give me some of their time to help me.

Regarding your concerns about learning physics, I am sure that you want to help me, and know that my current level is not adequate to pursue a profession in physics. I know that you are always stressing this fact, since you are honest in your caring about giving me true guidance. However, please do not forget the fact that many of the questions I put here (in this forum) is very helpful, but they make a big change... with time and with the good guidance I get everyday, I am sure I will raise my academic level.

 

[Vanadium 50]

No, figuring out how you are going to wheedle your way into grad school is not important, at least not right now. Right now, compared to a good US student you are ten years behind, and relative to a weak student four or five. You need to close this gap before you worry about graduate school. Otherwise we are just playing "let's pretend"

Further, you have been here 1.5 years, and so far as I can tell, you have made no progress in closing this gap. You should be working on that, not playing "let's pretend" about something that, at best, is years down the road.

Fantasizing about graduate school will not get you where you need to go if you don't learn the material.

 

[Florian Geyer]

No, figuring out how you are going to wheedle your way into grad school is not important, at least not right now. Right now, compared to a good US student you are ten years behind, and relative to a weak student four or five. You need to close this gap before you worry about graduate school. Otherwise we are just playing "let's pretend"

Further, you have been here 1.5 years, and so far as I can tell, you have made no progress in closing this gap. You should be working on that, not playing "let's pretend" about something that, at best, is years down the road.

Fantasizing about graduate school will not get you where you need to go if you don't learn the material.

previously, the mentors decided to change the forum of my thread because I diverged from its main topic. However, since you have -generously- decided to follow me in my learning journey, I will try to send you a message informing you about my progress.

Back to the thread, the picture I got here so far, is that I must focus more on the core subjects of physics to get the needed knowledge for further studying. This is more important than taking any standardized tests. Also, since I will not try to seek an admission in a US, or Canadian higher education institutions, the GRE is less important.

 

[gwnorth]

Does the GRE physics have any importance in countries other than U.S? if you think that “other countries” is too unspecific statement then please tell me if you know about any of these countries: Germany, Japan, UK, Italy, Australia..

The GRE/PGRE is predominantly a US requirement but not exclusively so. I would recommend researching the admissions requirements of universities you might potentially be interested in applying to in those countries and see for yourself. Details will be on their graduate admissions websites.