GRE for USA PhDs? (and a couple more questions)

[ergospherical]

I'm considering returning for a Physics PhD next year, after a year out in industry. I've submitted five European applications (2 UK and 3 mainland...), and have got good references from my old supervisors. I'm considering a couple of speculative USA applications to two research groups I'm interested in.

Neither of my main supervisors have sent a PhD student to the USA in the last 5 years. So I'm trying to figure out some stuff myself. This test called the GRE --- would it help my chances in a meaningful way? My main supervisor has essentially told me NO, because my academic record for undergraduate + Masters is pretty good. The specific programs that I'm applying to also say that it's optional (specifically, "recommended but not required"...?). That's a bit confusing. Does anyone have first-hand knowledge?

I've also got a research paper in the pipeline, with a first author credit, and we're hoping to get this out in the next month or two. Should I wait until I've got a pre-print published until submitting the US applications? It's my understanding that research experience is much more important for them (by contrast, for the UK applications, my supervisors have basically said that it'll help, but it's not a big deal if it's not finished?).

Deadlines for these groups are early/mid December -- so less time than it seems! Thanks.

 

[jedishrfu]

I'm sure it would be a safe bet, but it's safer still if your advisors know shortcuts through some trusted network.

The GRE shouldn't be a problem for you like it was for me. I wanted to pursue my graduate physics PhD at the university where I work. However, although we had an educational work benefit, Graduate school required me to apply just like any student.

And that meant taking the GRE after having been out of the academic world for billions and billions of years. Sadly, it was a showstopper as I couldn't use my old GRE scores. I did reasonably well on it in the 1980s, but times change, and the GRE test scores have a shelf life of five years.

One glimmer of hope came when a professor at work suggested an alternative route. He said if I could find a dissertation-worthy project at work, work on it, and present my findings to the physics department, then perhaps a dissertation committee could be set up to oversee my PhD research, including what courses to take to bolster my degree. Sadly, that never panned out, as no such project could be found, including even the ones I suggested.

 

[Vanadium 50]

You shpu;d take it. see how you do, and then decide where, if anywhere, to send it.

 

[gmax137]

If it were me, I would try to include everything that is "recommended, " even if it isn't "required."