Physics GRE Discussion Forums

Hello,
I had a bad semester and I got very low grades from junior class Quantum Mechanics and Electromagnetism. I am not sure if I should take the sequel classes. Do you think one could handle QM II albeit knowing not so much about QM I? And what about Eletromagnetism as well? I know it's probably not the case like freshman physics where Physics I and Physics II are not very related but I wanted to check anyways.

I also like to take a class in Relativity (undergrad) and which topics and I am not sure which topics of Electromagnetism 1 I should cover to get ready. It's holiday and professors are unlikely to respond, so I just wanted to check it out here before going them.

Thanks for reading

jackyboy wrote:Hello,
I had a bad semester and I got very low grades from junior class Quantum Mechanics and Electromagnetism. I am not sure if I should take the sequel classes. Do you think one could handle QM II albeit knowing not so much about QM I? And what about Eletromagnetism as well? I know it's probably not the case like freshman physics where Physics I and Physics II are not very related but I wanted to check anyways.

I also like to take a class in Relativity (undergrad) and which topics and I am not sure which topics of Electromagnetism 1 I should cover to get ready. It's holiday and professors are unlikely to respond, so I just wanted to check it out here before going them.

Thanks for reading

First of all, you really should be asking either/both the professor that taught you QM 1 and the professor that will be teaching QM 2. Both of these professors will have a better idea of how well prepared you are for QM 2 and how much you may struggle with new material.

With that said, my personal opinion is that if you really feel like you know so little about QM 1, I would recommend retaking it before moving on simply because so much of QM 2 builds off of the first course.

All of the same applies to E&M.

jackyboy wrote:Hello,
I had a bad semester and I got very low grades from junior class Quantum Mechanics and Electromagnetism. I am not sure if I should take the sequel classes. Do you think one could handle QM II albeit knowing not so much about QM I? And what about Eletromagnetism as well? I know it's probably not the case like freshman physics where Physics I and Physics II are not very related but I wanted to check anyways.

I also like to take a class in Relativity (undergrad) and which topics and I am not sure which topics of Electromagnetism 1 I should cover to get ready. It's holiday and professors are unlikely to respond, so I just wanted to check it out here before going them.

Thanks for reading

As a physics major looking at graduate school, EM II and QM II are very important of course. When will you be better suited to take these than now? Maybe you did bad this past semester, but pushing these courses back won't make them easier later on. I would suggest taking them and working harder than last semester.

-Riley