What tier of schools should I apply for?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 11:53 pm
So my academic record is a little strange...as an undergrad, I bounced around from school to school, got a few decent grades in upper division math at the university of Texas, but also attended Texas A&M, and University of Houston - Victoria (a very low ranked school...not the main campus at Houston) . Finally I finished with a BS in math. Cumulative undergrad GPA probably around 3.4.
I went to grad school a couple of times...once in math, and lost interest and quit after 1.5 semesters(its a bad spot on my record). Then a few years went by and I got into physics, and really loved it...so I treid doing the PhD program in physics at the University of Houston main campus...I did not fail, but my grades were not very good...like a 2.7, so I left after 1 semester. Currently I am in a MS program in physics at Texas state University...the standards are lower; but there are some standards, and Im making straight A's...I should finish this summer. Im taking the PGRE in April.
So here's the deal...Im actually not too shabby at physics and math, in my graduate courses I always feel like I understand the book very well when I read it (even jacksons em book is not overly difficult for my reading level, the other standard 1st year texts are pretty much a breeze)... I generally do well on my homeworks, but I kind of suck at tests that are on the level of qualifying exams. So here is my plan:
1 -- Study hard and get a good pgre score in april (I think I can manage something at least in the 750 to 850 range, maybe 900, but I dont think I will ace it)
2 -- Spend next year in my parents attic working and reviewing qualifying exam problems until I know several hundred "good" example problems cold, and apply for grad school entry in fall 2013.
3 -- Become a quantum field theorist and win at life.
Sorry for the big wall of text; now for my question:
Assuming I get an 800 on my physics gre, and finish my MS in physics with all A's (this degree includes most classes in standard 1st year graduate physics), and have no relevent research experience (Im hoping this wont hurt a theory applicant too badly), what are the highest rank schools I should bother applying to? I dont want to waste money applying to MIT...but should I apply to top 20's, 30's? Surely I could get into a top 50 (I hope). I will be applying for particle theory programs, its what I want to do.
Your advice and criticism is most welcome.
I went to grad school a couple of times...once in math, and lost interest and quit after 1.5 semesters(its a bad spot on my record). Then a few years went by and I got into physics, and really loved it...so I treid doing the PhD program in physics at the University of Houston main campus...I did not fail, but my grades were not very good...like a 2.7, so I left after 1 semester. Currently I am in a MS program in physics at Texas state University...the standards are lower; but there are some standards, and Im making straight A's...I should finish this summer. Im taking the PGRE in April.
So here's the deal...Im actually not too shabby at physics and math, in my graduate courses I always feel like I understand the book very well when I read it (even jacksons em book is not overly difficult for my reading level, the other standard 1st year texts are pretty much a breeze)... I generally do well on my homeworks, but I kind of suck at tests that are on the level of qualifying exams. So here is my plan:
1 -- Study hard and get a good pgre score in april (I think I can manage something at least in the 750 to 850 range, maybe 900, but I dont think I will ace it)
2 -- Spend next year in my parents attic working and reviewing qualifying exam problems until I know several hundred "good" example problems cold, and apply for grad school entry in fall 2013.
3 -- Become a quantum field theorist and win at life.
Sorry for the big wall of text; now for my question:
Assuming I get an 800 on my physics gre, and finish my MS in physics with all A's (this degree includes most classes in standard 1st year graduate physics), and have no relevent research experience (Im hoping this wont hurt a theory applicant too badly), what are the highest rank schools I should bother applying to? I dont want to waste money applying to MIT...but should I apply to top 20's, 30's? Surely I could get into a top 50 (I hope). I will be applying for particle theory programs, its what I want to do.
Your advice and criticism is most welcome.