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Help With School Choices

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 1:10 am
by rplestid
Undergrad Institution: University of Guelph (Canadian mid ranked institution with small but decent Physics department)
Major(s): Theoretical Physics
GPA in Major: 88.9/100
Overall GPA: 84.5/100
Length of Degree: 4 years
Graduate Institution: McMaster University (with advisor associated with perimeter institute)
Major(s): Particle Physics
GPA in Major: 10.8/12
Overall GPA: 10.8/12
Length of Degree: 4 years
Type of Student: International, male. white


GRE Scores : (revised)
Q: 162 (86%)
V: 160 (80%)
W: 4 (56%)
P: 880 (83%)

Research Experience:
- 1 year graduate research in Particle Theory (RH neutrino extensions of SM, Gauged Lmu-Ltau models)
- 1 summer undergrad research in Condensed matter experiment
- 1 summer working in the Atmospheric Physics Group at University of Toronto
- 1 year undergrad thesis project in Numerical Relativity
Of note no publications.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions:
OGS 15 000
OGF 12 000
NSERC summer research award 5 600
CGCS Summer intern scholarship 8 000
McMaster Entrance Scholarship 3 000
Univeristy of Guelph Entrance Scholarship 2 000

Pertinent Activities or Jobs:
Currently a TAing graduate QFT, TAed all last year a first year course. Tutored extnsively

Special Bonus Points:
2 Semester Reading Course in QFT
TAing QFT
1 semester of grad quantum mechanics
1 semester of Effective field theory (cliff burgess)
1 semester of "Dark Matter" physics
1 semester Stat Mech
Attended TRISEP summer school
Scored 18 on the Putnam (highest score at my school in seven years and second highest score ever)

At Undergrad level

Advanced Linear Algebra
Set Theory
Abstract Algebra
Expert on wavelet transforms

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:
A bad mark in that TRISEP course B+ because I was informed it was pass/fail and then it turned out not to be.

Harvard - AMO physics
Stanford - High Energy Theory or condensed mater theory
UC Berkeley - Undecided focus will just pick something for the letter
UC Santa Barbra - Condensed matter
University of Chicago - Condensed Matter
Columbia - High Energy/QFT technique applications
MIT - Undecided
UC Irvine - High Energy
Princeton - High Energy pheno (only one person) or bio-physics (exparticle physicists do some interesting work there)

Math PhD programs

Princeton
University of Toronto
Courant Institute NYU

About me: I love doing high energy work however I know the job market is *** so I am branching out a bit. I was advised to not put High Energy as my intended research unless I was SUPER certain thats what I wanted to do there since it tends to be more competitive. I love math so anywhere with good applied mathematics I would be happy to go to UofT and NYU currently look the most attractive. I might re-take the General GRE but I was told it does not matter at all. I wrote it while violently ill two years ago.

What I want to know: I want to expand this list not shrink it, I am only open to north american institutions. Any suggestions are welcome I am interested in doing a wide range of theory although I have become quite attached to QFT. Also do you think I should re-take the GGRE?