Advice/Suggestions for PGRE and a PhD?
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:04 pm
Hi everyone,
This is my first post in the forums. I have a masters degree in space science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and I'd like to do a PhD in condensed matter physics in the future. I am mostly a self taught student with an interest in doing physics. While I haven't taken a core physics courses like Quantum and Stat. Mech, I have watched lectures on youtube on basic physics 1 and 2, classical mech etc, read and solved most of the problems in the following textbooks
1. Physics- Halliday, Resnick, and Krane - 5th edition
2. Classical Mechanics- Taylor (1st 11/12 chapters + the one on Hamiltonian mechanics)
3. Griffiths - E&M (had a course on E&M that required this book)
4. Solid state physics - Kittel (required for a solid state physics course), but I kinda learned QM simultaneously using Griffiths.
Plus, I'm kinda proficient in mathematical methods- Calculus 1,2,3, Linear algebra, ODE, PDE, Fourier transforms.
I want to take up the PGRE this April. I am just going to do all the problems again from the books, practice test and just review/relearn the portions I think I'm weak at. Is this a good strategy? I'm aiming for a relatively high score in the exam but let's see what happens.
I will be eligible only for Spring/ Fall 2015 admissions but lack the necessary "research experience". I want to specialize in superconductivity, haven't really thought about my exact area of interest. I don't have a really strong profile and since my physics education is mostly through self learning, how can I raise the chances of getting into a good/decent PhD graduate program next year? I have started emailing professors belonging to different universities, and will set up appointments with the profs working in condensed matter physics from my university this week. I am applying to some jobs as well. I'll have to go back to India I'm unemployed by the end of May.
Any suggestions, tips are welcome.
Thanking you,
This is my first post in the forums. I have a masters degree in space science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and I'd like to do a PhD in condensed matter physics in the future. I am mostly a self taught student with an interest in doing physics. While I haven't taken a core physics courses like Quantum and Stat. Mech, I have watched lectures on youtube on basic physics 1 and 2, classical mech etc, read and solved most of the problems in the following textbooks
1. Physics- Halliday, Resnick, and Krane - 5th edition
2. Classical Mechanics- Taylor (1st 11/12 chapters + the one on Hamiltonian mechanics)
3. Griffiths - E&M (had a course on E&M that required this book)
4. Solid state physics - Kittel (required for a solid state physics course), but I kinda learned QM simultaneously using Griffiths.
Plus, I'm kinda proficient in mathematical methods- Calculus 1,2,3, Linear algebra, ODE, PDE, Fourier transforms.
I want to take up the PGRE this April. I am just going to do all the problems again from the books, practice test and just review/relearn the portions I think I'm weak at. Is this a good strategy? I'm aiming for a relatively high score in the exam but let's see what happens.
I will be eligible only for Spring/ Fall 2015 admissions but lack the necessary "research experience". I want to specialize in superconductivity, haven't really thought about my exact area of interest. I don't have a really strong profile and since my physics education is mostly through self learning, how can I raise the chances of getting into a good/decent PhD graduate program next year? I have started emailing professors belonging to different universities, and will set up appointments with the profs working in condensed matter physics from my university this week. I am applying to some jobs as well. I'll have to go back to India I'm unemployed by the end of May.
Any suggestions, tips are welcome.
Thanking you,