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I was wondering...

Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:16 pm
by irockhard
Hey guys, I have two questions.

1.Does going to a school that's top 10 in physics and having a very good GPA give one any advantage of getting into a top 10 grad program?

2. How big of an accomplishment is it to give a presentation to a group engineerings and scientists at a major national lab (like Argone or Fermi) on a research topic? Is it a big deal on one's resume to grad school?

Thank you!

Re: I was wondering...

Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:29 pm
by Helio
irockhard wrote:Hey guys, I have two questions.

1.Does going to a school that's top 10 in physics and having a very good GPA give one any advantage of getting into a top 10 grad program?

2. How big of an accomplishment is it to give a presentation to a group engineerings and scientists at a major national lab (like Argone or Fermi) on a research topic? Is it a big deal on one's resume to grad school?

Thank you!
1. it does to some extend. because you have better research opportunities and maybe the program is better known, so they know what they get. it also can help a lot on the lines of harvard and MIT who work together a lot, so you just switch schools per se

2. It is an accomplishment, I just dunno how it ranks compared to a AAS, APS meeting

Re: I was wondering...

Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 4:48 pm
by cato88
1) Only an advantage in the sense that they know your program about the same advantage as any top 50 school. Resources are about the same when you account for the amount of students in major, a little greater in terms of funding for student ie. youll get more aid but not more professors to mentor undergrads. Only a few will get into top 5 even from top 5 the programs so hope there are not IMO/AMO gold in your major.

2) Yes big enough to put on resume.

Re: I was wondering...

Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 4:50 pm
by trani
Just my opinion on #2. Of course, I may be wrong.

If you are talking of a internal group meeting that, say, happens every week or something like that I wouldn't say it counts much. I have given a couple and never even mentioned them in my apps. However, the fact that you are giving a presentation means you did something that is worth hearing and if you do a good presentation you have a chance to impress your boss and the rest of the group which translates into an awesome LOR...

Re: I was wondering...

Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 4:51 pm
by coreycwgriffin
I say mention the presentation no matter what. Can it really hurt?