Physics GRE Discussion Forums

I just found out that I'm the College of Science's Undergraduate Researcher of the Year at my school. Do you think it's too late to send this as new information to the programs I applied to? It's getting pretty late in the game. I don't know how big a deal this is outside of my school. But I haven't been accepted to any PhD programs yet, so I'm thinking every little bit might help.

Also, I found out that I'm going to be giving a talk at a conference where two of my potential grad. advisors will be - it will either be a good chance to meet them (so that hopefully they'll accept me), or it will be really, really awkward if I've gotten rejected from that school... puts the pressure on giving a good talk, eh?

mhazelm wrote:I just found out that I'm the College of Science's Undergraduate Researcher of the Year at my school. Do you think it's too late to send this as new information to the programs I applied to? It's getting pretty late in the game. I don't know how big a deal this is outside of my school. But I haven't been accepted to any PhD programs yet, so I'm thinking every little bit might help.

Also, I found out that I'm going to be giving a talk at a conference where two of my potential grad. advisors will be - it will either be a good chance to meet them (so that hopefully they'll accept me), or it will be really, really awkward if I've gotten rejected from that school... puts the pressure on giving a good talk, eh?

considering that some schools are still sorting out apps (yes i am looking at you UCLA) or in the middle of the decision process (see UIUC, Stanford, Berkeley, etc. I gues). I would say as long as you have not heard from them, send them quick email stating the the above and see what happens

I think it might be a good idea to send it too (definitely can't hurt). Perhaps, if you know the chair of the department fairly well, you could even get him to write a nice official-looking letter about you receiving this award and then FedEx it to them.

It would also probably be a good idea to meet the potential advisers at the talk. If you make a really good impression, it might even change a "rejection" to an "acceptance" depending on how exactly the admissions program works at that school, i.e. how much say potential advisers have in determining which students to admit.

Hey guys even i have a similar problem...one of my paper just got accepted in J Phys B where I am the first author...when i applied i told them that i have submitted it...so now shall i mail them telling that it has been accepted?

secander2! wrote:I think it might be a good idea to send it too (definitely can't hurt). Perhaps, if you know the chair of the department fairly well, you could even get him to write a nice official-looking letter about you receiving this award and then FedEx it to them.

One of the two awards for physics that my college gives away every year (which I got last year), automatically came with a nice letter from the department chair, describing the history of the award, as well as what it takes for someone to win it. I assumed this was standard practice for all university awards at every school?

coreycwgriffin wrote:One of the two awards for physics that my college gives away every year (which I got last year), automatically came with a nice letter from the department chair, describing the history of the award, as well as what it takes for someone to win it. I assumed this was standard practice for all university awards at every school?

That's really nice, but it definitely wasn't the case for the Physics awards at my school

coreycwgriffin wrote:

secander2! wrote:I think it might be a good idea to send it too (definitely can't hurt). Perhaps, if you know the chair of the department fairly well, you could even get him to write a nice official-looking letter about you receiving this award and then FedEx it to them.

One of the two awards for physics that my college gives away every year (which I got last year), automatically came with a nice letter from the department chair, describing the history of the award, as well as what it takes for someone to win it. I assumed this was standard practice for all university awards at every school?

nope it is not... my school does not even have physics awards... aren't i lucky

I emailed the admission correspondent person and asked them what I should do in a similar situation last year. They told me to email my updates CV/SOP. You should do the same. It's definitely relevant information!