Give Up?
Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 12:43 am
Hi all,
I am on the cusp of finishing a degree in engineering physics. My dream has always been to continue my education to the doctorate level. However, I have come to realize that my chances of actually being accepted to a physics PHD program are pretty slim. I have almost exactly a 3.0 gpa (3.2 phys classes), which apparently sucks according to my advisors. I am taking the physics GRE in two weeks and am very skeptical I can perform well enough to overcome the crappy gpa as far as application perks go.
I have struggled with anxiety/ADHD my entire life, and while I can't blame my poor performance on this alone, I feel it has contributed to it significantly. I habitually receive poor test scores due to the time constraints. I was never diagnosed as a child and as such have no documented medical history regarding my disorder, therefore I cannot receive the accommodations (i.e. extended test time) that would greatly help my performance, as my school has very strict criteria to qualify for such accommodations.
I don't feel that my gpa accurately reflects my potential in physics, however I also don't think I will be able to get into a graduate program. So I guess I have to give up my dream of being a physicist.
Has anyone else been in a similar situation and managed to pull it off? Any Advice?
I am on the cusp of finishing a degree in engineering physics. My dream has always been to continue my education to the doctorate level. However, I have come to realize that my chances of actually being accepted to a physics PHD program are pretty slim. I have almost exactly a 3.0 gpa (3.2 phys classes), which apparently sucks according to my advisors. I am taking the physics GRE in two weeks and am very skeptical I can perform well enough to overcome the crappy gpa as far as application perks go.
I have struggled with anxiety/ADHD my entire life, and while I can't blame my poor performance on this alone, I feel it has contributed to it significantly. I habitually receive poor test scores due to the time constraints. I was never diagnosed as a child and as such have no documented medical history regarding my disorder, therefore I cannot receive the accommodations (i.e. extended test time) that would greatly help my performance, as my school has very strict criteria to qualify for such accommodations.
I don't feel that my gpa accurately reflects my potential in physics, however I also don't think I will be able to get into a graduate program. So I guess I have to give up my dream of being a physicist.
Has anyone else been in a similar situation and managed to pull it off? Any Advice?