Physics GRE Discussion Forums

Hi everyone,

I am completing my M.Sc. degree and wish to look out for PhD opportunities in the US.

My degree is -

Bachelor of Engineering - Electronics and Telecommunication
Masters of Science - Astronomy

Could I gain a PhD place or an integrated MSc + PhD place in Astronomical instrumentation without providing subject-GRE physics ?

Thank you very much !

Cheers,
Jim

Some of the smaller physics departments dont require it.

Check out Depaul University , I dont think you need the subject GRE for that school,

but I think they only offer a masters degree in one specific research area.

But some of the other not well known departments offer a Phd without the test score.

But you have to have pretty good grades.

In general, your subject GRE won't have to be very good to get a spot in an astro department, especially if your interest is in instrumentation.

bfollinprm wrote:In general, your subject GRE won't have to be very good to get a spot in an astro department, especially if your interest is in instrumentation.

Think it would need to be >850 if it is an international applicant.

shokan wrote:

bfollinprm wrote:In general, your subject GRE won't have to be very good to get a spot in an astro department, especially if your interest is in instrumentation.

Think it would need to be >850 if it is an international applicant.

I was an international applicant, but from Canada. I'm not sure if the higher requirements are because international school systems are too different from the US or if it's because it's more competitive as an international student (and thus there's a higher score standard). If it's the former then my point here is moot!

My PGRE scores were 640 (2009) and 690 (2011) and I was still able to get into some top ranked US astronomy departments (namely Cornell and U. Washington at Seattle). However, these scores might (or might not) be a part of the reason why I didn't get into UC Santa Cruz, UC Berkeley, or Harvard.