Kaiser_Sose wrote:Hi all,
New here, this being my first post.
I am junior at a state school in the U.S. Physics major of course with minors in math, biology and nanoscience.
I am starting to consider grad schools and one of the major schools that I'd like to get into is University of Maryland. I know, I know it has a prestigious program. Now I realize I'm about to ask something that as scientists and engineers you may be reluctant to give... an uneducated conjecture. I would like to have a better feeling as to my chances of getting into this program for Ph.D.
My GPA currently is 3.6, though I hope/plan to get it up to 3.7-3.8 by fall of senior year. It will be a feat I know. I am currently doing my first work for a professor in computational nanoscience. Specifically transport and mechanical properties of various carbon allotropes. It's a paid honors fellowship. I'm presenting at a conference this fall, and hopefully something publishable will arise from the work. I'm our local SPS president, and a Sigma Pi Sigma member.
As for other credentials, I'm not sure what counts. I'm in a class now where I am one of two undergrads, all the rest grad students, and I took a solid state class where I was one in a handful.
The GRE frightens me, I don't know what I will get or what is considered adequate for a school of this caliber, though I plan to study feverishly for it all next summer and next fall.
Thanks to those who run this site it's awesome and thanks to those who may answer my query.
Kaiser_Sose wrote:Jeez, that's quite a few more courses than I was planning to take. I considering PDE, but that was all I was really thinking about taking in the realm of math courses. My bio minor takes up quite a bit of space, are all those sort of courses really considered necessary/a big plus ?
Thanks
grae313 wrote:In fact, just the other day my quantum prof was going on about residues and branch cuts like everyone in the class had taken complex analysis
calphys wrote:I'd be awfully surprised if any number of these math classes on your transcript made even a bit of difference for your admissions chances. What is at stake, though, is how well your first year will go after you start grad school.
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