1/13

Chooslng a CraduaLe School ln hyslcs and

8elaLed ulsclpllnes
eLer !. Colllngs
Morrls L. CloLhler rofessor of hyslcs
SwarLhmore College
!acob !. krlch
osLdocLoral lellow
Parvard unlverslLy
2/13
Assumpuons
! ?ou !"#$ &$'(&$& )* "++,- Lo graduaLe school ln physlcs or a
relaLed dlsclpllne.
! ?our undergraduaLe ma[or ls physlcs.
! ?ou undersLand LhaL Lhrough a Leachlng/research
asslsLanLshlp and Luluon/fee walvers -*. /(,, 0*) !"#$ )* +"-
for your graduaLe educauon.
! ?ou Lhlnk LhaL )!$ 1*2) 1-2)$3(*.2 +"3)2 of Lhe process are
o Selecung Lhe schools Lo apply Lo, and
o Chooslng Lhe school Lo auend.
3/13
Chooslng Lhe CraduaLe Schools Lo Apply Lo
4/13
WhaL Lo Look lor
ln a CraduaLe rogram
! SLrengLh ln a parucular area (some unlverslues wlLh less name
recognluon have Lop programs ln speclc areas)
! SLrengLh across Lhe dlsclpllne of physlcs and ln relaLed
deparLmenLs
! Access Lo speclallzed faclllues (Lelescopes, acceleraLors, nauonal
laboraLorles)
! SLrucLure of Lhe program (course work, quallfylng exam, Leachlng
obllgauons, lengLh of ume Lo degree, Lhesls defense procedures)
! Ceographlcal locauon and unlverslLy semng
5/13
SelecuvlLy of CraduaLe rograms
! AspecLs of SelecuvlLy:
4&1(22(*02 '3()$3(" (quallLy of your undergraduaLe preparauon,
leuers of recommendauon, all C8L scores, research experlence)
5!"0'$ *6 7$(08 "&1(9$& (percenL admlued, C8L scores of
admlued sLudenLs, success of prlor appllcanLs from your school,
conLacLs wlLh faculLy aL Lhe graduaLe school)
! Ceneral Advlce:
?ou should apply Lo schools LhaL represenL varlous levels of
selecuvlLy, !"#", where your chances of belng admlued range
from excellenL Lo falr.
6/13
CaLher lnformauon
! Check deparLmenL and faculLy webslLes
! Al book: $%&'(&)# +%,-%&./ !0 +12/!3/4 5/)%,0,.24 &0'
6#7&)#' 8!#7'/
! CradSchoolShopper.com
! Lmall deparLmenLs and currenL/pasL graduaLe sLudenLs
! 1alk Lo physlcs professors aL your undergraduaLe lnsuLuuon
! vlslL some graduaLe schools
7/13
Chooslng Lhe CraduaLe School Lo Auend
8/13
SLudy Lach Cer of Admlsslon
! AmounL of Leachlng and/or research obllgauon
! ArrangemenL for chooslng your Lhesls advlsor (some
programs oer more exlblllLy Lhan oLhers)
! osslblllLy of supporL Lo perform research Lhe summer
followlng your rsL year
! osslblllLy of deferrlng admlsslon for a year
! osslblllLy of performlng research Lhe summer before you
enroll
9/13
rogram 1haL 8esL MeeLs ?our needs
! Cverall sLrengLh and sLrengLhs ln speclc areas
! SLrucLure of Lhe program (course work, research, supporL
mechanlsms, lengLh of ume Lo degree, hu graduauon
percenLage, speclallzed faclllues)
! Ceographlcal locauon, unlverslLy semng, opporLunlues for
your slgnlcanL oLher
! lnLanglbles (graduaLe sLudenL communlLy, cllmaLe for
women and mlnorlues, faculLy-sLudenL relauonshlps)
10/13
vlslL MosL romlslng Schools
! ueparLmenLs wlll usually help pay for a vlslL
! vlslL on Lhe deparLmenL's vlslL day. lf you vlslL aL anoLher ume,
make arrangemenLs Lo see people ahead of ume.
! 1alk Lo professors and graduaLe sLudenLs ln your areas of lnLeresL
! SLay overnlghL and nd ouL:
:).&$0) 2";26"';*0 wlLh course oerlngs, classroom
lnsLrucuon, and Lhesls experlence
<3"'= 3$'*3& for placlng sLudenLs aer Lhey recelve Lhelr hu
Ceneral level of !"++(0$22 of sLudenLs and faculLy
11/13
Maklng Lhe llnal ueclslon
! uon'L puL much emphasls on Lhe nanclal oer (Lhey Lend Lo be
slmllar and ln accordance wlLh Lhe cosL of llvlng)
! Avold allowlng name recognluon Lo lnuence your declslon
Loo much
! ueLermlne how well Lhe avallable research envlronmenL
maLches whaL you are lnLeresLed ln and exclLed abouL
! 1hlnk serlously abouL your career goals and concenLraLe on how
well your long-Lerm needs wlll be saused
! uon'L sLress ouL abouL Lwo close cholces - elLher wlll be ne
12/13
8esources
13/13
8ead, Surf, 1alk
! Al book: $%&'(&)# +%,-%&./ !0 +12/!3/4 5/)%,0,.24 &0'
6#7&)#' 8!#7'/ (senL Lo all undergraduaLe deparLmenLs)
! CradSchoolShopper.com
! AA1 provldes a good resource for applylng Lo and
chooslng a graduaLe school. +7&00!0- 9,% $%&'(&)#
:)('!#/: hup://www.aapL.org/8esources/sLudenLs.cfm
! ?our undergraduaLe professors (Lalk Lo Lhem!)
! 1hls weblnar avallable aL: hup://www.aps.org/careers/
guldance/weblnars/gradschool.cfm