LopeyTall

Now that I'm done the whole PGRE process (went from a 3rd percentile in April 2018 to a 59th percentile in October ) my best advice is to know the 3/4 most recent exams like the back of your hand!

As they should!:D "This meeting [the semi-finalist stage] is where the first big 'cut' in the Fulbright competition gets made. In most cases only about the top 20‐30%of applications to a given country or region will be forwarded beyond this stage." "In general about half the application dossiers forwarded by the NSC will ultimately be selected for an award — depending on the number of applications received that year and on available funding." Source: http://gradfellows.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/Fulbright-Selection-Process.pdf

I have not heard from any of the programs (Physics PhD) I applied to yet. My thoughts on the effect of a brief email to the graduate coordinator are: Pros — The admission committee at the graduate program will have the knowledge that another committee (for a prestigious scholarship) has reviewed my project/profile/etc and found me of a high caliber. Cons — The admission committee may be annoyed by my contact, viewing me as trying to score some "brownie points." It is only semi-finalist, I still have to be selected in the final round.

And settled. Thank you so much, that is a great point!

Some programs require fall grades (which I'm happy about, mine are good). However, some neither require it, nor do they have the ability to upload them through the online app. Should I email someone on the grad admission committee something along the lines of: Hi, greetings and thanks for opportunity to submit my app and thank you for the time you take to read my app all the text above^^^ happy holidays, thank you Thoughts?

How do you recommend undergraduates tackling that "mention a potential mentor" bit? Pick a top choice grad program we are applying to and mention them?

Study plan I will be following (includes old pGRE tests): https://sites.google.com/a/uw.edu/physicsgre/home/week-1-practice-test-gr8677 The essential text: https://www.amazon.com/Conquering-Physics-GRE-Yoni-Kahn/dp/1108409563/ref=pd_cp_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1108409563&pd_rd_r=593e416b-6037-11e8-8ce9-a3e8d727e07b&pd_rd_w=ka7Sp&pd_rd_wg=otPHj&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=80460301815383741&pf_rd_r=R6J0AY2C40TS3MQ8H7WW&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=R6J0AY2C40TS3MQ8H7WW Go-to intro text for literally everything (free online pdf): google "halliday and resnick fundamentals of physics pdf" A supplementary text I love: https://www.amazon.com/Physics-Student-Companion-Lowry-Kirkby/dp/1904842682/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527265207&sr=8-1&keywords=lowry+kirkby Article/website with good info: http://www.alexhunterlang.com/physics-gre After you have gotten through all the practice tests, use this to study specific areas (I say after because these problems are from old tests): http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/undergrad/ugs_gre.php Email this person(s) at Case Western Reserve for free online flashcards: http://physics.case.edu/flashcards/

Hi all, I am applying to a physics PhD program this winter and would like some advice on where to apply based on my profile, i.e. how qualified am I. I feel my profile is strong, but my pGRE scores are abysmal. My profile is as follows: Rising senior at very very small liberal arts school Ursinus College Domestic white male Major: Physics and Mathematics double major GPA: 3.93 Kappa Mu Epsilon (national mathematics honors society) Cub and Key Society (on-campus honors society) **Our department does Sigma Pi Sigma (physics honors) at the end of senior year... boo** Research Assistant at home uni August 2016 - Present • Working under PROFESSOR NAME conducting atomic physics concerning quantum control of highly excited atoms exploring new avenues of experiment and simulation for future research as well as improving analytical programs to aid in research • Author on paper submitted to Physical Review Letters titled PAPER TITLE • Presented research at American Physical Society’s Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 49th annual meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, FL • Presented research at American Physical Society’s Division of Laser Science 33rd annual meeting in Washington, D.C. ** Will be working towards an honors thesis this upcoming year** Research Assistant through NSF REU experience May 2018 - August 2018 • Worked under PROFESSOR NAME in AdS/CFT and its applications to high temperature superconductors ** Just started this so pardon the lack of info** Summer Fellows Research Assistant at home uni May 2017 - July 2017 • Worked under PROFESSOR NAME conducting atomic physics concerning quantum control of highly excited atoms by improving upon simulation to better model experimental capacities as well as examining potential improvements to parameters of the algorithm used • Presented research at an end-of-fellowship symposium and published results through Ursinus College’s archive, UC Digital Commons • Presented research at American Physical Society’s Division of Laser Science 33rd annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Help Room Tutor August 2016 - Present • Running a weekly help room focusing on new difficult concepts, homework difficulties, and test preparation Teaching Assistant August 2016 - May 2018 • Set up, completion, and analysis of introductory physics labs as well as assisting students perform these experiments and analyze their results Extracurricular **Currently applying for NSF GRFP and Fulbright Open Study** President of Society of Physics Students – extracurricular physics, mathematics, and computer science Former President of Ursinus College Active Minds – a club on campus working to break down the stigma of mental health illness Kemper Scholar of 2019 class (declined to pursue physics research) – 3-year scholarship awarded to freshman pursuing business; includes 2 internships, $3000-$10000 annually, and career coaching Publications • **PAPER TITLE (submitted to PRL)** • **Invited poster at DAMOP poster ** • Bennett, Jason and Choice, Kevin, “POSTER TITLE” (2017). Invited poster at 33rd Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Laser Science (Collocated with Frontiers in Optics) 2017, Washington, D.C., September 17-21, 2017. • Bennett, Jason and Choice, Kevin, "PAPER TITLE" (2017). Physics and Astronomy Summer Fellows. 12. http://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/physics_astro_sum/12 __________________________________________________________________ Now onto the blemish... I took the pGRE in April to test the waters. I had breezed through Conquering the pGRE very briefly over spring break (about a ten day bit of studying a month prior to the exam) and got a 3% percentile.... Yeah. I have since raised this about 100/150 points with more intensive studying this summer while I'm not at work for my REU. I am 2/6 practice tests down, and I'm worried I wont improve enough to make this just a weak point of my resume and not a glaring blemish! I haven't taken the regular GRE yet but my first free diagnostic test from ETS PowerPrep was 156 Verbal 160 Quant and 5 AW. I'm confident I can get this up to around 160/165/5 by September. I did very well on the SAT and this is similar. __________________________________________________________________ My question is, where should I apply!?! I have a grad school spreadsheet in Excel with some places that have cool research, but I am oblivious as to if this list is too ambitious or I'm being to hard on my self and should shoot for a few more around or above the 20 US News rank! I also need to cut some of these schools... application fees are real... The list currently is as follows, with the name of the school followed by US News rank: University of Washington 22 Penn State University 25 Duke University 28 Brown University 35 Boston University 37 NYU 37 University of California Santa Cruz 37 University of Rochester 44 University of Virginia 44 University of North Carolina Chapel Hill 47 University Of Pittsburgh 47 North Carolina State University 52 Northeastern University 56 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 56 University of Massachusetts Amherst 56 University of Oregon 56 Brandeis University 61 Case Western University 61 Dartmouth College 61 University of Southern California 61 Virginia Tech 61 Syracuse University 69 College of William and Mary 71 University of Connecticut 71 Tufts University 83 Lehigh University 100 Tulane University 100 Bryn Mawr College Not ranked"

Also I am happy to financially compensate for scoring! $5 for both essays meticulously critiqued via the Venmo app? I plan to take around 5 or 6 practice tests so that would be $25/$30 if you are a good grader/critic! Again I am new to the site, so if the mention of money is not allowed here please let me know!

Hi All, This is my first post, so forgive me if this is not the appropriate location. GRE practice tests do not grade your AW essays. I was hoping to find people who wouldn't mind reading mine, looking at rubrics, and reading the provided top-scoring essays, low-scoring essays, etc. Naturally if I find someone who is in the same spot as me we can simply trade! I have attached files in case you would like to help:) analyze an argument 1.docx analyze an issue 1.docx pp_online_test1_aw_sample_essays_and_commentary_argument.pdf pp_online_test1_aw_sample_essays_and_commentary_issue.pdf