Major(s): Physics
GPA in Major: 3.91
Overall GPA: 3.77
Length of Degree: 4 years (currently a 3rd year)
Position in Class: ~top 25%
Type of Student: Domestic White Male
GRE: Have yet to take
Research Experience: Two REUs, one summer in a Dark Matter search laboratory, one summer doing high-dimensional GR theory work. Additional in the works in Black Hole theory, and have done on-campus research (individual) as required by my degree, with one paper pending publication.
Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Smattering of departmental awards, nothing spectacular
Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Next summer will be spent working at a finance bank (probably), and have been involved in a variety of other academic clubs. I also put a lot of effort into learning languages (for fun), and have taken quite a few language classes (German, Chinese). I have also taken enough classes to graduate with a degree in mathematics, but Princeton does not allow for double majors...
I also have taken many graduate courses (scheduled to have 4 in physics by application time), as well as more in the math department.
Applying to Where: MIT,, Harvard, Stanford, UCSD, UCB, UCSB, UCI, Cambridge, Caltech
References: Advisor for multiple of my papers (who holds joint appointment at Cambridge) is leader in the field of mathematical physics, will write good letter. Additionally have reference from postdoc who I worked with on high-dimensional GR. Both should be relatively strong.
Questions:
1. What should I be doing to improve my application by the time I am applying to graduate school? I am worried that my internship next summer will be detrimental to my application; should I be worried?
2. I have a couple B/B+s in math (none in physics), but they are concentrated mostly in my 1st year, though I have taken an unusually difficult schedule here. Should I be trying to improve my GPA or is it high enough that it doesn't matter?
Thank You!!!