Physics GRE Discussion Forums

I wish to go to Caltech or Princeton for grad school.

bump

I've answered a similar question some time ago. But maybe let me rephrase it here.

The idea of a sufficient GPA for entering a graduate program is more of an applicant's subjective concept than a real requirement by the graduate schools. The schools have repeatedly spoken about their holistic admission process and that no single factor will guarantee admission/rejection. By looking at the applicants' profile in this forum in previous years, it is also easy to observe that there were always applicants with substandard scores who got admitted in top-tier universities. There were also applicants with high scores who failed to get admission everywhere. *cough*(personal story)*cough*. However, applicants' insecurity will demand the existence of a single factor under their control that provides a peace of mind in the stressful application process. This is not just about you, but also about all the applicants in this forum who need confirmation on their GPA or PGRE/GRE score.

Knowing that, it is not for us in this forum to answer what the sufficient GPA should be. I think none of us work in the admission committee and even if we do, there is no way that we can release such information publicly. Hence, it is more of a question of how high of a score would give you, the applicant, the security and confidence to continue with the remaining application procedures.

Such line of thought is just not healthy, I assure you that in the end, there will be no number in this framework that suffices beside a perfect score.

-Nishikata-

It seems that my major GPA will be lower than those of the people who got accepted. If I get all A's in all of my major courses from now on, I'd probably only get a 3.79 out of 4.0. It seems that my chances of getting into Caltech or Princeton for graduate school are null. No matter. I believe that I can still publish high-quality papers even without a PhD. It is just a piece of paper after all.

I will probably also get a master's degree in astrophysics from UCLA if they choose me for the program as an undergraduate. I'll make sure that I get a 4.0 in that program, but my undergraduate major GPA will get me rejected from Caltech and Princeton.

I'll get overlooked and rejected for the 1000th time in my life, but Isaac Newton did it all without a PhD.

I believe that I can still publish high-quality papers even without a PhD. It is just a piece of paper after all.

I'll get overlooked and rejected for the 1000th time in my life, but Isaac Newton did it all without a PhD.

Back in Newton's time, Masters/PhD were used interchangeably. DSc didn't exist in the UK until the 1800's, and PhDs as we know them weren't standard until the 1900's. Newton had a Masters degree because physics fell under the arts, so he had a PhD.

I feel like such a useless f*ck.

More stress in my life.

My life is finished.

I did take a sophomore astrophysics course and got a bad grade, but I passed it. I probably shouldn't have taken it in the first place and I was probably the only freshman.

I've heard that UCLA is a hard school in the sciences because of all of the curving in grades. At Caltech, your first two quarters are Pass/Fail. Will they forgive me for the bad grades in my first two quarters since UCLA is seen as a tough school?

I have no chance at a great life even after I become a Putnam Fellow. Whatever. At least I have myself and my superior brain. I can still be the next Einstein and Newton without some stupid PhD.