What to do: College only offers one semester in core Physics classes (E&M, Quantum, Stats, Mech, etc.)

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LassanSoldier
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Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2021 2:34 am

What to do: College only offers one semester in core Physics classes (E&M, Quantum, Stats, Mech, etc.)

Post by LassanSoldier » Tue Feb 01, 2022 6:51 pm

My college's Physics program is only three years long and as a result, to my knowledge, only one semester is offered for the core Physics classes (Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, Statistical Mechanics, Electromagnetism). This most likely will be a problem, so what can I do? My advisor told me that while one semester long, the classes would be equivalent to two semesters at another university, as in the classes are compressed. However, I don't know how graduate school admissions would see this.

If it helps, I am interested in HEP-th primarily. Also would a double major in math help at all? Could research help make up for this? There is an active HEP-th group at my college.

cosmologyftw
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Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2022 11:45 am

Re: What to do: College only offers one semester in core Physics classes (E&M, Quantum, Stats, Mech, etc.)

Post by cosmologyftw » Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:22 pm

Good research experiences are usually the biggest factor in graduate applications anyways (barring terrible GPA, pGRE, or SoP).

But to be more specific, good pGRE scores matters more for theory than experiment and this could cover for some of the issue you are describing. Additionally, taking a physics graduate level course (or a few) if offered will look very impressive and certainly lessen the gap. If that is not an option, some schools ask you to submit a detailed list of physics courses you have taken, the textbooks used, and chapters covered. This may convince the departments that your school's system is near equivalent. As for math courses, more math (especially in Linear Algebra, Analysis, Topology, and other fields) is always advantageous for theory applicants, but not at the expense of physics grades and coursework. I would certainly suggest taking extra math courses regardless of whether it amounts to a math minor, double major, or neither.

You could also always consult the older students in the HEP-th group to see if they have any advice, older students can be great resources.

flut34
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Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 6:38 am

Re: What to do: College only offers one semester in core Physics classes (E&M, Quantum, Stats, Mech, etc.)

Post by flut34 » Sat Mar 19, 2022 3:22 pm

Are you legitimately going to a college or a university? I don't see how a legitimate uni that offers a physics major will have only core courses. Ex1-6 + Th0-4 is what my uni had alongside 6 courses (minimum) of heavy math courses + 6 labs. I suggest contacting a random phd grad program and asking them if youre qualified or not. I don't see how grad school would take you when youll be going against people who took above courses + research experience. I suggest looking into doing a masters after the bachelors. That would make you definitely competitive if you then added some research experience. Don't forget you need at least 3 LORs.

Ive been reading on the grade cafe that people regretted applying to only hep-th programs because they didnt get into anywhere. Take that also into consideration when you are applying.

MerabTera21
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Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2020 11:06 am

Re: What to do: College only offers one semester in core Physics classes (E&M, Quantum, Stats, Mech, etc.)

Post by MerabTera21 » Wed Aug 17, 2022 4:40 am

I also had to learn the basics of physics in one semester, and I will say that this is quite realistic. I study at asa college hialeah, and here the physics course is also designed for half a year, but that's even good. Many useful resources on the Internet will help you improve your knowledge. I mainly used popular science webinars on Youtube, in which they discuss various physical phenomena fascinatingly, conduct experiments, and show experiments. And yet, if you cannot understand some topic, it is better to seek help from a competent person, such as a school teacher or tutor.

davidmuray
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Joined: Sun Jan 22, 2023 4:28 pm

Re: What to do: College only offers one semester in core Physics classes (E&M, Quantum, Stats, Mech, etc.)

Post by davidmuray » Wed Jan 25, 2023 6:53 pm

How can I understand you. In general, I think this is a problem for many colleges and universities when the curriculum is too compressed. And even with such a compressed program, they are trying to teach you many things that are unnecessary for your profession. We also have a lot of compressed programs at beauty schools in portland. However, I can choose what I teach and what not, because each subject is a separate course, and you yourself can choose which courses you take and which not. One semester for a foundation in physics is really not enough. As for me, it is best to allocate two semesters for mechanics.



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