From Chemistry to Physics
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 6:40 pm
Hell, PGRE community. I will be applying to graduate schools soon with a degree in chemistry (physical chemistry concentration) from UCLA. I will be applying for quantum information (where applicable) and either theoretical or experimental atomic (where not applicable). Now, I would say I'm certainly prepared, at least as prepared as a physics major, to pursue physics graduate school, but I'm a little bit worried about how a chemistry degree will look on my application. I guess what would be most helpful is something like a 1-10 rating of how much my application will be negatively affected (and details are, of course, appreciated). I haven't seen a single chemistry major in the admissions results threads, so I can only speculate, but it seems to me like one of the most natural fields to transition from (following math).
A little more about myself and courses:
-3.6GPA, all As/A+s in upper division math, physics, and physical chemistry (except for a B in thermo and an A- in nonlinear DE, and A-/B+ in inorganic chemistry if that's considered related).
-Quantum in the chemistry department was a two part course (Quantum Chemistry/Spectroscopy). According to the description, part B was a spectroscopy course but we actually covered E&M with Griffiths followed by mostly matrix mechanics and perturbation theory with Feynman (I actually used Shankar and Zettili, myself).
-I think we actually covered more thermo in the chemistry department (it was a single course in the physics department, but ours was a two part thermo/stat mech series).
-Physics students take a single four-unit elective lab while I had to take two five-unit labs (p.chem lab and materials chemistry lab).
-I've taken E&M (part 1/2), Classical Mechanics (part 1/2), and Mathematical Methods in the physics department. I was actually all ready to graduate but threw in CM my last quarter to at least have a foot in every major physics branch on my application. I've also taken ODE, nonlinear DE, and linear algebra in the math department. Since I'll be taking a year off, I intend to strength my math and quantum mechanics background as much as possible during that time, if it matters.
-Right now I'm estimating a PGRE score in the mid/high 700 range. I'm aiming for 800 and don't think I'll do worse than mid 600s.
So, to summarize, would a chemistry degree put me at a significant disadvantage or a slight disadvantage with maybe a shift in weight towards PGRE, letters, etc. (or something else)? Anything specific I should mention in my SIR (aside from why I don't have a physics degree)? My main concerns are the degree title and the small amount of documented quantum mechanics background.
A little more about myself and courses:
-3.6GPA, all As/A+s in upper division math, physics, and physical chemistry (except for a B in thermo and an A- in nonlinear DE, and A-/B+ in inorganic chemistry if that's considered related).
-Quantum in the chemistry department was a two part course (Quantum Chemistry/Spectroscopy). According to the description, part B was a spectroscopy course but we actually covered E&M with Griffiths followed by mostly matrix mechanics and perturbation theory with Feynman (I actually used Shankar and Zettili, myself).
-I think we actually covered more thermo in the chemistry department (it was a single course in the physics department, but ours was a two part thermo/stat mech series).
-Physics students take a single four-unit elective lab while I had to take two five-unit labs (p.chem lab and materials chemistry lab).
-I've taken E&M (part 1/2), Classical Mechanics (part 1/2), and Mathematical Methods in the physics department. I was actually all ready to graduate but threw in CM my last quarter to at least have a foot in every major physics branch on my application. I've also taken ODE, nonlinear DE, and linear algebra in the math department. Since I'll be taking a year off, I intend to strength my math and quantum mechanics background as much as possible during that time, if it matters.
-Right now I'm estimating a PGRE score in the mid/high 700 range. I'm aiming for 800 and don't think I'll do worse than mid 600s.
So, to summarize, would a chemistry degree put me at a significant disadvantage or a slight disadvantage with maybe a shift in weight towards PGRE, letters, etc. (or something else)? Anything specific I should mention in my SIR (aside from why I don't have a physics degree)? My main concerns are the degree title and the small amount of documented quantum mechanics background.