Need advice for current profile
Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2019 10:31 pm
Hi, I am currently freaking out about my current stats and I don't know what my best route is. Can someone please help me?
I really want to get a PhD in Theoretical Physics, however, I was stupid and "lived in the moment" during college. And I'm totally regretting that.
Below are my stats:
Undergrad Institution: UC school ranked top 10 graduate physics programs
Major(s): Physics
GPA in Major: 3.0
Overall GPA: 3.15
Length of Degree: Graduated quarter early
Position in Class: No clue
Type of Student: Domestic, male, asian
GRE Scores : haven't taken yet
but I did take one practice test w/o prep for the PGRE and got a ~780
Research Experience:
School's Experimental Cosmology Lab for 0.5 yr (worked online with a Duke professor but didn't know him well)
National Lab research for explosives physics for 1 yr (3.5 mo full time, rest part time during school)
Special Bonus Points:
Taken entire graduate General Relativity Course set (First course for a grade, other 2 audited but still did hw and took exams). It is safe to say that I am proficient in GR at a Graduate level.
May have two famous references but their letters of rec will most likely be lukewarm, since they only know me as a student (from office hours and class).
Topics of Research That I hope to Study in the Future:
Holography, ads/cft, Blackholes and Entanglement Entropy, semi-classical approach to quantum gravity from ads/cft., H.E.P.T.
My stats aren't impressive and with my bare minimum GPA I'm starting to freak out about my future. My research has nothing to do with my intended field. From a competitive stance, it looks like a lot of other students out shine me. But I really do love physics. I love it to the point where I just watch graduate lectures (like the ones from the Institute for Advanced Studies) for fun. And it's the only job that I can see myself doing. I don't know how I can possibly get into any decent graduate school. Does anyone have any advice on how I should proceed?
I really want to get a PhD in Theoretical Physics, however, I was stupid and "lived in the moment" during college. And I'm totally regretting that.
Below are my stats:
Undergrad Institution: UC school ranked top 10 graduate physics programs
Major(s): Physics
GPA in Major: 3.0
Overall GPA: 3.15
Length of Degree: Graduated quarter early
Position in Class: No clue
Type of Student: Domestic, male, asian
GRE Scores : haven't taken yet
but I did take one practice test w/o prep for the PGRE and got a ~780
Research Experience:
School's Experimental Cosmology Lab for 0.5 yr (worked online with a Duke professor but didn't know him well)
National Lab research for explosives physics for 1 yr (3.5 mo full time, rest part time during school)
Special Bonus Points:
Taken entire graduate General Relativity Course set (First course for a grade, other 2 audited but still did hw and took exams). It is safe to say that I am proficient in GR at a Graduate level.
May have two famous references but their letters of rec will most likely be lukewarm, since they only know me as a student (from office hours and class).
Topics of Research That I hope to Study in the Future:
Holography, ads/cft, Blackholes and Entanglement Entropy, semi-classical approach to quantum gravity from ads/cft., H.E.P.T.
My stats aren't impressive and with my bare minimum GPA I'm starting to freak out about my future. My research has nothing to do with my intended field. From a competitive stance, it looks like a lot of other students out shine me. But I really do love physics. I love it to the point where I just watch graduate lectures (like the ones from the Institute for Advanced Studies) for fun. And it's the only job that I can see myself doing. I don't know how I can possibly get into any decent graduate school. Does anyone have any advice on how I should proceed?