Physics GRE Discussion Forums

I just became a physics TA in my department for the freshman physics class. I'm teaching the lab for physics majors. Does that make a difference in my application to the point where I should send everyone revised CV's, or is it a pretty standard thing that won't make a difference whatsoever (I know a lot of you are already TAs)?

My guess is that it's not a big deal -- like you said, a lot of applicants have some sort of teaching experience (TAing, tutoring, etc.), so it's not going viewed as something special. Also, many graduate programs don't put much emphasis on TAing while you're there, so I don't see why they'd care about it on an application...

I think it's definitely worth sending an updated resume if it isn't too much trouble for you. I think it's impressive that as an undergraduate you're teaching a lab and that it shows that your department thinks highly of your physics and teaching abilities. It also shows your ability to balance teaching with research and classes, which is important for graduate school.

I remember your PGRE scores weren't as high as you wanted, mhazelm. I think it would be a good idea given that, any little bit helps.

dlenmn wrote:My guess is that it's not a big deal -- like you said, a lot of applicants have some sort of teaching experience (TAing, tutoring, etc.)

Most applicants might have the experience of tutoring, but very few would have the experience of being a department appointed TA. And definitely both are not comparable since being a TA (If you are teaching and not grading) is a much more responsible teaching job than being a tutor. Hence, it is definitely worth sending a revised resume.

I think it's impressive that as an undergraduate you're teaching a lab and that it shows that your department thinks highly of your physics and teaching abilities. It also shows your ability to balance teaching with research and classes, which is important for graduate school.

Is it hard for undergrads to become TAs at some schools? At my school most TAs are undergrads, and usually the only pre-requisite for TAing a class is getting an A in it.

mike164 wrote:but very few would have the experience of being a department appointed TA.

On the first page of last year's profiles 14/49 listed being a TA. That's a lower percentage than I expected, but I don't think "very few" would be a good way to describe the number of applicants with "TA" on their resume.

monocles wrote:

I think it's impressive that as an undergraduate you're teaching a lab and that it shows that your department thinks highly of your physics and teaching abilities. It also shows your ability to balance teaching with research and classes, which is important for graduate school.

Is it hard for undergrads to become TAs at some schools? At my school most TAs are undergrads, and usually the only pre-requisite for TAing a class is getting an A in it.

So at your college, if I got an A in Intro Mechanics first semester of my first year, the second semester I'd be able to be teach the Intro Mechanics lab on my own?

i really think you should send them an updated resume. i mean it sounds like a great thing to me. and i certainly don't think it's so common at all schools to have u-grads as TAs. my school not the case. another one i definitely know about is U of Minnesota. if a lot of people do it, then you're worst off not putting it, b/c then you wouldn't even have the basic requirements. if most people don't have it, then that just makes you look better. i don't see what you've got to lose. update the resume and send it out today.

meowful wrote:

monocles wrote:

I think it's impressive that as an undergraduate you're teaching a lab and that it shows that your department thinks highly of your physics and teaching abilities. It also shows your ability to balance teaching with research and classes, which is important for graduate school.

Is it hard for undergrads to become TAs at some schools? At my school most TAs are undergrads, and usually the only pre-requisite for TAing a class is getting an A in it.

So at your college, if I got an A in Intro Mechanics first semester of my first year, the second semester I'd be able to be teach the Intro Mechanics lab on my own?

TA stands for teaching assistant, so you wouldn't be teaching the class. At my school, TAs handle the recitation, go over homework problems, some derivations the professors didn't have to time to cover in class, answer questions, and grade papers.

Hence "teach the lab"

yeah, I'm just teaching the lab - we're supposed to "lecture" for 15 minutes at the beginning (i.e. just refresh the basic concepts for them), then they do the lab while I help/supervise, and I have to write quizzes for each lab and grade them.

Thanks for the input, I'm sending a new CV out tomorrow! It really can't hurt at this point.

meowful wrote:

monocles wrote:

I think it's impressive that as an undergraduate you're teaching a lab and that it shows that your department thinks highly of your physics and teaching abilities. It also shows your ability to balance teaching with research and classes, which is important for graduate school.

Is it hard for undergrads to become TAs at some schools? At my school most TAs are undergrads, and usually the only pre-requisite for TAing a class is getting an A in it.

So at your college, if I got an A in Intro Mechanics first semester of my first year, the second semester I'd be able to be teach the Intro Mechanics lab on my own?

Yup, in fact that is exactly what happened to me, and to many other people that I know.

tmc wrote:Hence "teach the lab"

My bad, at my school all the physics labs are handled by grad students... I assumed that it's likewise elsewhere.