Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

  • This has become our largest and most active forum because the physics GRE is just one aspect of getting accepted into a graduate physics program.
  • There are applications, personal statements, letters of recommendation, visiting schools, anxiety of waiting for acceptances, deciding between schools, finding out where others are going, etc.

Alesonny
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by Alesonny » Sat Feb 20, 2010 2:19 pm

terrence wrote:
By the way, did anyobody hear of an international student accepted to UCSB so far?
yup, me, from Italy :wink:

newt11
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Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2010 10:10 am

Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by newt11 » Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:33 pm

Florida is late according to last year! waiting..

blackcat007
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Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:14 am

Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by blackcat007 » Sat Feb 20, 2010 4:09 pm

newt11 wrote:Florida is late according to last year! waiting..
yeah even according to their website.. they mentioned mid feb onwards.. On emailing them they said that my application is still under review.. :?

fc_pga
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by fc_pga » Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:47 pm

Alesonny wrote:
terrence wrote:
By the way, did anyobody hear of an international student accepted to UCSB so far?
yup, me, from Italy :wink:
Wow, congratulations. Did you apply for external funding and/or fellowships? That probably counts.

The fate of my UCSB application is not known yet....

axjl215
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Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 12:15 am

Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by axjl215 » Sun Feb 21, 2010 10:30 am

hey, I get an offer: physics PhD@U of Connecticut, but I find no people have ever mentioned this university. So how is it's physics program? (I want to study quantum information)
Thank you~

BA_LA21
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by BA_LA21 » Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:40 am

terrence wrote:
wmwolf wrote:I got an e-mail from UCSB 12:30 AM their time telling me to check admissions page. I was indeed accepted, but they were completely mum on financial aid, and now their department website's page is down... The ambiguity is killing me, as they are one of my top choices.

Still cool, though!
Congrats! Regarding funding, I don't think it's a common practice for graduate programs in physics to admit students without funding. Moreover, it's still early, so I am pretty sure you are not one of their last choices, some sort of funding should be implied...unless this year's financial situation is incredibly harsh for California schools.
Agreed. Still though...

I'm in exactly the same situations. I was planning on waiting a week or so to see if they provide any information before I started inquiring.

Anyway, I'm sure they're just discussing how big our fellowship offers will have to be to insure we don't get stolen away by MIT or Caltech. :)

arieszen
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by arieszen » Mon Feb 22, 2010 5:43 am

rejected by princeton-plasma physics. pathetic feeling. 4 more to go.

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noojens
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by noojens » Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:27 pm

rejected by berkeley! *crash* *burn*

physicsgrad
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by physicsgrad » Mon Feb 22, 2010 7:12 pm

accepted into caltech, physics yay~

michael
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by michael » Mon Feb 22, 2010 7:49 pm

me to for Caltech / my first offer. Really relieved!

campsoup
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by campsoup » Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:08 pm

stanford by email today!
good luck to everyone else.

blueplanet
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by blueplanet » Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:24 pm

Stanford today!!! now I just wanna hear back from Berkeley. Congrats anyone who heard from Stanford today, see you in April.

matonski
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by matonski » Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:31 pm

Anyone have an extra Stanford or Caltech acceptance that they could spare me?

quark314
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by quark314 » Wed Feb 24, 2010 2:47 pm

For those waiting, I emailed UPenn and Columbia today for updates, and UPenn said they're still reviewing apps (nothing more specific). Columbia said they've made approximately 2/3 of their offers, and "the remainder will be made by the end of this week" by email. Notifications to non-admits won't go out until mid-march, though.

Ryalnos
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by Ryalnos » Wed Feb 24, 2010 3:39 pm

I was accepted to UMD-College Park and UC-Boulder today by email!

campsoup
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by campsoup » Wed Feb 24, 2010 4:25 pm

into uc boulder today by email

blueplanet
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by blueplanet » Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:53 pm

matonski wrote:Anyone have an extra Stanford or Caltech acceptance that they could spare me?
If I get into Caltech I would give it to you, I honestly don't wanna go there, I just applied cuz it's Caltech.

Alesonny
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by Alesonny » Wed Feb 24, 2010 6:08 pm

Stanford!!! woot woot!

Now I have a question for you guys, since I am not familiar with the american funding system: what does it mean to have "tuition allowance for 10 units per quarter"?

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grae313
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by grae313 » Wed Feb 24, 2010 6:16 pm

Alesonny wrote:Stanford!!! woot woot!

Now I have a question for you guys, since I am not familiar with the american funding system: what does it mean to have "tuition allowance for 10 units per quarter"?
Tuition is probably based on how many classes you are taking (each class is worth a certain number of "units"). Pretty much all PhD students in physics are fully funded so that will likely cover as many courses as you'd ever want to take in a quarter.

michael
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by michael » Wed Feb 24, 2010 6:39 pm

Blue planet, why would you not want to go? This is a serious question as I may not be able to make the open house! I have heard it is small, and I dont like the sound of the nearest city LA too much. Is there other stuff you can tell me too?

Thanks for your help.

mobytish
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by mobytish » Wed Feb 24, 2010 6:41 pm

The funding doesn't typically cover a course overload. However, if you're interested in taking more courses and you can justify them as helpful for your research area, your advisor will likely work with you to get more funding (out of their research funding) to cover the credits.

Alesonny
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by Alesonny » Wed Feb 24, 2010 6:43 pm

Ok, thanks for the answers :-)

blueplanet
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by blueplanet » Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:55 pm

michael wrote:Blue planet, why would you not want to go? This is a serious question as I may not be able to make the open house! I have heard it is small, and I dont like the sound of the nearest city LA too much. Is there other stuff you can tell me too?

Thanks for your help.
You shouldn't take that as a reason not to go. I have someone I want to work with at every other school I've applied to, except Caltech. Also I've spent 20 years of my life in southern california so I kinda wanna spend some time elsewhere. But Pasadena is in SoCal, and we do have wonderful weather here, so that's definitely a plus for most people.

BUT, according to my adviser their small faculty can sometimes be a bad thing. You're stuck with your Ph.D. adviser for the whole go, and their small faculty can make it hard to find someone that you work well scientifically with. I've also been told not to accept an admission from any school without visiting first, if possible.

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notnaps
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by notnaps » Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:52 am

Accepted at Stanford and UCSB :!:

I kind of didn't send my statement of purpose to UCSB, got an email asking for me to send it, and a couple days later got an acceptance. I honestly wasn't expecting to get in anywhere else besides UIUC, I actually have to make a decision now..

amit
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by amit » Thu Feb 25, 2010 5:31 am

wmwolf wrote:I got an e-mail from UCSB 12:30 AM their time telling me to check admissions page. I was indeed accepted, but they were completely mum on financial aid, and now their department website's page is down... The ambiguity is killing me, as they are one of my top choices.

Still cool, though!
UCSB first year here, the "standard" package guarantees you up to 4 years worth of TAships, which includes full coverage of tuition and health insurance, plus about $1700/mo after taxes. Typically experimentalists here get hired away to do research pretty quickly (which pays about $100/mo less until you advance to candidacy, at which point you get your $100/mo back), and there's obviously no limit on the number of quarters you can do research. Theorists here typically TA much longer, but profs hire them away once their TAing allowance is used up, or possibly sooner if they get lucky and the prof has extra grant money.

If you get your own fellowship (NSF, etc), that obviously lets you do whatever you want as well.

newt11
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by newt11 » Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:33 am

Dear friends; I have 2 questions. First one ; is there any international students got accepted to CSU,Fort Collins?
Second one for the international people who already accepted to University of Oregon. Did you really consider attending this school. Just let me know. If this is not the right place to ask these questions I excuse everyone.

campsoup
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by campsoup » Thu Feb 25, 2010 3:44 pm

accepted to maryland today by email

llorgehthset
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by llorgehthset » Thu Feb 25, 2010 3:47 pm

.
Last edited by llorgehthset on Tue May 25, 2010 12:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

betelgeuse1
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by betelgeuse1 » Thu Feb 25, 2010 5:45 pm

nothing at all (no acceptance nor rejection) from none of my 9 universities! what now? it's Feb 25 today! :(

blueplanet
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by blueplanet » Thu Feb 25, 2010 5:51 pm

got into Berkeley, very happy today :D

higgs_boson
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by higgs_boson » Thu Feb 25, 2010 6:23 pm

got into CU-Boulder :D

wmwolf
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by wmwolf » Thu Feb 25, 2010 6:36 pm

Finally got a reply from UCSB's Physics department with word on some pretty standard funding. Nice to be sure!

fc_pga
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by fc_pga » Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:03 pm

I hear from an extremely reliable source that UCSD is only accepting 3 international students this year. :(

campsoup
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by campsoup » Fri Feb 26, 2010 3:53 pm

huh. i didn't hear from berkeley yesterday so i figured i was rejected. just in case i emailed donna because i want to book my stanford flight soon, and she replied that i was accepted and they should have told me earlier.
i'm not sure if they're late on the AMO people or on the people who got nominated for university fellowships or if it was just a mistake..! good luck to the rest of you.

higgs_boson
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by higgs_boson » Fri Feb 26, 2010 5:21 pm

Got into Michigan! Two acceptances in less than 24 hours.

jmason86
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by jmason86 » Fri Feb 26, 2010 5:21 pm

On feb 23 I received an email from Berkeley physics that said: "Your application is complete and you are being considered for
admission to the Ph.D. program in physics at the University of California at Berkeley. We will notify applicants as they are admitted. Final decisions will be made no later than March 15, 2010."
Just thought I'd let everyone know that we only have a couple weeks left till all decisions at UCB are made.

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notnaps
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by notnaps » Fri Feb 26, 2010 11:59 pm

Has anyone who's focus will be Experimental Condensed Matter heard from Berkeley yet? I'm hoping that they just haven't sent out acceptances from that area yet :?

matonski
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by matonski » Sat Feb 27, 2010 1:59 am

Got into Maryland today while I'm right next door at the Johns Hopkins open house.

mts1810
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by mts1810 » Sat Feb 27, 2010 7:32 pm

lapen wrote:
matonski wrote:Accepted to John's Hopkins. The email was in my gmail spam box for a day.
Thanks to your post I found my offer letter in my gmail spam box! Now I have exactly 12 hrs to notify them whether I am attending their open house or not.
Could you pls give some information on the RA or TA or FLWSHP offer? I still am waiting for them to reply. I am already accepted by UW-Madison but I think JHU is a better place, what do you think?

artificertxj
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by artificertxj » Sat Feb 27, 2010 9:35 pm

just asking, those who applied for AMO program in grad college, did you guys heard anything back from Berkeley (physics), Stanford (applied physics) and MIT (physics). I didn't hear anything from them yet. I think maybe it's time for me to book my Arizona flight (sigh.....)

blaster00
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by blaster00 » Sat Feb 27, 2010 10:33 pm

artificertxj wrote:just asking, those who applied for AMO program in grad college, did you guys heard anything back from Berkeley (physics), Stanford (applied physics) and MIT (physics). I didn't hear anything from them yet. I think maybe it's time for me to book my Arizona flight (sigh.....)

I have not yet heard anything from any of those places either. I am hoping that that doesn't mean that I am gonna be rejected to them all, but at least for Berkeley I think there is still hope (campsoup is the only person I have heard of in AMO hearing back and apparently she emailed to ask). I will be sure to update if I hear anything new.

Good luck to you, I hope we hear soon... the waiting is terrible.

jmason86
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by jmason86 » Sun Feb 28, 2010 5:03 pm

Does anyone have an estimate of how many applications Berkeley physics got this year? Or know what they typically get each year?
They sure are taking their time making decisions..

terrence
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by terrence » Sun Feb 28, 2010 5:12 pm

jmason86 wrote:Does anyone have an estimate of how many applications Berkeley physics got this year? Or know what they typically get each year?
They sure are taking their time making decisions..
You can find last year's data on their webpage: 713 applications, 99 offers, 31 enrolled.

mobytish
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by mobytish » Sun Feb 28, 2010 6:31 pm

terrence wrote: You can find last year's data on their webpage: 713 applications, 99 offers, 31 enrolled.
I'm amazed it too them 99 offers to get 31 people.

abeboparebop
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by abeboparebop » Sun Feb 28, 2010 8:36 pm

Last year's class (meaning those entering fall 09) had well more than 31 -- it was something like 48 or 50. Not sure what that data's about.

EDIT: and in a brief pass through the prospective physics students webpage, I can't find that info. Got a link?

higgs_boson
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by higgs_boson » Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:25 pm

abeboparebop wrote:Last year's class (meaning those entering fall 09) had well more than 31 -- it was something like 48 or 50. Not sure what that data's about.

EDIT: and in a brief pass through the prospective physics students webpage, I can't find that info. Got a link?
According to AIP (gradschoolshopper.com), Admission information: For fall admission, 2009 – 10, 125 students were accepted from 674 applicants.

Ryalnos
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by Ryalnos » Mon Mar 01, 2010 2:53 am

Remember, those applying to Berkeley are often also successfully applying to Caltech, Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, MIT, and the like...

terrence
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by terrence » Mon Mar 01, 2010 5:58 am

higgs_boson wrote:
abeboparebop wrote:Last year's class (meaning those entering fall 09) had well more than 31 -- it was something like 48 or 50. Not sure what that data's about.

EDIT: and in a brief pass through the prospective physics students webpage, I can't find that info. Got a link?
According to AIP (gradschoolshopper.com), Admission information: For fall admission, 2009 – 10, 125 students were accepted from 674 applicants.
Find it here: http://physics.berkeley.edu/index.php?o ... Itemid=141

Maybe this page refers to 08/09 then.

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grae313
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by grae313 » Mon Mar 01, 2010 11:15 am

1/3 acceptance rate of offers is on the high side of standard at schools like Berkeley from what I've heard. Ryalnos gave the reason.

peglegjeff
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Re: Physics updates/acceptances (2010)

Post by peglegjeff » Mon Mar 01, 2010 12:20 pm

Accepted at Texas! First acceptance... I was starting to get a little worried there...

Those of you who've applied at Texas: Check your application status on the Texas website! They didn't send an email or any sort of notification, so you just have to logon and see.



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