Anyone applying to the US PhD from Australia? Profile please

[rizkibizniz]

Anyone about to apply or already got accepted to any US PhD programs from Australia?

I am an int student, will be graduating from the University of Sydney with Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Physics in 2012. (Aiming for first class honours!). Goin for the US for fall 2013. will be taking the PGRE end of 2011. I am originally from Indonesia. Anyone else here from Indonesia?

wanna try my luck at,
Columbia, Stony Brook, U of Toronto, Florida State University, Tufts, Boston U, (ill adjust list once i know my PGRE scores)

Interested in HEP-ex, Quantum Science, Computational Physics, (still exploring)

The thing with me, i was born 1983. if things go as planned i will start my PhD when im 30. (went to work as a professional musician in Indonesia for 6 years after the 3-years Bachelor degree i got from the same uni. was moderately successfull being in rock band. but couldn keep rock n roll life goin forever. miss academia too much, miss science/physics too much. have decided to choose spending life working as a scientist/academic with music as a hobby, instead of the other way around). now is my last chance if i want to be serious in making a living from physics. anyone started/ing their PhD when they are 30?

@Rizkibizniz
http://www.alexatheband.com

[enthree]

I'm from Australia (domestic) and have recently been accepted for a PhD in the states for the fall 2011 admission. I graduated at the end of 2009 (with honours) - I tried doing the PGRE in November 09 for the 2010 fall admission but it was a bit much on top of honours study. So I waited a year, did some research, got something published, then applied at the end of 2010 for fall 2011.

I'm not sure how being older (and away from academia) will impact your chances but I'd definitely recommend getting some solid research experience.

[rizkibizniz]

hey enthree, its really great that u have jus been accepted. congratulations. what uni in australia did u graduate from? would you mind sharing the schools u applied to, where u got admitted/rejected, PGRE scores and honours class grade? (its just for me to have an idea of how much work i need catch up on, and how high i should aim, in order to be competitive and to get accepted into a US PhD program)

also yea thats why im resigning from my record label now, do all the catching up n independent study needed, then do the PGRE later this year, see how i go. ive 8 months to review undergrad physics, prepare for PGRE, plan for my honours research. n next year 2012, i will be back in Sydney U continuing my (honours) degree and do what i have to do to get accepted into a PhD program for fall 2013. i figured i should have enough time to sharpen my physics and have opportunies to do research (and if im lucky publish) during that one year in honours.

Cheers

[enthree]

My profile is in that big thread of profiles: link. I'm from UWA. If I went through the application process again I'd probably spend more time on PGRE study - it's nothing like the normal work we do. Difficult to find motivation though cos it's such an annoying test that more or less just measures how many problems you've pre-solved and can remember the answer to. That being said, it was probably the research part of my application that helped me the most.

[rizkibizniz]

thanx for that. really helps to know. and congrats on your admission to Chicago! its also good to kno u got accepted to Stony Brook. now i know what i should be aiming at since i plan on applying there too.

but hang on, i just exhanged emails with the head of admissions of Stony brook few weeks ago, he says he just admitted one student from UWA with an average final mark of around 85. would that be you?? what coincindence. so i guess u got first class honours yea?

[enthree]

I'd presume it was me, I don't know of anyone else at UWA who applied. But yer, you'd want to get first class honours if you plan on doing postgrad physics.

[s4200654]

so do they look at the science(honours) and your bachelor of science separately..or as one?