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. (Aiming for first class honours!). Goin for the US for fall. will be taking the PGRE. I am originally from Indonesia. Anyone else here from Indonesia?

[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)


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?