Do I have a chance at making it to graduate school?

[Japher]

I'm more of a jerk than even most who go to truly top schools (we're close, but not quite).

QFT

[DaShi]

Sigh. This only reminds me that my GRE scores expire this year. However, that just means my data is removed from their records. If I obtain official copies before they expire, some schools will still accept them. It'll just be those bastards that won't that will cause me trouble.

[KrazyHorse]

Anything above 740 is 99.9%+, if I recall the current numbers correctly.

No. Drop off one 9.

[Jon Miller]

This is interesting, and counter to my experience on the other end (sitting on graduate admissions committees). But then, I did that on humanities faculties, which may put less emphasis on test scores.

I also only had so-so grades (3.25ish), and got into a top 15 graduate school (And my GREs weren't as high as KHs).

Talking to people when applying for graduate schools seemed to indicate that grades in courses weren't very important.

JM

[Jon Miller]

Top schools are overrated. They only produce arrogant jerks.

They give you a huge advantage when it comes to academic permanent positions though.

JM

[KrazyHorse]

I'd call UMCP top 20...not top 15

EDIT: in actuality they're historically pretty close...but in the last 5-10 years or so we've hired a number of big hitters...especially in cosmo and HE theory

[Jon Miller]

We have also, including a Nobel prize winner (n AMO).

Many rankings put UMCP a bit higher.

JM

[KrazyHorse]

We have a Nobelist too.

And the only one I've seen that puts UMCP higher is the US News & World Report, which hasn't been updated for real since the late 90s

[KrazyHorse]

In astro we're probably top 5, btw
HE theory probably 10-15 or so

[KrazyHorse]

Dick measuring

[Jon Miller]

I think in AMO we are top 1 or 2. Besides being top 10 in nuclear theory/etc.

When it really comes down to, at the top level, is what your school is good at.

JM

[KrazyHorse]

I know, Jon. I was just messing with you a bit.

[KrazyHorse]

Anyway, AMO = not real physics...

[Jon Miller]

We have chaos and gravity too.

Did you do research in undergrad? I Am a bit surprised you didn't get into a top 10 school.

Except you changed fields as well, I think that the top 10 schools want you to know what you are doing and do it.

JM

[KrazyHorse]

I only applied to 3 schools, dude. And one of them was Harvard.

Maybe I could have gotten into #8 (say) instead of #14 (also, say), but I was also geographically limited to northeast...