Physics PhD Application Tips | Research Advice, Picking Schools, & GRE

Today I’m going to be talking about applying for a Physics PhD Graduate school program, including the application process, GPA, how to get research experience when still in undergrad, and how to pick what school to attend for your Phd!
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NSF SURF: www.nist.gov/surf
Research Experience for Undergrads (REU): www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/
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0:00 Let's Chat Grad School
0:43 Physics PhD without Physics Undergrad?
1:47 Before Applying: Q&A
5:12 Picking the School
6:23 The Application
7:25 GRE and what if you Fail?
9:45 GPA
10:40 How to get Research experience
12:43 Recommendations
13:28 While you wait for results
13:59 Tips for deciding where to attend
14:42 Tips for graduate school
It’s possible to go into physics graduate school if you’re coming from an engineering background, or a non science background. It’s harder, of course, but you can do it either by applying to Applied Physics departments, or doing a Masters in Physics first. The Physics GRE is usually not required for Applied Physics departments, so that’s a good option. These departments are also more multidisciplinary so have a broader range of research than regular Physics departments.
Schools that are considered good for undergrad are not necessarily the same schools that are good for the PhD. PhD is more about the researchers, and Ivy Leagues don’t always have the strongest research programs in every field. For example, in my field, University of Maryland, University of Colorado, Boulder, and Yale were some of the top programs for neutral atoms and ion traps. These schools have Nobel Laureates and quantum computing entrepreneurs now!
Getting research experience is important not only for the PhD, but also figuring out if you want to attend graduate school. Start as early as you can. Reach out to professors in the department to find research opportunities. If that’s not possible, you can do summer research programs at other universities through NSF REU or SURF programs, or attend summer schools. Also try to go to conferences to get exposed to many different research topics, and get speaking experience!
While you wait, do NOT read forums. It’s not good for your mental health. Keep busy, keep your grades up. Make sure to actually graduate! And when you get accepted, visit the school, and visit labs. Ask the graduate students questions about their work, their life, and what career opportunities they have once they graduate.
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#phd #phdapplicationtips #gradschooladvice

[@shivanshusiyanwal296]

Just at the right moment! This is my final year of Master's Physics and now it's become necessary to fill out those application forms. I was just about to search and BAM! Got the notification.

[@ayansamal2440]

Hey Anastasia , that's a fantastic observation. Always waiting to get more insights into this field from you. Keep it up!!! A very exciting future is here for gen-z scientists.

[@astrosaur13]

As someone who has gone through an engineering graduate program (MS only) and looked into a PhD path, this advice and perspective is so spot on! Thank you for sharing this. I know this will help so many people if they listen.

[@rifatulislamhimel172]

Thanks for making this video. It's really helpful.

[@Roy.Abhishek]

You put amazing content! Keep it up 🙌🙌

[@atheoristspointofview7059]

Honestly the physics to rock climbing pipeline is a phenomenon which should be studied

[@yevonnaelandrew9553]

Thank you for the advice. I am planning to go for PhD and I obtain some valuable advice to prepare it from now.

[@ilyakhalizov308]

Молодчина! С 8 Марта тебя, Анастасия!

[@SALESENGLISH2020]

One of the few channels worth subscribing to. Hope your channel gets 1 million subscriptions from 1 million smart kids from all over the world. So much good info packed in a 15 Min video. Please finish your PhD someday if you haven't already. Best wishes.

[@SALESENGLISH2020]

@@Anastasia-Marchenkova You're right. Being happy is much more important than a Ph.D.

[@davedsilva]

So helpful! Fantastic that you mentioned the toxic environment issue (which is related to thinking you are special / smart getting your PhD when surrounded by PhDs, lol.) So many PhDs are ruined for employment by becoming toxic. Perhaps you can give tips in another video.

[@prasadnithianandam7614]

I'm a subscriber of this channel and its funny that you talk about PhD applications because I've been waiting for admission results for my PhD applications (in Materials Engineering rather than Physics tho). You're a lot more hardworking that I am when it came to the GRE! I could never will myself to study extensively for the GRE verbal section when the passages were literally about Victorian era furniture or what types of grass zebras liked to eat. I studied halfheartedly for 2 and half months before taking my exam and I got a 160 on the verbal and 162 on the quantitative. I'm happy I don't have to take another standardized test again in my life haha.

[@prasadnithianandam7614]

@@Anastasia-Marchenkova I took it last year in September so real recently! We did not have antonym/synonym type stuff. I think we all can agree that was pretty stupid so yeah I empathize with you. Anyways I see you got some serious turtleneck game going on, you got a different color turtleneck in every video. I'm on the turtleneck bandwagon so yeah 🙌🙌🙌

[@Vnius]

Underrated!

[@lystfiskerlars]

Note that a PhD in most of Europe takes 3 years (by contract) and pays you a living wage.

[@rishisankhla3124]

It was really inside full (so do watch it followers) and was in quite detailed, thanks 😊 Anastasia 📚. And if possible do make one video on entrepreneurship/startup opportunity in quantam computers field /research and all.

[@alihouadef5539]

Undergraduate research, that's what I missed. I cannot stress on this point enough. especially during Master's degree. If anyone is considering a PhD, research or any academic related work, you must "get involved", contact that professor you admire , tell him you want to do stuff !

[@TomCastle-jp8by]

That rock climbing part is so true....I've noticed that in lot of professors bio. I wonder if there's something sinister behind that? Very informative and hopeful video btw

[@atheoristspointofview7059]

I think it has something to do with needing to problem solve how to climb something appealing to people who tend to like problem solving a lot.

[@sandeepbh1941]

Amazing video 👍🙏❤️

[@sandeepbh1941]

@@Anastasia-Marchenkova very insightful and explained in detail 👍🙏❤️

[@yauhenipakhomau1536]

quality content

[@pepaxxxsvinka3379]

The wonderful video and the channel! Can you please advise me on the choice of the research topic (connected to quantum)?

[@maartendj2724]

I'm interested in PhD's mainly because of the subjects; it seems like all the interesting research subjects are reserved for universities

[@sunnygawande5283]

Amira Abbas ❤️

[@JonWood]

Interesting video, I definitely learned a lot! I like how you mentioned time management and there's the Deep Work book in the background (Cal's books are great!). This may be a dumb question, and I could be misunderstanding, but Ph.D students don't pay tuition and they get paid to go to classes and do research?

[@SyedShadabHussaini1996]

Notification squad!

[@amissionary2702]

Great vid! is it possible to do a part-time PhD alongside work?

[@fatmamahmoud1306]

I love your videos I have a bachelor's degree in physics and I'm considering whether or not to go to grad school

[@rajesha5803]

I'm a grade 12 student in India. I was thinking of becoming a cybersecurity but now I came to know that there a lot to be concerned in this field through your channel. Thank you!!!

[@rajesha5803]

@@Anastasia-Marchenkova Thank you!!! Let me reach you soon....

[@MohammedAbbasPLUS]

Thanks for you sharing your thoughts. Many lessen to be taken from your videos and apply into other fields too. I am wondering can I study a BA degree in physics online from credible and internationally ranked universities?

[@michaelhung4363]

Hi Anastasia! A quick personal question! What kind of music do you listen to when you're studying? (Lofi, classical, pop) Or are you more focus when its quiet? :)

[@sabkabro2322]

Me preparing hard for the soccer tournament Also me : I must know what is wrong with my phd application

[@cambridgebreaths3581]

Can you recommend any single introductory AUDIOBOOK that could help with quantum computing. Thank you Anastasia

[@Warrior.-]

Very beautiful 🌸

[@dennisarzubiaga2833]

Working on Electromagnetic Shielding

[@mobinmotaharifar]

Thanks for the great help Can you also introduce universities with applied physics department which work on quantum computing as well? Cause I'm an electronics engineering masters student I'm not sure if I will be accepted in physics departments

[@mohamedyoussef7209]

Hi Anistasia, I am student at communication and electronics engineering But I always want to learn about superconductors and supercomputers so after my graduation do i have the chance to study this major as i feel that i am so far off this field and what steps should i follow to get a scholership in this field and if there any collogue you can recommend it for me and finally what is the name of courses that should i be familier with Thanks

[@WilliamDye-willdye]

Wife: Why are you sending our little daughter to rock-climbing lessons? Me: I WANT HER TO HAVE A PHD IN THEORETICAL PHYSICS! (15:16)

[@gunaysoni6792]

My country doesn't really have any program in Quantum Computing yet, do you know of any internships open to international students for quantum computing?

[@MrAlRats]

It's been many years since I got my Bachelors in Physics. I have not had any job that utilised my degree and it might be too late for me to start some graduate program in a company. I would like to know how to get a taste of what it is like to be a research scientist but there's nobody who can recommend me to any research positions and I don't want to commit to a PhD without knowing that I would be able to enjoy it from time to time. What are my options to get a fresh start?

[@destroyer2973]

Virgin Islands school of hospitality, physics and law.

[@bikashbhagat8413]

I was rejected for phd physics this fall.

[@siddharthgolecha998]

Woah, you read my situation. I was thinking about the same things related to Higher studies. My situation is same as you😅😂. My college gives low scores but they are definitely on the rise💪. I am also looking forward to work in the field of QML, even writing a paper on it. Also I want to reach out to profs for research work. If email doesn't work, should I try LinkedIn?

[@thebeerwaisnetwork8024]

Just ask your professor really hard questions that apply the concepts covered in class, but in a more abstract way. And you obviously have to try to answer them first, so only give the questions you don't know how to answer to the professor. They have to be hard, but not too hard, so don't ask them to solve the grand reimann hypothesis.

[@dhimanroy1671]

Can you share your experiences on vocabulary in verbal section of general GRE? It's horrible!

[@dhimanroy1671]

@@Anastasia-Marchenkova Yes sometimes 1000 words from Magoosh doesn't help. In this case only "read anything and get the meaning of unknown words" is the way which can atleast develop the understanding on context of passage. Still very difficult when one even doesn't know the word!

[@Eagle_1997]

I am graduated from computer science and I want to study phd in physics ,can you tell me how to do that , please

[@priyanshusorout234]

I think whole process, tips will be applicable for chemistry too..

[@priyanshusorout234]

@@Anastasia-Marchenkova quick reply 👍👍

[@priyanshusorout234]

@@Anastasia-Marchenkova okay

[@priyanshusorout234]

@@Anastasia-Marchenkova are you still online?

[@patelfunnypowertech9366]

Sir, I am completing MSC physics in India. My hobby is in physics. My MSC will be completed in May 2022. Can I do PhD in Canada? Can you help us with what we want to do in Germany or what can we do?

[@nodoxplz]

Me: struggles to finish BS Also me: yes, I must know what's wrong with my PhD application

[@keshavmittal1077]

Mam my grade score is 3.5 on USA scale.do with this grade and doing project work help me getting seat in phd

[@nikolaykolev5125]

Ask your Father as well, not only you Mam.

[@andyl9900]

Physics phds are the most handsome

[@gquant]

Sko Buffs!

[@AsrifYusoff]

Great content and subscribed! Would love to hear your feedback on our grad school channel. Thank you.

[@cubedev4838]

How old are u?

[@thebeerwaisnetwork8024]

I fundamentally believe everyone is stupid especially myself.

[@antikertech157]

I rather spend eight years of my life learning and doing business until I, eventually during that time, have enough money to finance my own research in STEM including research facilities. Current materialistic science is hiding the true nature of the universe, which is classified. I have a Bsc in Mathematics and don't need to follow academia or a job in industry, this system is rotten.

[@sumedh2358]

Can you start your telegram channel It will be more interactive

[@huonghuongnuquy7272]

you are very beautiful

[@davedsilva]

So helpful! Fantastic that you mentioned the toxic environment issue (which is related to thinking you are special / smart getting your PhD when surrounded by PhDs, lol.) So many PhDs are ruined for employment by becoming toxic. Perhaps you can give tips in another video.