Careers: Physics/about Phd

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Expert: - 7/5/2011


Question
My Gre score is 1030(q800+v230). Can any one help me in selecting univrsity for PHD program in physics in USA?
i have complete my M.Sc physics with 70% please help me........

Answer
Dear Manita:

Your quantitative score is very good but the verbal portion will limit your options for a Ph.D. program in the U.S.  Also you will need a TOEFL or IELTS score for most universities.

In addition, many U.S. physics program require the Physics GRE for admission to the Ph.D.

Specifically, I can only give you an idea of your chances at my institution.  It is likely that we would admit you only to a M.S. program with your current GRE scores and 70% marks.  Your composite GRE is just over the minimum for the university as a whole and the physics program expects at least and 1100 composite for a Ph.D. admission (and 1100 is still sort of low).  It is likely that you would not receive any financial aid for the M.S. but doing well in a M.S. program in the U.S. would do two things for your Ph.D. chances:

1. It would give you a chance to prove yourself in the core curriculum of any Ph.D. program (since the M.S. and Ph.D. cores are the same).

2. It would give you a total immersion experience in the U.S. which should improve your English language skills sufficiently  to better your GRE scores.

This kind of track would probably give you the best chances to enter a Ph.D. program in the U.S.

Good Luck!

Carlo

Careers: Physics

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Carlo Segre

Expertise

I can answer most questions about studying physics in college and graduate school; questions about condensed matter physics; x-ray physics; synchrotron radiation; and general and modern physics. I can also answer questions about careers in academia.

Experience

Professor of physics for 27 years at Illinois Institute of Technology. Academic adviser for undergraduates and graduate students. I have served on university promotion and tenure committees, search committees for Deans and Department Chairs. I have also been an Associate Department Chair and an Associate Dean. I have 30 years experience in materials science research and I have been responsible for building and now managing a User facility at the Advanced Photon Source.

Organizations
American Physical Society
Sigma Xi
American Chemical Society
American Associate for the Advancement of Science
International Centre for Diffraction Data (Fellow)
International X-ray Absorption Society


Publications
Nature; Physical Review Letters; Physical Review; Applied Physics Letters; Journal of Physical Chemistry; Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials; Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics; Solid State Communications; Physics Letters; Journal of Low Temperature Physics; Journal of Crystal Growth and Design; Physics Letters; Journal of Applied Physics; Journal of Archaeological Science; Physica C; Corrosion Science; Electrochimica Acta; Journal of Nuclear Materials

Education/Credentials
Ph.D. Physics, 1981 - University of California, San Diego
M.S. Physics, 1977 - University of California, San Diego
B.S. Physics, 1976 - University of illinois, Champaign-Urbana
B.S. Chemistry 1976 - University of illinois, Champaign-Urbana

Awards and Honors
Fellow, International Center for Diffraction Data

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