<p>Will this give me a shot at top 50 Ph D. programs? Non top 50? I have a good research position lined up this summer, will have 3 good LORs, and might even be an author on a physics journal article. Reading these boards it seems like everyone has a 4.1. Do I have a shot?</p>
<p>Top 20 definitely. I had a similar GPA and was accepted to Northwestern PhD (though I didn’t go there). Top 10 is a stretch though you never know what might happen if they weigh your recs and papers strongly; GPA is not everything and even the top programs have a few students with undergraduate grades that you wouldn’t expect.</p>
<p>I agree with gimp. I applied with only a 3.4 GPA in M.E. and physics, but had pretty good GRE scores, recs, research experience, etc. I got accepted (along with RA offers) into a top-10 and two top-20 materials science Ph.D programs. Don’t sell yourself short with non-top 50 programs, unless there’s a PI at one of those places you really want to work for…</p>
<p>Oh wow thanks guys. I feel a lot better now. Over on the engineering boards everybody is acting like anything less than a 3.5 gives you no shot for Ph D. programs.</p>