How far can hard work get you in physics?

[aldfig0]

<p>

I really want to study physics in college, and like everyone else, I would like a good chance at grad school. But I am scared that I am not good enough. While I do read very inspiring threads in other forums about hard work, how far can it really take you. At what point does intelligence become a factor?

Stephen Hsu looked at this, and although I haven’t read his work very carefully from what I’ve seen it appears that the “point” you’re referring to is when your SAT math score is below 600. I don’t know if this score cutoff is before or after studying (though you can look at the links to find an answer to this question (if there is one)).
[Information</a> Processing: Cognitive thresholds](<a href=“http://infoproc.blogspot.com/2010/03/cognitive-thresholds.html]Information”>Information Processing: Cognitive thresholds)
<a href=“http://arxiv.org/pdf/1011.0663.pdf[/url]”>http://arxiv.org/pdf/1011.0663.pdf&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://duende.uoregon.edu/~hsu/blogfiles/dmu.pdf[/url]”>http://duende.uoregon.edu/~hsu/blogfiles/dmu.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Also, pages 2-4 of the second link has some interesting information regarding what Hsu thinks are two possible interpretations of his results.</p>

<p>I would go ahead and try it, but also be realistic and if you’re having trouble in your upper level classes and do not have a decent GPA by that point be aware that getting into grad school for physics will be very hard (and even if you get in you still have to pass quals to get higher than a master’s degree).</p>