How to navigate the Graduate School application/process?

astrotemp
Sun, 09 Jun 2019 13:23:25 +0000

I’d add that gradcafe is a pretty subpar resource when it comes to physics/astrophysics. Very few of us are active on that site, partly because very few of us are active, so there’d be no one to talk to. The stats reporting system there is also really limited and doesn’t give you a good picture of the applicant’s profile. We use physicsgre.com instead. It’s a good resource to find where different calibre applicants are getting accepted/waitlisted/rejected.

I will say that depending on what schools he’s aiming for, the GPA and a lack of formal research experience are worrying. The GRE and PGRE are being phased out of a lot of programs, and isn’t taken all that seriously for most others, so it’s not a place where he can “make up” for any great weaknesses. A high score is just a formality.