1. Overview of Physics Graduate Program Joe Kapusta Director of Graduate Studies REU 2012

2. What We Look for in Applications Undergraduate GPA Grades in core physics courses General GRE scores Physics subject GRE score Research experience Letters of recommendation Statement of interest

3. Foci of Your Life in Physics Courses Teaching Research Other

4. Graduate School Tips and Timeline Take courses (first 2-3 years) Teach discussion and lab sessions (first 2-3 years) Pass Graduate Written Exam (GWE) –Given in August and January –Should pass by August of 2 nd year Focus on research (3 rd year on) Form study groups with at least one native English speaker and one non-US citizen. Stay sane, have fun, connect with people

5. Courses to Consider in the First Year 4211* Introduction to Solid State Physics 4511* Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics 4611* Introduction to Space Physics 4621* Introduction to Plasma Physics 5081* Introduction to Biopolymer Physics 5001/2 Quantum Mechanics 5011/2 Classical Physics (mechanics, E&M) 5022 Relativity, Cosmology, and the Universe 5041 Mathematical Methods for Physics 5201 Thermal and Statistical Physics 5072 Best Practices in College Physics Teaching 5073 Introduction to Research Seminar * Survey Course

6. Financial Support Departmental Fellowship to try out research in summer 2012 Teaching Assistantship and/or Fellowship for academic year 2012-13 Departmental Fellowship to try out research in summer 2013 Guaranteed financial support for at least 5 years assuming good progress

7. Our Fields of Research Astrophysics and cosmology: theory and experiment Biophysics: theory and experiment Condensed matter physics: theory and experiment Elementary particle physics: theory and experiment Nuclear physics: theory Physics education Space physics: theory and experiment

8. New Physics and Nanotechnology Building The $83 million 4+1 story 155,000 sq. ft. building will house a 5,000 sq. ft. clean room and will have offices and labs for all experimental faculty and their groups. Completion date will be in Fall 2013.

9. Where to find information: www.physics.umn.edu Under “Physics Intranet” look at Advice from the DGS Physics Graduate Handbook

10. Graduation Statistics Median length of time to PhD = 5.7 years Time to graduate depends on external factors such as –scope of project –funding approval as well as on factors you have a control over such as –how hard you work –how organized you are

11. After graduation Nationwide initial employment of physics PhDs www.aip.org/statistics Academic57% Government17% Private sector23% Nonprofit1% Other2%

12. Look Where You Want to Be, Not Where You Are