“Examinations sir, are pure humbug, from beginning to end! If a man is a gentleman, he knows quite enough, and if he is not a gentleman, whatever he knows is bad for him.” --Lord Fermor, in “A Picture of Dorian Gray” By Oscar Wilde
The Physics Major’s Users’ Guide to the GRE
The Physics Major’s Users’ Guide to the GRE
GRADUATE RECORD EXAMINATION
The Physics Major’s Users’ Guide to the GRE
Grim Reaper Experience
Outline • What is the GRE? • Who, What, Where, When, Why & How Much?
• Scores and what they mean • Preparation • Strategies for the Physics Subject Test
GRE: General Test • Analytical Writing: – Present your perspective on an issue (45 min) • Present your perspective on one of the topics below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views “Both the development of technological tools and the uses to which humanity has put them have created modern civilizations where loneliness is ever increasing.”
GRE: General Test • Analytical Writing: – Analyze an argument (30 min) • Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument: “Forestville increased the speed limit for vehicles traveling on the region's highways by ten miles per hour. … If the citizens of Forestville want to reduce the number of automobile accidents on the region's highways, they should campaign to reduce Forestville's speed limit to what it was before the increase.
GRE: General Test • Verbal (30 questions, 30 minutes) • Quantitative (28 questions, 45 minutes) • A “pretest” and possibly a “research” section
GRE: Physics Subject Test • 100 multiple-choice questions, 170 minutes • Classical Mechanics: 20% – Newtonian Mechanics – Lagrangian and Hamiltonian Mechanics – Orbital and Harmonic Motion
GRE: Physics Subject Test • Electromagnetism: 18% – – – –
Electrostatics and Magnetotstatics Maxwell’s Equations AC/DC circuits Fields in matter
GRE: Physics Subject Test • Quantum Mechanics (12%) and Atomic Physics (10%) – – – –
The Schrodinger Equation Spin and Angular Momentum Bohr Model and Atomic Structure/Spectra Blackbody radiation
GRE: Physics Subject Test • Thermodynamics and Stat. Mech.: 10% – Undergraduate Thermodynamics – Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics Variables – Kinetic Theory and Ensembles
GRE: Physics Subject Test • • • •
Waves and Optics: 9% Special Relativity: 6% Laboratory Methods: 6% Other random physics stuff: 9%
Logistics • Who? – You and thousands of unfortunate souls across the country.
• Why me? – Graduate school admission, and fellowship applications
Logistics • When & Where? General Test:
Prometric Testing Center 6755 Mira Mesa Blvd, Sorrento Plaza, Suite 136 San Diego, California 92121
Logistics • When & Where? General Test:
San Diego State University 5500 Campanile Drive, Student Services Bldg. San Diego, California 92182
Logistics • When & Where? • Physics Subject Test: – UCSD, SDSU, USD Test Date
Registration Deadline
November 13, 2004
October 8, 2004
December 11, 2004
November 5, 2004
April 2, 2005
February 25, 2005
Logistics • How much (will it cost me)?
Item
Cost
General Test
$115
Physics Subject Test
$130
Additional Score Reports $15 each + $6 phone fee
Scoring Score
Percentile
Verbal
550 - 600
65 - 85
Quantitative
750 - 800
> 80
Physics
650 - 900
45 - 90
Scoring • Physics Subject Test Score
Percent correct
900
73
800
59
700
45
600
32
Preparation • Free downloadable software GRE POWERPREP • Summer class here at UCSD – – – –
12-15 hours planned for the summer 2 practice tests with feedback FREE! Contact David Norris if you are interested in the program,
[email protected]
