usc physics phd acceptance rate

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• Science Education and Careers

Getting into physics grad school

• Thread starter Vanadium 50
• Start date Jan 12, 2009
• Tags Grad Grad school Physics School
• Jan 12, 2009

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Vanadium 50 said: The ratio X/Y is known as the yield ratio, and departments keep historical records of this, so they know pretty much how many people to admit. They get Z applications, and typically Z >> Y: perhaps 10 or 20 times larger, although of course it varies.

j93 said: I hate to nitpick but no school has a 5% acceptance rate Harvard 12% Berkeley 16% from GradSchoolShopper

Dr Transport said: The best resource is the American Institute of Physics, they publish a catalog of grad schools, the faculty listing etc...right down to applications received, accepted, number of degrees granted over the past X years... If memory serves me correctly, and I could be wrong, but I remember seeing that Rochester accepted single digit percentages (they basically say, if we accept you you will get a PhD) and I'd rank them with Berkely, Stanford, Cornell and some of the other big name schools.

j93 said: gradschoolshopper is a site that just links to that aip data. Any data that I have seen that claims a single digit rate is suspect. For example, USC claims they accept 13 out 190 but have 78 grad students. Rochester seems to claim they accept 20 out of 400 but have 114 grad students. They are either flat out lying (cooking the books or they honestly believe accepted students means students who accepted their offers) or have a 100% yield which neither Stanford, MIT , nor Harvard do. Dont take numbers at face value.

Also, as someone going through the application process this year, thanks for writing this up Vanadium50!  

• Jan 13, 2009

Part 2: Grades: A physics department invests a lot of effort into educating graduate students. They don't want to admit students that will not complete their degrees, and like it or not, grades are a very strong predictor of how well that person will do. I don't know what the average GPA is of an admitted student, integrated over all universities, but I would imagine it's around 3.7: the typical student got mostly A's and some B's as an undergraduate. The less competitive one's undergraduate institution is, the higher the expectation of good grades. Below 3.5, a student starts to become uncompetitive very quickly. Below a 3.0 many universities simply will not admit you. People ask how severe this 3.0 limit is. This varies by school, but it's often taken very seriously. At one university, near the bottom of the rankings of departments, the dean of the college forbids accepting students for graduate admissions with less than a 3.0. Exceptions are granted only by the provost (the senior academic officer of the university). Part of this is because grades once in graduate school are taken seriously: a C is considered failing. When I was a graduate student, if you had any two quarters with either a quarter or cumulative average below 3.0, you were shown the door. The department had no choice in the matter - this was the policy of the college. So they were strongly disinclined to admit students with a history of low grades. History is an important word here. Committees look at trends and patterns. A history of high grades, backed with strong test scores is the sort of pattern they like. An upward trend in grades is a trend they like. Strong physics grades is a trend they like. Downward trends in grades, they don't like so much. A GPA that offsets low physics grades with higher grades in easy courses is a trend they don't like so much. They look beyond the single number - so all 3.7's are not created equal.  

Part 3: Standardized Tests The graduate equivalent of the ACT or SAT is the Graduate Record Examination or GRE. This comes in two parts, a general test covering verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and critical thinking and analytical writing skills, and a subject test covering what is taught in the typical undergraduate physics curriculum. The general test is largely irrelevant. Sometimes the college has minimum requirements for the general score, but physics graduates tend not to have any problem with them. Other than that, I have never seen this score make a difference: a student who got in because of a high general GRE or one who was rejected because of a low general GRE. The key part is the subject test. This is the only way that the committee has to compare across schools: how does a student with a 3.5 at University X compare to one with a 3.6 at University Y? While this test is pretty much universally acknowledged not to be perfect, because it is standardized, it is taken very seriously by committees. Since only about half of the people who take the GRE go on to graduate school, one needs to score roughly in the top half to be competitive anywhere, and substantially above that if one wants to be competitive at a more selective university. The other test that's important is the TOEFL, for international applicants. Most departments have had the experience of admitting a bright student from some far-away land, with a great application except for low TOEFL scores. They admitted this student, saying, "look how bright he is - surely he'll pick up English in no time". For whatever reason, this didn't happen, and they ended up with someone with English skills so poor that they couldn't use him as a TA, and whose presentations were very difficult to follow, making his path to a PhD quite rough. Most departments have learned from this experience and are taking increasingly close looks at TOEFL scores. International students should be aware of this.  

Part 4: Letters of Recommendation These are very important. Grades and GREs are just a pile of numbers (correlated ones at that) and don't give as an accurate a view of the candidate as letters do. In many cases, letters are the deciding factor on whether to admit someone or not. To set the scale, about 1 in 4 students ends up going to graduate school. The average college graduates 10 physics majors per year, so about 2 people per class go. Each student will likely (and naturally) pick the professors whose opinion of him is best to write letter, so it's entirely possible that both students' letters say something like "The best student this year". Now of course this oversimplified analysis fails at a place like MIT, which graduated 85 physics majors last year, but the point is that a letter that seems quite strong at first look is merely average among admitted students. The very best letters I have seen describe a student in some depth, including strengths and weaknesses. Including negatives actually helps the student (provided they are not too negative of course), because it shows that the writer isn't just writing fluff - she put time, effort and thought into the process, and it really can help the committee assess whether or not the student is a good match for the program. The more specific, the better. "Got an A in my class" but not much else isn't very helpful - we have the transcripts. "Good in labs but sometimes makes careless mathematical errors" is better. "Works well with ultrahigh vacuum equipment, and in fact has better vacuum hygiene than most postdocs, but still struggles with sign errors when doing lengthy matrix manipulation" is better still. So, who should write your letters? The professors who know you the best. Those are not necessarily the biggest names at your university, or even necessarily the ones who gave you the highest grade. A detailed letter than is mostly, but not universally positive will do your application far more good than one that is completely positive but vague. This is one of the areas where research is important. If you've done undergraduate research, you've worked closely with a professor, who can presumably write a letter with some meat on it. I would even argue that much of the benefit of undergraduate research on graduate admissions stems from the project generating a professor who can write such a letter. If you have not done any undergraduate research, I would strongly recommend having one letter from the professor teaching a laboratory course. Chances are she has interacted with you one-on-one, which is a plus and the admissions committee will also want to know how you did in the closest thing to research in your degree program. If you have done something outside your own school, such as an REU, that is also a good source for letters: apart from the reasons above, now the committee knows what people at two schools think of you. It may make sense to have a professor in another department write you a letter, particularly if she knows you and your work well. Don't go overboard, though - if a physics major intending to get a PhD in physics sends in three letters from historians, the committee will wonder. Two physicists and a chemist though would not be a problem, and may be advantageous.  

Part 5: Other Factors Having experience with research at the undergraduate level is a good thing. There are people who claim that it is required to get into graduate school. I disagree. Beneficial, yes. Required, no. One major benefit was mentioned earlier - it gives a professor an opportunity to work with you and write a letter with some substance to it. But what if you went to a small liberal arts college where research opportunities are limited? I wouldn't worry about it - most colleges that offer degrees in physics fall into that category, so you are hardly in an unusual situation. Many students are admitted with this sort of background, and they usually do quite well. If however, you have an opportunity as an undergraduate to participate in research, you should certainly take it - there are personal benefits to this, and frankly, research isn't for everyone. If you find it's not for you, better to learn that as an undergraduate rather than after beginning a multi-year research degree. Also, it looks quite strange if one graduates from a research university, particularly one with a commitment to undergraduate involvement, with no research experience and then applies for a multi-year research program. Often a candidate is asked to write a personal statement. This is not a contest to see who can write the saddest story or who was interested in physics the earliest. The committee doesn't care what books or television shows first got you interested in physics. They do, however, want to know why you want to invest half a dozen years of your life into this. They want to know what you want to study: experimental? theoretical? AMO? Nuclear? If your background is missing something typical of entering students (e.g. you were not a physics major as an undergrad), they want to know how you intend to make up that shortfall. It's not expected that you have decided on your thesis topic at this point. But it is expected that you are aware of the different branches and have thought about where you might want to do your research. They are looking for something like "theoretical nuclear physics" and not "a better calculation of the half-life of Ni-56". If you are attracted by more than one area, say that. But if all branches of physics interest you equally, you might want to think a little harder. Finally, for heaven's sake run this through a spell checker and look at the grammar. This is an opportunity to look very bad in front of the committee, and sadly, many students avail themselves of this opportunity.  

Vanadium 50 said: Part 2: Grades: I don't know what the average GPA is of an admitted student, integrated over all universities, but I would imagine it's around 3.7: the typical student got mostly A's and some B's as an undergraduate. The less competitive one's undergraduate institution is, the higher the expectation of good grades. Below 3.5, a student starts to become uncompetitive very quickly. Below a 3.0 many universities simply will not admit you.

I was thinking mostly in terms of a 4.0 (which is the most common among undergraduate institutions).  

L62 said: It could be that in the case of for example, USC - saying they accept 13 out of 190 but have 78 grad students - it's because the other 65 grad students were those who had been admitted in previous years who are still there working on their degrees. so the 13 out of 190 refers to new or incoming students whereas the 78 refers to total number of students (incoming as well as existing)

I think it's a matter of being inaccurate rather than dishonest. I think the AIP sends out a form every year to the departments and the department secretaries have to fill it out. At least that was the case at my former school, which never took the form too seriously (but then again the department was totally backwards). I don't think anyone sits there and calculates the exact average of test scores and GPAs... Who has time for that?  

For Avg GPAs and GRE I would agree with you. I think if I was a secretary or anyone in the position to fill out the form and I received a form that asked about acceptances for my college I would assume they meant offers given by my university just like if they asked how many rejections I would think of the group that does not get an offer. I thinks it takes a deliberate effort to go against this interpretation especially since the AIP also asked for the amount of first year grad students.  

• Jan 14, 2009

I don't think that the exact number of rejected applications (which of course varies from school to school and year to year) is really that important. One very good reason is that there's not much an applicant can do about the other applications anyway, so it's best to focus on the one application they have some control over - their own. Another is that if the school accepts, say 20 students, it only matters if you're in that 20 or not. If not, it doesn't matter if you're in that batch with 5 other people or 500. What matters is that even at a school ranked towards the bottom of PhD granting institutions (and these are often still quite good schools - the vast majority do not offer the PhD degree at all) there are many more applicants than places for them. Things are competitive everywhere, and like I said, not everyone who wants to go to graduate school gets to go.  

Just mentioned rejected applications because when you say rejected applications you mean applications that were not offered admission I am assuming and I believe that implies that when you say accepted you mean applications that were offered admission. USC and Rutgers apparently disagree with those definitions from the data they submitted to AIP and I can't believe they honestly do. The whole debate was to point out that physics PhD programs do not have single digit acceptance rate. The acceptance rate bottoms out at approximately 12% and can hover as high as 30% and slightly higher for domestic students. I was looking at UCLA data for domestics which is among top 50 programs. The rate for some lower ranked schools could possibly have acceptance rate in the high 30's/low 40's assuming they are at least slightly less selective than UCLA. That's a range from 1 in 8 to 1 in 3. This is according to AIP data that makes sense because it doesn't display a 100% yield and other university data. I just thought it was an exaggeration to imply a 5% acceptance rate.  

• Jan 15, 2009

j93 said: Just mentioned rejected applications because when you say rejected applications you mean applications that were not offered admission I am assuming and I believe that implies that when you say accepted you mean applications that were offered admission. USC and Rutgers apparently disagree with those definitions from the data they submitted to AIP and I can't believe they honestly do. The whole debate was to point out that physics PhD programs do not have single digit acceptance rate. The acceptance rate bottoms out at approximately 12% and can hover as high as 30% and slightly higher for domestic students. I was looking at UCLA data for domestics which is among top 50 programs. The rate for some lower ranked schools could possibly have acceptance rate in the high 30's/low 40's assuming they are at least slightly less selective than UCLA. That's a range from 1 in 8 to 1 in 3. This is according to AIP data that makes sense because it doesn't display a 100% yield and other university data. I just thought it was an exaggeration to imply a 5% acceptance rate.

JUICYWART said: While some top schools (I'm speaking as a Statistics PhD applicant) have slightly higher acceptance rates (such as Duke), generally, most students that apply to these schools are the best in the country [edit - best in the world] (think top 10%). So it doesn't really matter what the acceptance rate is . It's not a good indicator of how difficult it is to get into a graduate school. If you're an average applicant, your chance of getting into a top program will be MUCH less than 5%.

• Jan 16, 2009

Thanks for taking the time to put this together Vanadium 50.  

• Jan 18, 2009

A PF Molecule

I think this should be stickied, given the glut of "can I get in without a 3.0?" threads lately.  

• Jan 5, 2011

Thank you Vanadium 50, this thread is very helpful for applicants.  

• Jan 6, 2011

How do you convert a percentage mark ie. 70% from a Canadian physics program into an American GPA? Is this 3.7 mark on a 4.0 or 4.33 scale? On the other hand, where did you get your 3.7 gpa value from? It seems ridiculously high. :) The class averages of my physics and math classes at my university are usually around 72%.Thanks for your helpful post Vanadium50.  

If one's average was 70%, and the class average was 72%, I'd assume that person's GPA wouldn't be above 3.0, let alone 3.7.  

I know this is a year old but I have a question: Do grad schools tell their applicants if a TA or RA job is available to them after being accepted? I'm also doubful on the below scenarios. Situation 1: There was also a mention about some classes having more weight then others. What if an applicant had a 3.3 GPA but his college required him to take many humanities and social science courses which he did poorly in, but this student has aced every physics and math class he took. Would this make it very unlikely he would be accepted or does he have the grades that could make him a competitive applicant? Ceteris paribus. Situation 2: How about an applicant with this upward trend of gpa's in his 4 years of undergrad: 2.6, 3.3, 3.7, 4.0. This gpa has an average of 3.4; would it be considered bad or good by a committee? It seems that Vanadium has experience with acceptance committees so I would like people with similar experience to give an insight instead of speculation.  

A PF SuperCluster

Fizex said: I know this is a year old but I have a question: Do grad schools tell their applicants if a TA or RA job is available to them after being accepted?

My experience is the same as JT Bell's. As far as the other questions, the answer is, I am afraid, whatever the committee thinks of it. One school might look at low scores outside of physics and think "well, only his physics grades matter" and another might think "doesn't work so hard on things he's not interested in." That's why people get in in some places and don't in others.  

A PF Asteroid

Volorado, Most schools will have their own conversion schemes which should be printed in their calanders. For a very general approximation: A+ = 4.0 = 90 - 100% (= 4.3) A = 4.0 = 85 - 89% A- = 3.7 = 80 - 84% B+ = 3.3 = 77 - 79% B = 3.0 = 73 - 76% B- = 2.7 = 69 - 72% etc. In Canada, schools that have honour rolls will generally establish the cutoff around the 80%, A-, 3.7 line and the majority of students who get into graduate school are at or above this line. Fizex, Actually, most schools should be able to explain financial support before you even apply. It should be on their web pages. In some cases though, they won't make any guarantees until you receive a letter of offer. For both of your scenarios, remember that graduate school admissions work on a competative basis. Once you make the minimum requirements, you are lumped into a pool of candidates for a set number of positions. Candidates in the pool are ranked and if there are N positions, the top N candidates are offered admission. So, in light of that, in scenario 1, this candidate would likely come out ahead of another candidate with the same average who didn't do as well in the upper year physics classes. Similarly, in scenario 2, this candidate would likely be ranked higher than one with the same average with consistent numbers or worse, a trend that went the other way.  

I think that the odds of getting into grad school if you are a serious student is a bit larger than those numbers indicate. The GRE is an international test so there are pretty substantial numbers of people taking it that will not end up in a US grad school. There may be a lot of self-selection here, but every US citizen that I know that wanted to go to physics grad school with a decent application has gotten in somewhere, and I don't know anyone that has made a "serious application" that wasn't able to get in somewhere eventually.  

twofish-quant said: I think that the odds of getting into grad school if you are a serious student is a bit larger than those numbers indicate. The GRE is an international test so there are pretty substantial numbers of people taking it that will not end up in a US grad school. There may be a lot of self-selection here, but every US citizen that I know that wanted to go to physics grad school with a decent application has gotten in somewhere, and I don't know anyone that has made a "serious application" that wasn't able to get in somewhere eventually.

• Jan 7, 2011

Choppy said: Volorado, Most schools will have their own conversion schemes which should be printed in their calanders. For a very general approximation: A+ = 4.0 = 90 - 100% (= 4.3) A = 4.0 = 85 - 89% A- = 3.7 = 80 - 84% B+ = 3.3 = 77 - 79% B = 3.0 = 73 - 76% B- = 2.7 = 69 - 72%

Hi Camaron, Here's a conversion chart from McMaster's website. As you can see, it's pretty school-dependent. Also, there's a difference between percentage obtained on exams and final grades. The 3.7 = A- = 80-84% line seems pretty standard from my experience. It's also worth pointing out that this is for undergrad. My experience is that graduate grades, although following a similar scale, will have a significantly higher cutoff for what constitutes a pass. http://careers.mcmaster.ca/students/education-planning/virtual-resources/gpa-conversion-chart  

Caramon said: In Alberta from my experience it generally goes like this: A+ = 4.0 = 97% + A = 3.9 = 93%-96% A- = 3.7 = 90%-92% B+ = 3.3 = 85%-89% B = 3.0 = 80% - 84% B- = 2.7 = 75%-79% C+ = 2.3 = 70%-74% C = 2.0 = Below 70% There is no "set" percentage, it's based on z-scores and a bell-curve normally. Not sure how the hell someone would be worth any of A with a grade in the "80-84" range...

Jokerhelper said: Is it? I thought only US grad schools wanted those.

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Its intent is to provide prospective students and their parents with a statistic of comparable effectiveness that can be used in determining college choice. USC’s current graduation rate is based on full-time, first-time, degree-seeking undergraduates who entered the university in the fall semester and graduated within six years of attendance (150% of the normal completion time). Graduation rates do not include students who left school to serve in the armed forces or on official church missions or with a foreign aid service of the federal government, or students who died or were totally and permanently disabled. Common Data Set The Common Data Set (CDS) comprises standard data items and definitions established by data providers in higher education and publishing to improve the quality, comparability and accuracy of institutional information. View USC’s Common Data Set. IPEDS is the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. It is a system of interrelated surveys conducted annually by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics. IPEDS gathers information from every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in the federal student financial aid programs. View USC’s IPEDS Data. College Navigator The College Navigator is a free consumer information tool designed to assist students, parents, high school counselors, and others get information about over 7,000 colleges and universities across the United States and other areas. View USC’s College Navigator Profile. Undergraduate Tuition  $69,904 ( 2024-25 undergraduate estimate of costs ) Financial Aid Awarded USC is committed to honoring the academic potential of all students, regardless of background or financial means.  Over $773.4 million was awarded in the fiscal year 2021-2022 (all sources) . The university is need-blind in making its admission decisions and works with families toward meeting a student’s financial needs if they meet all eligibility requirements. $464.3 million Financial aid from all university sources $814 million Total financial aid disbursed in 2022-23 $773.4 million Amount of financial aid disbursed from all sources for 2021-22 (including work-study and loans) Community Partnerships The University of Southern California has been a proud and active member of its community since 1880. USC believes its strength as a great university depends on its ability to be a good neighbor. USC is dedicated to supporting healthy, vibrant and engaged communities around its University Park and Health Sciences campuses. $35 million USC invests $35 million annually to support community initiatives, serving 40,000 community members. Total number of USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative partners across both USC campuses Total number of schools in the USC Family of Schools system Sponsored Research The University of Southern California attracted $955.6 million in sponsored research (2020-21 fiscal year) to fund studies in biotech, public health, biomedical engineering, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease, among others. Endowment (as of June 30, 2022) $7.3 billion University Budget (2023-24 fiscal year) $7.4 billion University Annual Financial Reports 2023 Annual Financial Statements 2022 Annual Financial Statements 2021 Annual Financial Report 2020 Annual Financial Report 2019 Annual Financial Report Dean of the Graduate School PhD Program Characteristics Graduate Events Graduate Degrees awarded at USC Childcare Subsidy for UAW-Rrepresented Graduate Student Workers Fellowships Guidelines and Forms Short-Term Hardship Grant for UAW-Represented Gradiate Student Workers Student Resources Required Documents Submission Deadlines Guidelines to Submission Manuscript Formatting Guidelines Fellowships for PhD Students Scholarships for Masters Students Academic Support, Professional Development and Diversity Inclusion Programs The USC Graduate School is committed to providing detailed information on the inputs, outcomes, and overall characteristics of its PhD programs, for the purposes of full transparency and to support informed decision-making. View workbook in new window What are you looking for? Physics and computer science. This interdisciplinary program is intended for students with dual interests in physics and computer science who wish to complete the essential courses for both majors within their normal four-year career. The program will prepare students for a career in a computer related field and/or science research. Degree listings below reflect current requirements. Since actual graduation requirements depend on the specific year which a student enters USC, students should always consult with their advisor to determine course selection. This is a sample program only. Your actual program should be developed in consultation with your advisor. Math 125 4 MATH 226 4 MATH 445 4 PHYS 408a 4 WRIT 150 4 PHYS 152L/162L 4 PHYS 304 4 PHYS 438b 4 PHYS 190 1 CSCI 170 4 CSCI 201L 4 CSCI 350 4 GE Requirement 4 Foreign Language 4 Foreign Language 4 WRIT 340 4 Math 126 4 MATH 245 4 MATH 225 4 PHYS 408b 4 CSCI 103L 3 CSCI 104L 4 PHYS 438a 4 PHYS 495 2 PHYS 151L/161L 4 Foreign Language 4 EE 352L 4 CSCI 270 4 GE Requirement 4 GE Requirement 4 GE Requirement 4 GE Requirement 4 Elective 4 About the USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy Leadership and Faculty Student Mentoring Program 2U, Our Program Partner Physical Therapy Services USC Division Virtual Tour Application Requirements Tuition and Financial Aid Information Sessions Academic Experience Course Schedule Clinical Education Program Service Learning Experience Residential Pathway FAQs Hybrid Pathway FAQ Apply External link: open_in_new USC DPT Programs | Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy / DPT Program: Hybrid Pathway / Admissions Overview / Application Requirements Applicants to the three-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents who currently and will continue to reside in the U.S. for the entirety of the program. They must also satisfy all requirements for USC Graduate School admission, which include: Bachelor’s Degree Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university by the date of projected enrollment, which is in May of each year. Minimum Cumulative and Science GPAs of 3.0 The admissions committee requires that you have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a minimum science GPA of 3.0. Higher GPAs tend to be more competitive within the applicant pool. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores GRE scores are not required. Work Experience A minimum of 150 hours of clinical experience in a physical therapy setting is recommended, but not required. The Admissions Committee feels that applicants who have engaged in diverse clinical experiences tend to make a more informed decision when considering physical therapy as a professional career. We also recognize that some of these experiences present themselves in the context of having supported others who have received physical therapy services as patients. Through responses to the essay prompts and resume, applicants are encouraged to share these experiences with the Admissions Committee. If deciding to gain direct physical therapy exposure in a clinical setting, the Admissions Committee makes no distinction between volunteer or paid physical therapy aide experiences. Prerequisite Courses Grades of “C” or better are required in all prerequisite courses, outlined below. Prerequisite courses taken on a “pass/no pass” basis will not be recognized, and AP credits will not be accepted in lieu of college-level courses. All courses must be for science or pre-health majors. “Survey-style” courses will not be accepted in fulfillment of prerequisites. Biological Sciences : A general biology series (Biology I and Biology II) with labs (8 semester hours). Chemistry : A general chemistry series (Chemistry I and Chemistry II) with labs (8 semester hours). A biochemistry series (Biochemistry I and Biochemistry II) with labs (8 semester hours) will also satisfy the requirement. Physics : A general physics series (Physics I and Physics II) with labs (8 semester hours). Anatomy 1 :  A human anatomy course with lab (4 semester hours). Physiology 1 : A human physiology course with lab (4 semester hours). 1 A combined two-course sequence in anatomy and physiology with lab (8 semester hours) will also satisfy this requirement. Psychology : Two courses in psychology (totaling 6 semester hours). These courses may include general psychology, abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, psychology of disability, etc. Statistics and Mathematics : One college-level statistics course is required (3 semester hours). Courses taken within the biology, mathematics and psychology departments are accepted. An additional college-level geometry or trigonometry course is recommended (but not required). To apply to the DPT Program – hybrid pathway, you must submit the following items: Online Application You must complete the online application and pay a nonrefundable application fee of $90.  Access the online application here. Transcripts Sealed, official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you have attended, including any community college coursework, must be sent to: University of Southern California Application Processing Center DPT@USC PO Box 30096 024-001 College Station, TX 77842 Please note: To be considered an official transcript, the transcript must be sent directly from your institution(s) or through an electronic transcript vendor retained by that institution. Transcripts submitted by enrolled or prospective students are considered unofficial documents, even if they are in a sealed envelope provided to you by the issuing university. Many schools issue transcripts electronically, either through their own web services or through vendors. If this option is available through the institutions you attend(ed), please specify that your transcript(s) be sent to  [email protected] , as this will expedite the delivery of your transcript(s) and the completion of your application. We recommend using a sense of urgency when requesting transcripts from your university, as the turnaround time can vary from school to school. Please upload an essay containing responses to ALL of the following prompts: Every applicant is unique in their own way, possessing individual qualities, abilities, and backgrounds. What unique traits will you bring to the physical therapy profession that will help you to be successful?  Physical therapy is an inherently service oriented profession. Describe in detail how an experience in service or leadership has impacted your perspective on the world.  Please describe why you feel the hybrid online/on-campus model of DPT education at USC would provide a successful environment for you to complete the rigorous Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Include any personal experiences, learning styles, or individual preferences that will support your success in the program completed through the hybrid pathway. Keep in mind that this prompt is updated periodically and may have changed by the time you submit your application. Letters of Recommendation Three letters of recommendation are required. You should request recommendations from individuals who can speak to your professional or academic readiness to attend a rigorous graduate program. These recommenders must be: A physical therapist (PT) who has directly supervised you A professor or academic reference who has taught you in at least one class A person of your choice who is either another PT supervisor, academic reference, or can otherwise speak to your academic, personal, or professional qualities Application Deadlines Priority Submit Deadline 1 Final Submit Deadline To learn more about the hybrid pathway, request information and an admissions counselor will contact you. Request Information What are you looking for? Tools & Resources Cost and Financial Aid Investing in your usc education. When you decide to pursue graduate studies, you are making a major investment in your personal and professional future. USC offers students an interdisciplinary and globally oriented graduate education of the highest caliber. Once you graduate, you will gain the networking advantages of membership in the Trojan Family. It is therefore important to assess the benefits you will receive throughout your career as a return on your investment. The cost of earning a graduate degree from USC, as well as funding opportunities, vary by school and degree program. We encourage you to thoroughly research your program of interest and plan your finances accordingly. Most graduate-level funding will be provided in the form of loans. Please visit the Financial Aid website for estimated program costs and for more details about the types of funding you may qualify for. Assistantships, Fellowships and Scholarships Phd students. The Graduate School works with doctoral programs at USC to support a vast majority of our PhD students with fellowships, teaching assistantships and research assistantships, or some combination of these funding sources. Master’s Degree Students USC also offers a variety of merit scholarships for students seeking to earn master’s degrees. However, award amounts and distribution vary by program and are subject to the availability of funds. Please contact your intended school directly to learn more or check with the Graduate School for additional scholarship oppo rtunities . Loans, Work-Study and Student Employment U.s. students (citizens and permanent residents). The USC Financial Aid Office administers a variety of federal financial aid programs for graduate students, including the Federal Direct Loan and Graduate PLUS Loan programs and the Federal Work-Study program. International Students Though international students (non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents) are not eligible for federal need-based aid programs, they may receive scholarships, assistantships and fellowships and can seek other on-campus employment opportunities or apply for private loans with a qualified endorser (co-signer). External Fellowships Graduate students are encouraged to apply for external funding—funds from sources not affiliated with USC. Sponsors range from government agencies and corporations to private institutions. Funds may be limited to a single year of enrollment or may be renewable for multiple years and may be paid to the student or directly to the university. It is important for recipients to thoroughly understand the terms and conditions of such fellowships when planning for graduate studies. For more information about external fellowships, please refer to the USC Awards and Fellowships database. ROTC and Veterans Benefits ROTC and U.S. military veterans should contact the Veterans Certification Office and the Financial Aid Office to determine how their G.I. benefits will be coordinated with their financial aid. USC Payment Plan The office of Student Financial Services also offers graduate students the option to pay their university expenses in five monthly installments, interest free, over each semester. For more information, please visit the Student Financial Services website. Master’s Programs Programs for Non-Engineering Majors Application Information & Steps Tuition & Funding Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Academic Disciplines Faculty/ Research Topic Search Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.) Executive Education All Degree Options Funding and Support The DEN@Viterbi Experience Getting Started Online DEN@Viterbi Offerings Rankings and Awards Next Steps for Newly Admitted Master’s Students Next Steps for Newly Admitted Doctoral Students Alternatives to Visiting Campus Become a Partner Certificate Options U.S. Active Duty Military & Veterans The Boeing Company General Motors – Technical Education Program Kuwait Oil Company Raytheon Technologies Saudi Aramco 411 IMAGES Usc Acceptance Rate 2024 2024-2024 USC Acceptance Rate and SAT/ACT Scores What is USC acceptance rate 2021? Usc Acceptance Rate 2024 2024 Acceptance Rate Usc 2024 Acceptance Rate USC Transfer Acceptance Rate By Major VIDEO Gravitation Part-02 Class 11 Physics Chapter-8 #cbse #physicsclass11th #neetphysics #jeephysics CUET 2024 Physics NEET-UG Paper leak Case Hearing Polytechnic VVIP Question Physics 12th Physics Chapter 1 Important Topics 12th Physics Public Exam Answer key 2024 COMMENTS Graduate Admissions FAQs Q: What is the admission rate into the Physics PhD program? A: It varies from year to year but historically we have admitted ~10-12% of applicants. In our most recent round of admissions (2023-2024), we admitted 10% of the 400+ students who applied into the Physics PhD program at USC. Q: I am interested in studying biophysics/physical biology. Graduate Admissions Graduate Admissions. The Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Southern California welcomes applicants to apply to our Physics PhD program or our Physical Biology PhD program. Applications to these programs: Have no application fee. Do not require subject or general GRE. Program: Physics (PhD) Course Requirements. The student is expected to have prepared for understanding all branches of physics. The required courses for the PhD are (1) the following seven core courses: PHYS 504 , PHYS 508a , PHYS 508b , PHYS 510 , PHYS 518 , PHYS 558a , and PHYS 558b ; (2) a minimum of four elective graduate courses in Physics and Astronomy (or with ... Graduate The USC Department of Physics & Astronomy is partnering with the Carnegie Observatories in offering graduate fellowships in astronomy. Successful candidates will be admitted to the PhD program at USC and perform research at Carnegie Observatories in Pasadena. They will receive a research assistantship (at the current annual rate) in addition to ... PhD Requirements PhD Requirements. The overall program involves intensive course work providing a broad background in advanced physics, practical training, and independent research. Our doctoral program affords exceptionally close collaboration between students and faculty. Degree requirements for the PhD Program are described in detail in the current USC ... Application for Graduate Admission Decisions on financial assistance and admission to the Graduate Physics Program are made by the Department Admissions Committee. The most important factors considered in the admissions process are: (1) performance in undergraduate course-work and research (if any) and performance in prior graduate work; (2) letters of recommendation; (3) scores on the Graduate Record Examination, with ... How to Apply Step 3: Pay your Application Fees. The application fee is $90 for all graduate programs, except those offered by the Marshall School of Business ($155) and the International Academy's Pre-Master's program ($175). We accept payments via Visa, MasterCard and Discover card. Department of Physics and Astronomy Department of Physics and Astronomy at University of Southern California provides on-going educational opportunities to those students seeking advanced degrees. ... Acceptance Rate. 118 Applied 24 ... [email protected] Phone: 213-740-0848 Fax: 213-740-8094 . Larger Map. Home; Grad Schools; Home USC Dornsife Department of Physics and Astronomy. Physics and Astronomy are both going through revolutionary times mirrored by the research programs in the department, which range from theory of High Energy Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, to Cosmology.Large Scale Computation is an important field with several state-of-the-art facilities available to students and faculty. Physics and Astronomy Ahmanson Center for Biological Research (ACB) 439. Main: (213) 740-0848; Undergraduate: (213) 740-1140; Graduate: (213) 740-8685. FAX: (213) 740-6653. Email: [email protected]. dornsife.usc.edu/physics. Chair: Stephan Haas, PhD. Faculty. Anna H. Bing Dean's Chair in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and Professor of Physics and ... Graduate Program at USC physics testimonials of former graduate students: Apply Online. - General Information. - Courses. - Financial Support. - GASP. - Degree Programs. - Doctor of Philosophy - Physics. - Master of Science - Physics. Getting into physics grad school The whole debate was to point out that physics PhD programs do not have single digit acceptance rate. The acceptance rate bottoms out at approximately 12% and can hover as high as 30% and slightly higher for domestic students. I was looking at UCLA data for domestics which is among top 50 programs. Graduate Program at USC physics Stephan Haas - Chair, Graduate Admission and Recruitment Betty Byers - Graduate Coordinator Address University of Southern California Seeley G. Mudd, Room 412 Los Angeles, CA 90089-0484 Phone: 213-740-8685 Fax: 213-740-8094 email: [email protected] ... USC Physics | Contact Us | University of Southern California in Part-time MBA. Unranked. in Best Education Schools. in Education Policy. in Educational Psychology. # 8. in Higher Education Administration. # 23. in Best Engineering Schools (tie) Program: Physics (PhD) The required courses for the PhD are (1) the following five core courses: PHYS 504 , PHYS 508a , PHYS 510 , PHYS 518 , and PHYS 558a ; (2) a minimum of three additional/elective courses, summing to at least 9 units. These additional/elective courses would be graduate-level or 400-level courses in Physics and Astronomy that are not core courses. Best Physics Programs in America University of California--Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara, CA. #9 in Physics (tie) Save. 4.5. Graduate schools for physics typically offer a range of specialty programs, from quantum physics to ... Facts and Stats USC received 80,808 applications for academic year 2023-2024. The total number of admitted students was 8,094, with 3,633 of the admitted students matriculating. The middle 50-percent average GPA (unweighted) was 3.79-4.00. Over 25% of the incoming class are first-generation college students. PhD Program Characteristics University of Southern California 3601 Trousdale Parkway, Student Union 301 Los Angeles, CA 90089-0894 Phone: (213) 740-9033 University of Southern California Department of Biological Sciences Contact Information. Hancock Auditorium and Museum 107F, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0371. (213) 740-5774. [email protected]. Website. Los Angeles, CA. Physics and Computer Science Physics and Computer Science. This interdisciplinary program is intended for students with dual interests in physics and computer science who wish to complete the essential courses for both majors within their normal four-year career. The program will prepare students for a career in a computer related field and/or science research. Application Requirements Phone Number: 323.442.2890 | Email Address: [email protected] Hybrid Pathway Contact Information: Phone Number: 855.751.0083 | Email Address: [email protected]. University of Southern California Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy 1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 155 Los Angeles, CA 90089-9006 USC Graduate Application Videos These instructions apply only to applicants to the master's and Ph.D. programs of the Viterbi School of Engineering. Submit an electronic copy of official transcripts (.pdf recommended) and other degree related documents through the online graduate application (International applicants, visit USC Graduate Admission's Country Requirements page ... Cost and Financial Aid The cost of earning a graduate degree from USC, as well as funding opportunities, vary by school and degree program. We encourage you to thoroughly research your program of interest and plan your finances accordingly. Most graduate-level funding will be provided in the form of loans. Please visit the Financial Aid website for estimated program ... CS Dept Facts & Figures CS Dept Facts & Figures - USC Viterbi | Prospective Students. Admission & Student Engagement. Prospective Graduate Students. Programs. Master's. Master's Programs. Programs for Non-Engineering Majors. Application Information & Steps. Tuition & Funding. assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis