|
|
| |
Graduate Program- Application |
Useful Application Tips
I) You are strongly encouraged to contact the astrophysics group graduate recruitment coordinator,
Prof. Sean Brittain (sbritt@clemson.edu), and indicate your intent or desire to apply. While not a
formal requirement, doing so alerts us to your application, enables us to stay abreast of its status, and
facilitates any special "shepherding" needed for us to obtain your final application packet from the
Graduate School. First, however, consider tip II below.
II) The Department of Physics & Astronomy does not have strict, rigid admission criteria. In particular,
note that the GRE Physics subject score is NOT a required component of your application, though you
may have ETS provide us with this score if you wish. However, the admissions process is competitive
and your application is viewed by both astronomy and physics proper faculty, and evaluated within a pool
of astronomy/astrophysics and physics proper applications. All students in our integrated Department
are expected to demonstrate the same high quality academic credentials regardless of which research group
they are interested in joining. In our experience, astrophysics applications that do not demonstrate the
following features are less competitive and successful than those that do:
a) GRE verbal scores above 500
b) GRE minimum quantitative scores in the mid 600's to low 700's
c) GPA minimum in the 3.0-3.5 range
d) consistent A/B work in upper level undergraduate physics and mathematics
III) Applications from those with undergraduate research experience and/or astrophysics coursework
may be considerably strengthened; such features, however, may not be a sufficient replacement of criteria
in tip II above. While not required, we welcome the inclusion of brief personal statements in your application.
These might discuss a) undergraduate research experience, b) the source of your passion for astrophysics
and long-term career goals (if known), c) interests in specific areas of astrophysics or in working with
particular Clemson faculty members, d) any experience with educational or outreach activities, e) explanations
of any hiccups in your academic record, and f) brief expressions of interest and/or need for the supplemental
funding sources described in the information overview section. Rather than knowing you as simply
an application form or a file folder, we find it useful to learn all that we can about you during the admissions
process, and enjoy developing cordial personal relationships with our prospective students.
IV) Both prospective student applicants and Clemson faculty reviewers benefit from letters of reference that
speak to possible deficiencies, work ethic, professional career commitment, educational/outreach efforts, and
research experience as well as academic successes. Honest letters with this sort of information, and those
providing specific examples or stories illustrating their claims are usually more helpful than glowing half-page
statements. In sum, the admissions committee relies upon the valued feedback about you kindly provided by
our diligent colleagues from other institutions. Accordingly, we find it useful to receive the type of letter that
one of your professors/advisors would like to receive (and we would hope to provide) if he/she were reviewing
competitive graduate applications. A polite discrete and professional reminder can be effected by printing this
page, highlighting this paragraph, and slipping this in with the reference form that you give to your letter writer.
V) Clemson is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools and a signatory to this organization's April 15
decision deadline resolution. What you need to know regarding this policy is that students receiving an offer
of a graduate assistantship for the next academic year and accepting this offer prior to April 15 have complete freedom through April 15 to submit, in writing, a resignation of this appointment in order to accept one elsewhere.
An acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another appointment without
first obtaining a written release from the Graduate School. You should be aware that violations of this policy might
have serious implications for an appointment accepted elsewhere--especially if the other institution is a Council
of Graduate Schools member. In general, we find that honest communication concerning timelines for
consideration of offers from other institutions benefits prospective students and us. Such offers are not held
against applicants-- on the contrary, they are generally confirmation of a strong application. We are often able
to leave offers open past the April 15 magic date, and commit to notifying students at any time if an offer of
assistantship is in danger of being withdrawn. Above all, the Clemson astrophysics group wishes professional
success and happiness for all prospective students, regardless of where they eventually choose to attend graduate
school.
VI) We find that many students simply do not know what to expect from the application process. Applying to
graduate school is a significant step in one's life, and the deliberate and esoteric process can admittedly be
quite frustrating. This makes the month of April in your senior year a very stressful time: you may be
trying to complete the inevitable application you were just notified is still incomplete, waiting for other institutions
to make decisions concerning your admission, waiting for other students to make their decisions so that your
waiting list status can be resolved, and considering competing offers from different institutions-- all while still
attending to your final undergraduate coursework. We urge you to be patient, realize that the frustration and
stress you experience is "normal" and felt by many others, and stay in communication with us concerning your
status. Admissions and acceptance dilemmas (on the part of students and institutions) are generally resolved
blindingly fast and in a couple day window around April 15. You should be prepared for this typical endpoint
of events in your graduate application journey. We encourage you to find a local professor or advisor, with
whom you have good rapport, that can provide guidance and advice concerning the application process.
How to Become a Tiger
If you enjoy gory details, feel like surfing about a bit, or wish to read all appropriate disclaimers and relevant
formal Graduate School policies, then we encourage you to see the application information on the
Graduate School application website.
In lieu of this, you can also utilize this distilled quick-start guide:
0) Notify us (sbritt@clemson.edu) of your intent to apply, when you have completed the electronic (or paper)
application form, and when you have mailed in the supplementary information packet (see below) to the Graduate
School so that we can stay abreast of the status of your application and ensure its timely transfer to the Department
of Physics and Astronomy.
1) Fill out an online application for U.S. citizens and permanent residents or international students (you can access paper applications on the Graduate School website above). You have the option of paying the
$50 application fee via credit card, but only when you first access the electronic application.
2) You must mail to the Graduate School in one envelope the following:
i) 2 official transcripts. If they come in sealed envelopes from your registrar, do not open them. Transcripts from institutions where insignificant or nonrelevant coursework were carried out can be omitted. If your institution will not provide you directly with official transcripts, it is preferable that they be mailed to:
Student Coordinator, Department of Physics & Astronomy,
118 Kinard Laboratory, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0978
If this is the case, notify us (sbritt@clemson.edu) as soon as possible so we are aware of their imminent arrival and so we can match them up with your application in the Graduate School admissions office.
ii) at least 2 letters of recommendation (an additional 1 or 2 are helpful to our admissions committee). Request that your recommenders complete the Recommendation Form (it is most convenient if you provide these to your recommenders if possible) and return them to you in a sealed envelope. Do NOT open these envelopes.
iii) A Financial Assistance Application.
iv) If you are a South Carolina resident, complete the GS 35 Request for Certification of SC Residency
iii) A $50 nonrefundable application fee payable to Clemson University via a money order or a check drawn on a U.S. bank. The Department committee will not be able to obtain or review your application until this payment is received. Note that the Graduate School can NOT waive or defer this fee. As noted above, you have the option of paying this fee via credit card if you complete an electronic application.
This packet can be sent to: Graduate School, Clemson University, 101 Sikes Hall,
Box 345124, Clemson, SC 29634-5124
3) Arrange for ETS to send the Graduate School your GRE verbal and quantitative scores (you may also
elect to send us your physics subject score if you desire). These scores should not be older than five years
relative to the date of acceptance. Our ETS institution code is 5111. If you have not taken the GRE exam,
then arrange to do so immediately. These can be taken electronically and scored in near-real time at centers
in most major (and many minor) metropolitan centers.
4) If you are sending additional materials such as a personal statement, publications, resume, etc, do NOT
send these to the Graduate School. Send them to our Student Coordinator at the address in 2(i) above.
Notify us (sbritt@clemson.edu) that you are sending these materials so that we are aware of their imminent
receipt and can match them up with your application packet coming from the Graduate School.
5) After submitting an application, you can check its status via the following links:
U.S. and Permanent Resident Statuscheck
International Statuscheck
Application Deadlines
For timely completion of student visa forms, it is imperative that applications for admission of prospective
international students should be completed by April 15 and September 15 for fall and spring enrollment.
This means that every required item in support of you application (fee, transcripts, letters, test scores, etc)
must be on file with the Graduate School by these dates.
Application deadlines for U.S. citizens and residents are no later than five weeks prior to registration-- generally
mid July for fall semester enrollment and mid December for spring semester enrollment. However, given
the competitive nature of admissions in our Department, and the need for planning student and faculty workloads,
prospective students are strongly encouraged to have completed applications by the end of February (for
fall semester enrollment) and the end of October (for spring semester enrollment). Applications received after
this deadline may be at a competitive disadvantage concerning admission and consideration for supplemental funding.
If you contemplate sending an application after these dates, please contact us before doing so (sbritt@clemson.edu)
so that we have an opportunity to provide you with an admissions and funding update.
Help!
We are pleased that you viewed this information, and hope to see your application for graduate study in
astrophysics at Clemson. If at any time you need information on the application or admissions process, have
questions about your status, wish to share a concern, or are interested in additional information about our
program, please contact Prof. Sean Brittian (sbritt@clemson.edu). No question is too trivial, and we are
pleased to have the chance to serve you and to tell you more about Clemson astrophysics.
Graduate Program Links:
Information- An overview of information for prospective students
Curriculum- The requirements for obtaining M.S. and Ph.D. degrees
Current Grad Students- A listing of current A & A graduate students
Grad Student Publications- Publications of past and current A & A graduate students
A & A Alumni- Former A & A graduate students and current positions
Clemson Graduate School- The Clemson University's Graduate School homepage
College of Engineering and Science- the college of the Depart. of Physics & Astronomy
|
