One for all the Freshers! What if you didn't get into the 'perfect' uni?

If you’ve just got a place on a theoretical physics course well done! If you’ve got on a non-specific or other specialist physics course also well done and maybe I can convince you to pick theory options in future posts!

I’d like to address something that was on my mind for ages as an undergrad. I imagine it will be on some other’s minds at this moment as well.

You are not doomed to a non-theory career if you didn’t get into a ‘top’ university for undergraduate. Oxbridge, Imperial, Durham etc. I'm sure most want to be at a university like that for their degree but for various reasons not all us can be.

Myself, I went to a good (in my opinion) uni for undergrad, but it wasn’t renowned for particle theory (which is where I want to be heading) and it wasn’t a top 20 for physics or Russel Group. But now I’m doing a master’s at Imperial and hopefully my chances have improved.

So if you’re at a uni which for you personally causes concern about your future in theory, hopefully I can convince you why you shouldn’t worry so much.

Number 1: There are LOADS of different areas of theory, some crossing into applied mathematics. It’s not uncommon for students to start university thinking that all theoretical physics is to do with particle physics. That couldn’t be further from the truth. There’s a whole bunch of fields that attract great minds and also a lot more funding than particle theory does. The good thing about these is that because of the greater funding universities can take on more PhDs in these fields and keep more postdocs on as well. More on theory fields in another blog.

(Image Credit: The Map of Physics by Domain of Science)

Now you might find that one of these areas sparks your interest more than particle physics! In that case the threshold for university/course reputation is (I think) lowered to an extent. 

Number 2: A lot of uni’s are pushing the MSci as the best route for students to take. MSci’s are often great courses and there’s no escaping the fact that you get full government funding for the four years. But if you are concerned about what your uni can offer you, bare in mind you could do a three year BSc and then do an MSc at another uni. There are loads of great MSc courses out there which could provide a real boost to your odds if you go to the right place. In fact if you are considering very pure particle theory, leaning to or in the realm of mathematical physics then I would suggest doing a very specific MSc if you can. More on this another time.

Number 3: The ranking/reputation of a uni does not mean it is good at teaching theory specifically.  As I said earlier my uni was not tip top but it was good in the ranking/reputation department. But over the course of my studies it offered me a number of things supposedly ‘better’ uni’s did not. 

In Quantum Mechanics we were taught Dirac Notation in our 2nd Year (thank you Dr Sordi), a number of higher ranked uni’s did not introduce this key aspect of modern quantum mechanics language until 3rd year. Another example, in my Particle Physics module we covered basic Feynman diagrams (though from a qualitative stand point), again I have heard a top uni that doesn’t go into anywhere near this detail (thank you Prof. Cowan and Dr. Boisvert).

(Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

This is not to say that my course was objectively better, but that it offered me skills that other uni’s didn’t. In the same way, other uni’s will offer their students something that mine didn’t give me! This means that even if you are sat in a room with someone who studies at Oxbridge or a similar calibre of institution, bare in mind there’s a fair chance you BOTH know things the other doesn’t.

Number 4: Postgraduate study is WAY more important. This could mean a specific high level master’s but ultimately we’re talking PhD. I was constantly told when I asked for advice about doing theory that getting into a good PhD was the key. Because ultimately, undergraduate is a base knowledge, master’s level study is to transition you into current research knowledge and PhD is where you actually do something. Produce some good research for your PhD and hopefully you’ll be able to carry on in academia. The reputation of the institution you do your PhD at is FAR more important than your undergraduate university.

Undergrad is the first stepping stone, an important one but only the first. This might seem cruel to say if you’ve just finished A levels but trust me, you’ll forget about A levels after one term of a physics degree.

Now if you got into a fantastic institution well done! But equivalent to the above you will know very well it does not guarantee you success. This is none more true in physics as admission for PhDs are often heavily marks based. If you get a 2:2 from Oxford and someone from UCL gets a 2:1, unless you have specific circumstances or can demonstrate skills in other ways, that someone is likely going to beat you to a PhD place. 

So regardless of where you are heading, study hard! And most importantly, work with your circumstances. Not every academic started at Oxbridge, you don’t have to either to get where you want to be!