I received this response when I inquired about the deadline and fee waiver for a PhD in Physics program. How generic a reply is this? I had taken solid-state physics and atmospheric physics as my elective subjects during my master's program. If the material science group is not likely to admit me, is it possible to say that my research interest is broader. And, I am ready to switch to any field that the Department of Physics and Astronomy might be a better fit for my broader interests and background.
It's not a generic reply. It's someone trying to help you out and be realistic about the situation. PhD programs are generally reeling from federal cuts and uncertainty about federal budgets.
Yes, due to the cutting of federal funds, the funding in phd program is uncertain in the US. I have faced this situation already because of not getting any offered letter in my previous fall application. So, I want to grab this opportunity.
Tread carefully - if you tell them your interests are broader, you have to be able to defend that and present it intelligently - don’t just tell them “yeah Ill basically study anything to get admitted”.
I know some schools are halving their targeted number of physics PhD students. But most are reducing the numbers much more and many places are zeroing it out. The applicant pool is about the same. This means that yields will go way up so the number of offers will have to go down even more.
For example, one solid place I know usually takes e.g. 25, so they make about 50 offers as many also get offers from elite schools. Last year they could afford a class of about 10 so they made about 20 offers, but they quickly had more than 10 acceptances so they withdrew the offers to the remaining students who had not yet accepted. This is a problem of incorrectly estimating yield due to changes across the entire country and not just at their institution. While everything was done above board, it was a horrible experience for everyone involved. Places don't want to do that again and are acting very conservatively and not spending any more than they are absolutely sure that they can.
There is no doubt that getting into PhD programs in the US is currently the largest affected aspect of the US's massive attack on science. That may change as time progresses. Europeans and people elsewhere are aware that the number of PhD students coming out of the US in 4-5 years is going to be shockingly low.
Thanks, neoliberalism and short term profiting!
It’s more of a very short term political decision due to science being too woke or something like that
"The Universities Are The Enemy". We have to "aggressively attack the universities in this country" - the current Vice President.
I love hating on neoliberalism as much as the next guy, but these funding cuts are not being made in the name of free markets.
neoliberal policies created the current university system lol
This has nothing to do with "federal budget cuts". What data do you draw on to reach that conclusion? The letter says nothing of the sort.
That's reply is about as tailored as it can get lol. They reviewed your work and application, found you to be unlikely to be suitable, and suggested you look elsewhere. That's super useful
Given the typo right there and the specific information they wrote about your application and interests, I don't think this is generic at all. This is someone who read your application and is trying to help you.
That person is super cool. Thank them for the thoughtful consideration.
Is your research interest primarily in condensed matter physics and materials science? If so, you may just need to find another university to apply to. Don't know what you mean by saying that expressing that you have a "broader" research interest may be a way of gaining admission. You wouldn't want to end up doing astrophysics or elementary particle physics rather than condensed matter physics and materials science just because this particular university has openings for graduate students in those other fields, would you?
I have my primary interest in condensed matter physics and have published a journal article in a national magazine as a coauthor. However, I completed my master's thesis in atmospheric physics. So the professor might think I could be a candidate for space-related research.
If you would be happy with doing space-related research and if it looks like you have a career path forward from there at some aerospace or rocket company or in academia then fine.
Out of curiosity, what is your interest in condensed matter physics and material science? You may surprise yourself that your interests are more related to an engineering PhD and not a physics one.
FYI I have a Condensed Matter PhD and years later can easily see that I may have better suited with an engineering degree instead.
That’s a realization I ended up with. I did a postdoc in a materials science department and now have a job where my title includes the word “engineer” (even though they actually wanted a physicist)
It's not generic at all, be happy someone took the time to reply hahaha welcome to the real world my man.
FYI nuclear physics is cool and there are jobs...
For that one would probably want to go into engineering or plasma physics. We don’t even know if where the op applied has a plasma physics department .
Take it 100% as true, seek other options.
Don’t waste your time applying to this program. Plenty of other schools will have positions in materials/condensed matter groups. Seconding another commenter’s suggested to consider applying to materials science/engineering programs.