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Third Annual Graduate Admissions Physics GRE Bootcamp at UC Davis - September 2012


This year, between 50 and 60 undergraduate and graduate students came to UC Davis from northern, central and even southern California. A physics GRE was administered under realistic conditions, and students then met and studied GRE skills with their peers from around the state, and worked under the guidance of UCD grad students. An invaluable talk on basic GRE knowledge and test-taking skills kicked off the second day. There were also lively town-hall style sessions with a grad-student panel and with a faculty panel focusing on graduate admissions. The event was generously funded by the UC Davis Office of Graduate Studies.

Some pictures, representative participant remarks, and supplementary links follow:



Physicists chat over breakfast


Taking the GRE






Damien Martin talking on GRE general knowledge and strategies



Addressing questions on Grad school admission

Some comments:


I liked spending a weekend in an environment conducive to the study of physics as well as meeting and talking to other students.

The bootcamp was very helpful overall, pointed out areas I was weak with, I learned better test taking strategies and clever tricks to see fast solutions.

I was surprised to find that I got the most out of the bootcamp from the opportunity to meet, befriend, and get to know other students in physics programs outside mine.

I really enjoyed the problem-solving groups.

All of the TAs did wonderfully

It was very convenient, all the information on grad school in one weekend. Very nice.

Everyone I worked with was friendly and helpful.

It was extremely useful

The bootcamp was great in every aspect.







Working with other physics learners ...


... and with graduate student help.







More physics during lunch

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Supplementary Materials


Damien's GRE Tips/Notes

Kara Farnsworth's QM and Thermo notes.