1

I am in the final semester of my mechanical engineering bachelors, though I could have finished my bachelors about 4 months ago, but I failed to clear 2 of my subjects, for which I would appear again in the December examination. Physics has always caught my attention, but then, everything I see catches my attention.I want to study physics now after I get my degree. The problem is my grades. I have scored an aggregate of 65% in my bachelors, but I can learn and understand things once I decide to do so. I am from India. How can I apply in foreign universities for MS, considering that they take engineering graduates for MS in physics, what kind of entrance/competitive exams would I have to give. Thanks.

Joy Grewal
  • 11
  • 1
  • 3

1 Answers1

1

Changing fields from Engineering to Physics should not be a problem. I have several colleagues who have done this at various universities. Although, you would need to check with the specific universities you are interested in. If you are applying to universities in the United States you will likely need to take the GRE exam (some non-US universities will also consider GRE exam scores in the application process). As you are applying from India you may also need to take the TOEFL test.

Your grades may hold you back since most high-ranked universities require an average over 75% for graduate studies. These are the University of Toronto minimum entrance grade equivalents from Indian universities:

Bachelor's Degree Equivalent: Completion of BOTH a Bachelor's (three-year) degree and a Master's OR A Bachelor's degree requiring four years of study (e.g. BPharm, MBBS, BDS, BTech, BEng, or BArch)

Mid-B Equivalent: 1st Class or 1st Div.; 7.5/10 from Indian Institutes of Technology; 8.0/10 from other institutions

However, good exam scores, relevant research experience, and good reference letters may help make up for the difference. It is worth discussing with a potential supervisor at your intended university who may be willing to support your application, as this can often help.

atom44
  • 5,680
  • 19
  • 36
  • @JoyGrewal an aggregate of 65% is equivalent to percentage 3.5-3.99? You'd better check it again. – Nobody Oct 20 '15 at 04:41
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_grading_in_India – Joy Grewal Oct 20 '15 at 07:12
  • @mg4w something I want to add about the Mid-B Equivalent, I just checked and found that the U.S. grade point equivalent to my percentage is 3.5-3.99 and grade is A. – Joy Grewal Oct 21 '15 at 14:32
  • @JoyGrewal, Well different universities may take a different approach. But according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_grading_in_the_United_States that doesn't look like the correct interpretation. – atom44 Oct 21 '15 at 14:42
  • @mg4w what about state colleges in US? – Joy Grewal Oct 21 '15 at 14:55
  • Well state vs private universities/colleges (the term is used interchangeably in the US) probably won't change the calculation method for GPA. But each will have different entrance requirements and methods of determining equivalent grades. You will need to check with the schools you are interested in to be sure. – atom44 Oct 21 '15 at 15:00
  • @mg4w one thing more, GRE physics test will be necessary, but if I take th mathematics test and score good marks in both would that enhance my chances. thanks for help, I really appreciate that. – Joy Grewal Oct 21 '15 at 15:06