Do I have a shot at UCLA or UC:Berkeley for a PhD position in physics?

Graduate School
1

So basically I was dealing with a really bad mental disease(PTSD) my first few years of college. My GPA was like a 2.0 around then. I went to a lot of therapy and it healed my mind and I wanted to still follow my dreams. I went hard in my studies and these are my stats so far:

-Much improved GPA the past 2 years(Dean’s list past 3 semesters)
-Petition to honors college(physics grades were high and they let me take honors quantum mechanics and honors E/M and I got good grades in them)
-Tutor for math department
-Teacher’s assistant for intermediate mechanics(3D rotational kinematics, Langrangian stuff, relativity)
-Researcher(did research in hydrogenating graphene and tunnelling spectroscopy)
-Will graduate with research distinction

I’m going to be a 6th year senior next year(my final year!) but basically I messed up hardcore my first few years in college due to my mental illness but turned things around. Do you think I have a shot at a PhD position at either of these two schools and can I get it funded? Thanks!

2

What are your GRE and PGRE scores? A lot will depend on that and the letters of reference. You also have to say what your overall GPA is likely to be and your Major GPA too. Of course programs will consider your later work more heavily than your first years but it is going to be hard to get into one of the more selective programs because the competition is just so high. UCLA is a bit less competitive than UCB but you will likely need to include other, less selective programs in your application portfolio just to be sure. There are lots of good physics programs out there and I am pretty sure you will be able to get into one that suits you if you carefully select your applications.

3

Yes, you didn’t actually say what your overall GPA currently is, and your major GPA and maybe that of your last 60 credits. If your overall is low but your major and/or junior/senior GPAs are 3.5+, you could have a decent shot.

You should also try to apply to MS programs; you can use an MS to springboard you into a PhD.