u/itwasntjustaphasemom

Hi everyone, I'm a rising junior in Physics at an R1 school, and I'm starting to think seriously about grad school, but I can't tell if what I have is actually competitive for top programs or just... okay. I have a 3.935 GPA due to some A-'s in Physics classes and an B+ in Honors Quantum Mechanics I. This B+ has made me super nervous and the next semester I took regular Quantum Mechanics II and I got an A from that. I project if I get a 4.0 for the next 4 semesters I will end undergraduate with a 3.96 GPA.

Research-wise, I've been in two quantum information science labs for about two years, plus some high school + freshman year experience in particle physics lab, but I've mostly been assisting on other people's projects rather than leading my own but hoping that shifts this year. I also applied for the Astronaut and Goldwater scholarships last cycle and didn't get either, which knocked my confidence a bit.

Now going into my third year, I am finishing up a research internship at a quantum computing company and starting to take graduate level physics classes (grad QM, AMO physics, etc). I am also wondering if I should take the Physics GRE.

A few specific things I'm unsure about:

• How much do named scholarships (Astronaut, Goldwater, GRFP) actually matter if you didn't get them?
• Is it worth taking the Physics GRE at this point, or are most programs not weighting it much anymore?
• How much does not having your "own research project" or first/second author publication matter to admissions committees, assuming the work you did in the lab itself is solid?

Hi! I am relatively new to all of this (I only really started being serious about losing weight about a month and half ago) and I wanted to see if I am on the right track and where I can improve.

One thing to note is I am interning in a different city, so I am constrained on money/support. Also I am a pollotarian (no red meat).

I am currently 195 lbs (88.4 kg), 5' 9" (175 cm), 20M. My breakfast is usually one egg and one cliff bar. I either do a 5 minute bike or 20 minute walk to work. For lunch, I usually have a chicken salad (440 cal, 51g protein, 19g carbs, 18g fats) or sometimes my work caters sandwiches (I don't really know the macros of it, I assume it's around 800 cals). I usually either bike or walk for 30 minutes during my lunch because I eat fast. Then after work, I incline walk on the treadmill (13 incline, 2.5 speed) and do strength training for 45 min to 1 hr (arms+shoulder, chest+back, legs). And then I bike/walk home (though usually I take a longer route). For dinner, I typically eat some chicken finger salad sandwiches from star market (640 cal, 30g of protein, 70g fat, 15g carbs). I also drink a protein shake which is 120 cal and 24g of protein.

All in all, my TDEE should be around 2200 kcal so I have been trying be under 1700 cal and my Apple Watch says I burn 600 calories (but I know Apple Watches aren't accurate). I think my biggest weakness is low protein, fiber and carbs? Any advice?