Hacker News Reader

Comment by peteradio | Hacker News Reader

To become a PhD candidate at a non-top-tier Physics university, I had to derive similar trivia over a wide variety of physics topics in a sort of entry exam. I think it is quite normal. What I doubt is typical anymore is for this to be individual and oral. Also, it was quite typical to fail on your first few go rounds.

View on HN

It is not. Like not at all. I know PhDs who know literally nothing outside the very narrow topic of their thesis. Like PhD in signal processing unable to understand a control system equation. I see that day in day out where I work. Lucky you, that have a decent title.

PhD programs, requirements and exams aren't standardized across institutions. Everyone's experience is different.

PhD graduates are extremely diverse in every possible measure. Some are deep generalists. Others are hyper specialized. Some can walk on water. Others leave you wondering how they managed to graduate.

Physics specifically has a long tradition of expecting a wide breadth of knowledge. For example, in every physics department i know details about, the expectation is that any professor is able to teach any class, and class assignments indeed change very regularly.

I think part of the reason is that the knowledge tends to be "use it or lose it" on a multi-year timescale. If you work with physicists who have been pidgeonholed in industry for decades then this is probably to be expected.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com