From: Jacobus Verbaarschot, Graduate Program Director
To: Entering Graduate Students
Date: May 11, 2009

• ORIENTATION: Please pay close attention to the announcements concerning the orientation of the students. The dates have been posted by the Graduate School (and also by the Department on our WEB page http://graduate.physics.sunysb.edu/orientation/ ). Participating in the orientation is required by the University for employment as a teaching assistant. Make your travel reservations accordingly.
• PLACEMENT EXAM: As it is described in our WEB page http://graduate.physics.sunysb.edu/ in great detail, you will have to pass various minor hurdles here, including required courses. However, we are fully aware of the fact that many of our incoming students have taken similar courses already; this is why we instituted the "Placement Exam" Here is a quote from the WEB page: "Placement Exam. This is an optional two-day exam, offered at the beginning of the Fall semester, for entering students. Each day of the exam is divided into two parts. The first day covers classical mechanics, special relativity (in short, CM) and electricity, magnetism and optics (EM). The second day covers quantum mechanics (QM) and statistical mechanics and thermodynamics (SM). The four parts roughly correspond to the four required courses (CM: PHY 501; EM: PHY 505 and 506; QM: PHY 511 and 512; SM: PHY 540). Each part is graded separately. Passing a part qualifies the student for exemption from taking the corresponding course(s)."
         If you want to take this exam, you should refresh your knowledge in the corresponding subject matter. Please refer to this page http://graduate.physics.sunysb.edu/Physics_Courses.html to get an idea about the content of the courses. Our WEB page about the recent exam problems, http://graduate.physics.sunysb.edu/comprehensive/ may be also helpful. I want to emphasize that the ONLY way to get out of the course requirement by passing the Placement Exam - just showing proof that you passed a similar course is not enough. The placement exam is difficult and requires a thorough study of the subject matter.
         Some students prepare for, and take, only a certain part of the Exam. This is perfectly legal; in fact, by focusing the effort one may have a better chance for passing that part.
• LAB COURSE: We have a one semester laboratory course. This lab covers various areas of physics, but the main goal is to teach you about designing and carrying out experiments independently. If you did a similar course at home, please bring all related material with you. This includes, among others, your written and graded reports. See more here: http://graduate.physics.sunysb.edu/index.html#waivers
• HOUSING: The Solar System, http://www.stonybrook.edu/it/solar.shtml, is used for housing, course registration and other matters. Send an email to Diane at djdiaferia@notes.cc.sunysb.edu if you do not know your Stony Brook ID number.

For international students

• If your iBT speaking score is 28 or less, or do not have iBT, be prepared to take the SPEAK test (a simple test of spoken English) after you arrived here.
• We do our best to get your I20 done as fast as possible. Please be patient.... The Department (Pat and Diane) cannot do anything to speed up the process.

Jac