This work aims to understand how effective the typical admissions criteria used in physics are at identifying students who will complete the PhD. Through a multivariate statistical analysis of a sample that includes roughly one in eight students who entered physics PhD programs from 2000-2010, we find that the traditional admissions metrics of undergraduate GPA and the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) Quantitative, Verbal, and Physics Subject Tests do not predict completion in US physics graduate programs with the efficacy often assumed by admissions committees. We find only undergraduate GPA to have a statistically significant association with physics PhD completion across all models studied. In no model did GRE Physics or GRE Verbal predict PhD completion. GRE Quantitative scores had statistically significant relationships with PhD completion in two of four models studied. However, in practice, probability of completing the PhD changed by less than 10 percentage points for students scoring in the 10 vs 90 percentile of US test takers that were physics majors. Noting the significant race, gender, and citizenship gaps in GRE scores, these findings indicate that the heavy reliance on these test scores within typical PhD admissions process is a deterrent to increasing access, diversity, and equity in physics. Misuse of GRE scores selects against already-underrepresented groups and US citizens with tools that fail to meaningfully predict PhD completion. This is a draft; see the journal for the published version.Additionally included in blue text are several responses to queries about this work.

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Sexual harassment occurs more frequently in male-dominated fields and physics is a more maledominated field than most other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Thus, it is important to examine the occurrence and impact of sexual harassment on women in physics. A survey of undergraduate women, who attended a conference for undergraduate women in physics, revealed that approximately three quarters (74.3%; 338=455) of survey respondents experienced at least one type of sexual harassment. This sample was recruited from a large fraction of undergraduate women in physics in the United States. We find that certain types of sexual harassment predict a negative sense of belonging and exacerbate the imposter phenomenon. The types of sexual harassment that predict these outcomes, both forms of gender harassment, while seemingly less severe types of harassment, have been found to have substantially negative personal and professional consequences. These findings are important since prior work has found that sense of belonging and the imposter phenomenon are related to students' persistence in STEM fields. Our results have implications for understanding and improving persistence in physics by informing the community about the occurrence of sexual harassment and its effects so that we can begin to work towards reducing its occurrence and mitigating its effects.

Given the historic and continued underrepresentation of women in physics, it is important to understand the role that high school physics might play in attracting female students to physics careers. Drawing on data from over 900 female undergraduates in physics, we examine when these women became interested in physics careers and different sources of recognition (important for physics identity development) that may have affected their choices at certain time points. The results provide optimism since many of these female students, even those not previously intending science careers, began to intend physics careers in high school and recognition from high school physics teachers had a significant effect on predicting these intentions.