After undergrad, I was trying to decide to do with my life and was torn between condensed matter theory and string theory. I chose condensed matter (and eventu

After undergrad, I was trying to decide to do with my life and was torn between condensed matter theory and string theory. I chose condensed matter (and eventually found my way into experiment) because I wanted a closer connection to experiment. Maybe my university was unusual. When you were admitted, they flew us out to sell us on the department. But for those of us who were admitted who expressed an interest in string theory, the string group basically told us that there were so few positions open in the world that it would be irresponsible for them to take on any graduate students unless they thought they could get one of those rare positions. During my time there, they kept to that promise and many people who wanted to do string theory were unable to find an advisor willing to take them on (one who did became a professor at Harvard). Many found their way into other fields like condensed matter physics or astronomy. It might have seemed harsh at the time, but I admired them for trying to do the right thing.