Branden, I cannot personally answer your last question, because for me 'life after college' was more college life after college. In other words I became an academic (doctoral student, then PDF, and then the professorial route). I hope that others can answer you. You have done well to join the Atheist Physicists group. Try asking questions there. 

Welcome, Branden! Glad you could join us. :D

Please consider joining a group to meet people and talk about anything that's on your mind, Hang With Friends. You might also like Geek & Nerd Haven, Atheists who love Science!, Atheists in the Physical Sciences and Physicists.

I also recommend Eco-Logical and Climate Concerns, since the climate is changing so drastically.

After you've searched for topics of interest in "Groups" above and in the "Forums", don't forget to look at recent activity which hides along the right margin of the page all the way at the bottom.

On a personal note, I've developed an animated gif technique, sort of “pull quote marries slideshow”. Samples are scattered across various groups, but you can find them easily by going to my twitter account. Each tweet has a link (after the description and before the hashtags) to a visually rich example here at Atheist Nexus. If you like them, please follow me

RuthAnthonyGard

Branden, to answer your questions I begin by saying that you have picked a most difficult subject and you have chosen a top university.

Therefore, the major difficult problem is getting in---namely passing the interviews and entrance examinations. 

Therefore again, while specialising in physics read widely on all school subjects during the coming years in order to show that you are an all rounder, while within physics study every aspect of physics that you are able to encounter. Read the science magazines and the e-magazines. Learn more than you are being taught in class. Be generally familiar with everything scientific. In addition, specialise deeply in something that will look outstanding on paper on your CV and can be raised at interviews. Make yourself look different in some way from the other candidates. This is what I did when I applied and got into Oxford University age 17 all those years ago when it seemed impossible for what otherwise looked like another ordinary guy. I wish you well. You being a young atheist already shows that you are inherently smarter than many of your peers.

Hello Brasnden

You are ambitious and I admire you for it. Welcome to this world of rationality and peace, where pure common sense is enough to lead to the open freethinking wisdom common to non-believers.

We invite you to join the busy group "ORIGINS: Universe, Astronomy, Life, Earth, Humans, Religion, Gods, Atheism, Evolution, Darwin..." with 700 discussion topics and 3600+ members.

http://www.atheistnexus.org/group/originsuniverselifehumankindanddarwin

Terry (retired physicist, Oxford)