Majoring in physics

[popeye18]

Lately ive been thinking about majoring in physics. My main deterrent is that im not sure if i have the intelligence to do so. Im definitetly above average in intelligence but not much so. I took calc in high school and pretty easily breezed through it and got a 4 on the ap test. My math act was a 32 if i remember correctly.

The main reason i want to major in physics is that i have no idea what i want to do and physics is facinating to me. I often look forward to physics hw(have just taken physics one).

So im curious if a guy like me could get a physics degree without wihtout killing myself.

[ChrisV]

Kind of OT, but my advice is that if you don't know what you want to do, do something that will make you a ton of money. Most jobs are boring if you don't have a passion for something, so you might as well aim for financial success instead.

[Phil153]

Totally agree. The lack of future in physics (and the kind of wankers who do it for a living, that you have to work with) turned me off it by junior year. You either have to enjoy teaching or have a fairly specific career path in mind I think. After college I had success in totally unrelated fields, but had I not, I think I would be really regretting sticking with physics over law.

The other thing to realize is that physics can be really demanding. Not because the subject matter is so hard, but because it's terribly dry and completely the opposite of how people are supposed to be spending their day. I don't know anything about you or what motivates you, but it's something to consider.

To answer your actual question: getting a degree (or even decent grades) isn't that hard if you're persistent. The concepts taught just require rearrangement of the way you think about things; open mindedness and intellectual curiosity are more important than raw intelligence I think.

[ChrisV]

Physics in particular I wouldn't sign up to without a plan. People tend to have this romantic idea that you will spend your life in pursuit of cosmic mysteries. In fact what's involved in being a physicist is generally a lot of tedious math and even more tedious repetitive observation of lab equipment. In fact, that goes for most scientific disciplines. I got as far as third year chemistry before realising that being a chemist basically involved standing in a lab all day pouring toxic material into other toxic material. Being "interested" in a subject is not a good reason to do a course in it, you have to always be aware of what someone in that discipline actually spends all day doing and figure out if you want to end up doing that. I switched to computer science, but after 2.5 years working an IT job, I was well over it and wishing I'd just done some kind of finance thing. Poker to the rescue for the moment.

[evil twin]

While I agree with what has already been written, a physics degree can provide a platform from which you can enter many different fields. I went into software, others in my year went into entertainment, finance, law, medical physics (fMRI etc), and of course many of the big finance houses specifically look for physicists and mathematicians. Since you end up with a proven record of being able to break down problems logically you can sidestep into so many other fields.

Regarding not having the intelligence, I wouldn't worry about this too much. If you're above average and can manage the maths to a resonable degree then you'll be fine. You might not be the next Einstien or agressive pro AC madman but you'll find a good path through things.

[Phil153]

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Since you end up with a proven record of being able to break down problems logically you can sidestep into so many other fields.

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This gets said a lot, (my prof used to love putting up slides of Wall Street jobs asking for specifically for physicists, with 300K+ plus remuneration), but is it really true? I'd guess that most finance jobs are easier to get for someone who actually studied finance. I'd imagine most of the guys going into these top notch jobs are there because they're intellectual superstars, not because of a physics degree.

One thing for the OP to consider if he's in the States is the option of graduate school. It doesn't really matter what you do in undergrad, if you screw it up, just get good grades then go to law school.

[Drag]

I got a master degree in theoretical physics (outside of USA), now I am doing Ph.D. research in optical engineering (trying to develop some '[censored]' applications for telecom). After my Ph.D., I'd probably change the field once again.

I agree with Phil and Chris that a lot of what one does in research is boring, the problem is that other 'normal' jobs are even more boring. And one should consider it when thinking about a carier in physics.

Most important, IMO, is the way of thinking that one learns in the process of studing physics. It becomes the 'first' nature to look for the logical connections in the world, checking the resulting picture for consistency, being sceptical and at the same time very open to new ideas. That's hard to explain, the way many good physisist think, but it is there and one can learn it.

The scientific way of thinking can be learned in other fields too, mathemetics, chemistry, computer science,biology, etc, (may be even finance [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] ), but one shouldn't forget that this method originated first in physics, spreading over other fields later.

So, as a summary, in order to learn to think, physics would be my first choice. As for the carier, I am not so sure.

[Lestat]

When you get into the working world, being in a field you enjoy is most of what makes one successful. I say go for it.

[oe39]

do it... you can always change after undergrad anyways, and many employers will be impressed.

[popeye18]

Thanks for the replies everyone, very helpful.

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While I agree with what has already been written, a physics degree can provide a platform from which you can enter many different fields.

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What fields? If i get a physics degree and decide not to go to grad school am i going to end up the manager at starbucks?

At this point in time im also considering engineering, most likely civil. I guess i can always start out by taking the physics and math needed for both and decide in a year or so.