soo i got a bit of a dilemma here, i was dual majoring in social science/english but i just realized pretty much how useless these are and currently thinking of switching to physics..but thats at least another 2.5 years and i am already a jr...any advice?
Most of the first two years involve core classes, and those should pretty much be transferrable. You'll likely lose a semester or two of time, so I guess it's up to you as to what's worth it and what's not based on that.
physics is a really hard major. Might want to take a couple classes to see if you like it or are good at it. But it is never too late to switch.
I actually went the other way. lol I was a Jr and switched from a Pre-Med/Movement Sciences/Kinesiology Major to a Political Science/PreLaw major. Personally it had to do with a motivation/passion towards one and not the other as well as the grades reflecting the choice. When I switched majors, I felt at home and started to succeed as I always had through out my earlier years in junior high/high school. To me it comes down to the reasoning behind your switch. Did you do it for the money? Job opportunities? Lack thereof? From what it sounds like, it seems that you found them "useless" in the sense that you couldn't go out there and get a job with them. However, depending on which route you take, there are plenty of professions available to those with social science majors. It all depends on there passions and the directions they choose to go in life. Albeit, some social science major/careers require graduate school, they are well worth the career they entail. What is your passion? What do you want to BE? Where do you see yourself 25 years from now? Speaking for myself, I didn't see myself as a doctor. I've always been into politics and law and debate, and these things just seemed naturally appealing to me as well as wordplay. When I made the switch, I didn't do it for job opportunities or economic conditions; I did it because I knew I would be good at it and make a difference. I did it because it fell in line with my "goals" and I knew what the next step was to take. I have 12 credit hours left and as much as I hate the fact that I'm entering my 6th year, I know that had I made this decision earlier I would've been out by now. But as they say, "The Past is history, the Future is a mystery, today is a gift that is why it's called, the Present". Find what your good at, what you would love doing 40-60 hours a week, and what you can support a family with. Obviously try to stay away from some of the unrealistic things unless you have either a huge trust fund waiting to be pissed away or have the testicular fortitude and backing to struggle and fight for years before making it (music careers, show business, athletics, etc). Also, as a add-on note, it's important to remember what school/university you go to and what you want to do after. I know for a fact that my University was a well renowned science capital, so by degree of difficulty our classes in the science fields were MUCH harder. And as someone stated earlier, Physics is by no means an easy major. I took two years with a professor who worked for the government in nuclear testing and graduated Ivy League and looked like the professor from back II the future. Not fun. His lectures would be basically his brain blowing up on the chalkboard with no explanations. Figure it out yourself.
I had started college with the intention of getting my teacher's certificate, majoring in Kinesiology and minoring in Political Science. After a couple semesters of the teaching classes, I decided I didn't want to teach any more. It turned out I had enough hours in Pol Sci to take a couple extra classes and ended up with a double major in Kin & Pol Sci...both completely useless degrees. Get the degrees and then get your masters. There's no use extending your undergraduate time unless you're this guy...
How are you increasing the usefulness of your degree by majoring in physics? Physics majors have two possible career choices, academia or statistics and actuarial work. If you want flexibility, get a finance or management degree. If you want cash money, engineers make the most bank straight out of school. Otherwise, you're just another guy with a piece of paper.
Unless you want to become a teacher don't change it. If you're not good in math don't do it. You should have your basics out of the way. Check out the Degree plan first then make your decision. This is what my schools physics degree plan looks like. degree plan It's pretty much the same at all Universities. (I'm not sure what school you attend.)
i took a year's worth of physics at my college because one of the general req was a lab science, i really only needed physics 1 but i liked it a lot so i chose to take the second semester as well. its the same physics required for eng majors although obviously very simple stuff, i think a gateway course?? i just dont know what i want to do with a poli sci major....
You do realize that there is a big difference between physics for physics major and physics for engineering majors right? The engineering one is a bit more practical where you are solving problems. The physics major variety gets extremely theoretical, and you'll probably be doing more proofs than anything else. If you're doing this, I hope you know what you're getting into.
Physics majors definitely have more career choices than you're indicating here. A lot of physics majors end up going into engineering type jobs. Others go to grad school. If you get a Ph. D in physics, you have a lot of options. For example, you mention finance. A lot of people with physics backgrounds go in to quantitative finance.
The introductory physics courses for engineering majors aren't usually that different from the intro courses for the physics majors. However, you are right in saying it gets a lot harder. I was a physics major in college. I actually switched kind of late as well (at the end of my second year). If it's something that sounds fun to you, I would definitely encourage you to make the switch. I am really happy that I did.
I was in aerospace for 2 years then switched over to CS. It just extended my grad date by an year. If you are not feelin' your major now, what's the point of finishing them. You will be miserable in those classes. On the other hand, since you didn't really research your current majors, what's rushing you to choose physics? How do you know, you'll love physics? Calculus based physics is a lot harder than general physics fyi.
Like others stated earlier in the thread, being a Physics Major and taking a physics intro course (or Physics 1) is a BIG difference. As with any major, as time goes on and you come closer to completing your reqs for that major, classes become alot more detailed, intricate, involved, and difficult. If you can't see yourself passionate/motivated about going in the career paths others have mentioned, and if you don't see yourself with your head buried in math and angles and forces and variables and charges and acceleration and on and on and on then it wouldn't be a wise choice. I'd say definitely go and research the possible careers associated with a physics major vs. a poly sci one. You'll get more insight about what the future holds. Also, you gotta find what your driven to pursue, and passionate to finish and excel in. I'd advise to maybe check into what your school's requirements are in terms of a physics major, and what the curriculum is. Then you can (if you can afford it, or can afford the possible implications on your GPA) take one or two of those physics major requirement classes and try them out. If you don't like em/too hard then withdraw within whatever period you have to withdraw, or take them pass/fail even. Figure out what direction you want to go in and WHY. It helped me become more focused, more motivated, and more true to myself.
If i wanted/had to do physics, I'd just do engineering, and actually make money. agree that physics is pretty useless as a degree
I personally know alot of Government/Defense Jobs that will take Physics majors to do Engineering type jobs.
I agree with whomever said to finish out your degree and just get a masters in something you're interested in.
