<p>The past few months I've been having doubts about my major. I'm a math major at my community college and I had my first exposure to rigorous proofs in Linear Algebra. I enjoyed it and loved that it encouraged me to think more rather than work out all the details like in Calculus. I only decided to major in Pure Math at one institution I had applied to as a transfer student, but I will not be attending there. My major is specifically in Applied Mathematics/Statistics at the place I'm going to. </p>
<ul>
<li>What can I do with a degree in Applied Mathematics/Stats?</li>
<li>What are my career prospects like right now?</li>
</ul>
<p>I think there's a lot of computer-based stuff in this major because my school is a polytechnic university that is highly about hands-on learning. I know I am going to have to buy a new laptop because of this anyhow.</p>
<p>But I've also been thinking about physics a lot lately and how I want to go to graduate school. For some reason, I am outperforming my math classes with my physics classes. It's kind of strange too, but I feel like that is where my talent probably lies the most. I know that I am not meant for engineering, however, so please don't suggest that.</p>
<p>The physics program at the school I'm going to attend I would say is fairly decent, but there are not a lot of students in it. I know that my physics teacher went there and then onto UCLA for his PhD, so I know I'll get a good physics education there. I want to switch, but I don't know exactly what I can do if I wanted to get a job after graduation with a physics degree. I am going to apply to a lot of graduate schools and hope I get into a PhD program, but I would like to know what kind of options there are available for a physics major out there. I think there are a lot of courses I need to take and I know that it would probably be a good idea to take a good amount of CS courses (have a knack for it, but I hate programming) just in case 'cause I know that is a marketable skill.</p>
<p>My dream is to go to grad school and pursue a PhD. For some reason, I have this deep desire to contribute something to the world in this fashion through research. But I also have to be grounded in reality somewhat and think about what kind of career options I have. I don't want to be a high school teacher ever, but I would consider teaching at a university.</p>