<p>I've always been fascinated with astrophysics and want to major in it in college.</p>
<p>I haven't taken AP Physics yet, so hopefully it will turn out to be my thing and something I like.</p>
<p>I want to go to Columbia College, but I'm of course a bit doubtful of acceptance since it's so highly selective! I'm imagining that to accept an astrophysics major the student candidate would have to have had worked in freakin' observatories and laboratories to make themselves stand out and wanted.</p>
<p>What do you think I can do to prepare myself for admission?</p>
<p>At the undergrad level, you apply to a university, not to a particular department. When it is time to declare a major (usually by the end of your sophomore year), you may have to apply for acceptance into a particular major based on your grades in that major’s prerequisite courses (e.,g., calculus, general physics) that you’ve completed up until the time you declare your major. Generally, you need to meet a minimal grade level in those courses.</p>
<p>i’d like to know more about schools that offer this as a major as well - even if i don’t declare it right away would like to know that the school at least has this department. Also a school that has acting (performance/theater program) in addition to astro- physics related major.
thanks,</p>
<p>To the best of my knowledge, Astrophysics is mostly a Graduate field of study pursued by Physics majors. You’d first have to major in physics and then take a Graduate course of study focusing on Astrophysics.</p>
<p>So for starters, you’re going to need a lot of math. Physics fields will use mathematics beyond Calculus. And of course, pursue AP Physics classes.</p>
<p>Rutgers New Brunswick offers a undergrad Astrophysics curriculum. However its very intensive. It starts off relatively easy, but then the upper level courses can start to become abstract. You don’t need to have worked in an observatory to get accepted. It’d be helpful, but not required. The question is, do you plan on getting your Ph.D to obtain what little jobs there are for astronomy? Or will you be using that physics education as a stepping stone to a Professional school?</p>