<p>Thanks for your comments!!</p>
<p>After doing more research, I’ve realized that undergrad degrees in astrophysics are somewhat unusual, so I’ve shifted my gears more towards getting a physics degree, as well as possibly a math degree. I haven’t fully decided on a double major yet though.</p>
<p>IIT is one of the schools I’m becoming most interested in though. I couldn’t find much in the way of an astronomy program on the IIT website though. There seem to be a couple different astronomy electives, but that’s about it. This is something that I don’t think should be a huge concern though at this point. How is IIT for particle physics? The field of astroparticle physics is ideally where I’d like to gravitate to at this point…but that all remains to be seen.</p>
<p>As far as the courses go though, my main objective is to get the Engineering Physics sequence, along with the calculus sequence and hopefully differential equations and linear algebra finished at Sauk before I transfer. I may end up having to stay at Sauk for a semester longer than I was hoping…that all remains to be seen. The only physics courses available after Engineering are a two part mechanics sequence, and if I end up having to stay more than two more years I will definitely be taking them. Unfortunately though, Sauk doesn’t have any math courses beyond differential equations and linear algebra, so that’s as far as I’ll be able to take it here. All that said though, I’m not entirely opposed to staying at a university for longer than two more years after getting my associates.</p>
<p>As a high school drop out on financial aid though, am I even going to have a fighting chance to get into a better school like IIT? I’ve basically given up on the thought of UChicago, and after more research I’m not sure that that’s really the route I’d want to go anyway. I think IIT and UIUC are basically going to be my main target schools at this point.</p>
<p>I am also starting to look at UIC and NIU a lot more though too.</p>