<p>This works if you know (in the OP’s apparent case) that you want to do this kind of engineering. But being a physics major hasn’t closed any doors for these people- after all, they’re in engineering graduate school with you. And if they decided to open a different door (say electrical engineering), they also have that door open. </p>
<p>@the OP: you seem to want to do engineering. Why are you even considering physics? just to impress people? Besides classical mechanics, why do you think a physics background will help you in engineering graduate school? Same question as to why double aerospace and mechanical? The courses are probably really similar for you anyway. What would adding that second major give you in terms of skills/abilities?</p>
<p>Well it would mostly be for my own interest and since I would graduate in 4 years I thought it was worth it. If I had chosen to go to Caltech I would have to take all the same physics classes as the physics major at UCF, even in the mechanical engineering major.</p>
<p>I understand where flacowade12 is coming from. He is a very strong student academically and is looking for a way to shine to be accepted to CAL Tech plus, he really enjoys physics. Contact CAL Tech, graduate admissions. Talk to someone there and explain your academic strength and interests but that you want to save your money for grad school–with Cal Tech. Ask them what they look for specifically in candidates to help you plan your next 4 years. Do the same for MIT.</p>
<p>You seem to have missed my point. My point is for what the OP wants to do, physics can get him there but it will make things unnecessarily complicated. I am usually someone who extols the virtues of taking the harder route (for example, really learning the math behind engineering even though you can get by just fine by learning it just enough), but this is a case where it is unnecessary and even detrimental to a degree since it will put him behind his peers if/when he reaches engineering graduate school.</p>
<p>Furthermore, he isn’t even at a university yet. Who says in 4 years he will even want to do graduate school anymore? Maybe he will still want to, but there are tons of people in his position who end up changing their minds, at which point if his goal is to be an engineer, majoring in engineering is better than physics. That isn’t saying that some physicists don’t get hired as engineers, because they do, but it does narrow the range of engineering jobs for which you are qualified down. There just isn’t an upside for the OP to major in physics.</p>
<p>If he is that interested in it but still wants to be an engineer, either minor in it or double major in it, but don’t drop the engineering as a major. He just has to know that the double major or minor will not really help his job/grad school prospects and will be mostly for personal enrichment.</p>
<p>Indeed, if you go into Physics, you will have to go to graduate school, and it may set you behind a while to get there.</p>
<p>Most people don’t realize this, but you are far, far better off taking your required courses only for a single major and then taking the courses that interest you personally on your own, or by auditing them.</p>
<p>Physics students typically don’t get engineering internships. They might sometimes, but the reality is that there are already so many engineering students available, that companies don’t want to spend the time training a physicist to be an engineer. That’s just the truth about the matter. </p>
<p>My advice to you would be to major in engineering and take courses in physics on the side. If you major in physics then you absolutely will have to go to graduate school to get into engineering.</p>
You’re making the assumption physics students are looking for engr internships.
At my school, everyone doing physics is doing physics because they like it and want to go to graduate school in it. They spend their summers working in research labs on campus or doing REUs, not looking for internship (unless you count NASA or national labs). If they were after money/jobs, they went to engr. Some find topics that they love and realize it’s best to go to graduate school in engr (semiconductor physics and e&m are big ones). </p>
<p>
I really agree with this. My question: What about a physics majors who spends all their electives on the “relevant” engr classes? Say I want to go to mechE grad school, and I take 2 classes in structures or something and 2 classes in fluids. Am I really going to be playing “catch-up” in a PhD program? At least by doing a physics major, I can take a high level classical mechanics and high level e&m and see which I like ie. getting a taste of the field. </p>
<p>
I’m also questioning whether there is any point to the OP doing physics for the circumstance he/she is in. I had a whole paragraph (that you seemed to have skipped) asking that very question.
My point was there are certain times when majoring in physics may be a better idea. It doesn’t sound like this is one of those times, I’ll give you that.
If you want to do engr, go do engr. Don’t do physics. Don’t do history. Don’t do anthropology. I won’t fight that. </p>
<p>And off-topic, I’m interested in hearing with people who actually did (or are doing) a double math or physics with an engr degree and how they felt about it.
At my school, I and several friends have treated our engr classes as GPA boosters and more plug-and-chug type problems relative to any physics or upper level math class. But that could be my school or some statistical anomaly and I very well may be wrong. I feel like it’s just my school, so I’m looking for perspective from others who have gone this route.
If I’m correct (and I don’t know that I am), that critical thinking ability may be incredibly useful when someone is in graduate school or on the job- a skill that engrs don’t have (if this hypothesis is correct).
And those critical thinking/problem solving abilities are going to be more useful then knowing what stress or strain are 2-3 yeas ahead of any physics majors. (again if the hypothesis is correct, which i don’t think is true).</p>
<p>That’s not true. Somebody with an economics/math double major has a wider variety (notice I did not say better, although that is my personal opinion) of opportunities than someone with a single major in either subject. For people who are indecisive like me a double major is a very good opportunity to have.</p>