<p>So I need to make a choice soon. Will my major be E & C Eng or physics? I'm going to GATech on fall. I'm entering with a big load of credits as a result of dual enrollment courses (68 to be exact).
I will need to start out with just one major; however, it's a tough choice. I have a profound passion for computers in general, being an avid programmer for a couple of years now. At the same time, I see myself as a physicist: researching, discovering, exploring. Yet I need to be able find a good paying job by the time I earn my bachelor degree. Now I don't know how my outlook with a bachelor in physics is, but I do know that anyone is pretty much set with a one in almost any engineering field. I've thought much about my life goals; and summed up it's basically working on bringing the benefits of quantum computing to this world. It may or may not turn out like this, but as anyone that has to set his/her goals to achieve something, this is mine.</p>
<p>I believe the best path towards this goal would be starting out with a physics major. Maybe an E & C Eng major would be a nice supplement. Or maybe it's a solid, starting point. This is what I have to decide. However, I'd also like other's opinion on how I should start out. Opinions from others who have gone through similar situations, or others who are simply in, and know how such things work out.
Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>i don't know how the things gonna turn out if you are looking to get into physics
PhD and what-not, but if you are talking just about undergrad, you will most definitely be looking for engineering jobs upon graduation, and engineering degree (IMO anyway) would serve you better than physics.</p>
<p>my father was a physics major, and i was originally a physics major who turned into eng...</p>
<p>If you do end up going the physics route, know that there is a lot of need for computer and programming skills in physics. Having interest and experience in computer programming can give you a great advantage working as a physicist. For some jobs, it's essential.</p>
<p>(From a physicist who can never seem to get the hang of programming...)</p>
<p>I had the exact same dilemma and ended up choosing electrical engineering over physics. I still love physics more than engineering, but it doesn't help me get where I want to be.
Physics requires a lot of determination, unparalleled passion, and extreme commitment... that is, if you're really going to do something with it. And that's just the thing. There's no point in pursuing a physics career (in my opinion) if you're just going to kinda do it. You have to be totally devoted to it, and you have to be crazy enough to believe that you can actually make an incredible breakthrough.
Now, pursuing a physics degree (rather than the career itself) is a different thing. I would say that if you're unsure about engineering but like math/physics and can see yourself applying it later on in some way or another, then definitely do physics. Its a great degree. However, if you want to be an engineer, go with engineering.
Engineering offers you more choices... You can still go to almost any type of graduate school (provided you have the grades, etc), you can get a good and well-paying job, you can choose to end your college education early with a bachelors, you can get into business or become an entrepreneur (you can do that with other degrees too, but its a good combo with engineering), and if you really really love physics and math so much, what do you think grad school in engineering is all about? A PhD physics student at my school told me that once you get up there (PhD level) the line between some parts of engineering and physics becomes blurry. Of course, engineers and physicists still have different reasons for doing the research that they do.
If you want to devote your life to physics for the love of science, do physics. If you want a better balance, go with engineering.</p>