<p>I am absolutely in love with physics. I love the way it makes you think between the lines. I love understanding how the inner cogs of the formulas in physics works rather than simply memorizing them. I love understanding the world around me. But I also want a job that provide a healthy salary. I do somewhat like computers and working with them, but its not something I am passionate about. I am thinking of dual majoring in Physics and Comp/Elec Engineering but it would take me 5 years. With the prospect of maybe having a chance at grad school for physics later on. Perhaps my interests will change, I do not know, but would the extra year hold me back too far? Any experiences to share or any other alternatives?</p>
<p>Honestly, if you are considering a higher degree in Physics, just major in Physics. You have one life… you obviously are very passionate about the field of physics and this passion will get you much farther than working a job in Comp or EE that is boring to you. </p>
<p>Suppose you do this dual major. The extra year just means that you have one less year that you could find a job and start earning a salary. If that doesn’t bother you, then you’re alright. However, is it really useful to have the dual major? Not really… maybe for some employers it will seem impressive, but most likely not. I have a friend who got a physics degree, but he found it wasn’t really what he was interested in which made it hard for him to get a job. So he went back to get a MechE degree. He spent many years doing something he ended up not being that interested in and now is spending a lot more money just to get another degree. Do whatever you are passionate about, because this will end up doing more for you. You can get a healthy salary as a physicist; you just have to be very good at what you do.</p>
<p>I guess the reason I want to dual major is because I am afraid. I come from a poor background, (my parents make 38k) and I feel I will be draining so much money. What if I am not cut out for it? There is so much competition that I am scared that I will get nowhere. Over the summer right now, I am trying to fill the mathematical gaps that I had from not paying attention in Algebra. But its scary knowing that I would be losing so much money, working so hard and not get anywhere near where I want. I do not know if I want to do research or get into academia. I also would like to raise a family and with all this considered, I just don’t know what to do. Dual seems the best option. I am young so I haven’t really lived in uncertainty before, I guess thats what the real world is?</p>
<p>What kind of debt are we talking about? I’d like to say this: if the numbers don’t add up, then you’re committing yourself to a lifetime of debt. You’re never going to just magically think up a solution that erases all your problems. The maximum debt you should ever consider taking is a year’s salary. And even that is going to be a royal pain.</p>
<p>Let me just play devil’s advocate for a second and suggest that maybe physics isn’t even the right choice for you. If you’re struggling in algebra, then I would assume that you haven’t really been through any real physics troubles before. Most of us here have taken physics, and regardless of how well we did, I don’t think anyone here particularly enjoyed the times when physics became brutally difficult. The idea of physics attracts quite a lot of people; I know quite a lot of physics “fanboys” who even majored in it. Enjoying the idea of physics doesn’t make you enjoy hard work, or improve your grades, or even become good at it. What makes you think that you can make it when you just scraped by in algebra and haven’t even taken calculus?</p>
<p>Is engineering better? Maybe, maybe not. You still have to do physics. But I’d like to know what you think about this.</p>
<p>But I have taken Calculus (Honors). I have done very well in the class and enjoyed learning the concepts in it. But also, I struggled at time to keep up with the class with the gaps that I mentioned in Algebra. I will be taking BC next year. I have a 5 in chemistry as I have found out today and I only loved the parts of the topics that involved the structure of atoms and electromagnetic waves, so I like to think I am not completely in the hole in terms of intelligence I guess. You make very good points NeoDymium and its these same points I asked myself as well, and why I am considering Engineering. There are people with similar points to yours, and then there are others who say pursue what you love (I am not sure that I love it yet as with one of your points, I haven’t totally experienced it, only bits of the intro stuff). Considering the first year of college is mostly gen ed classes, I think I would have more time to decide, even in college. My biggest indicator will be next year, when I first tackle actual physics in my Physics C class. I just want to know what others who have been through similar problems think.</p>
<p>On a side note, using net price calculators, the debt I would take with 4 years is about 50k assuming the calculators are accurate.</p>
<p>Calculus is a start, and in fact most of physics at the intro level is nothing more than simple derivatives and integrals as far as math goes (although it gets much more complicated much more quickly). But that’s far from enough, especially if you took the class in a year rather than in a semester like you would in college. </p>
<p>It doesn’t matter what you think you like or dislike; sometimes you will learn to hate physics simply because it gets nasty. People only have passion because they have yet to see the dark side of whatever they are passionate about. Whether or not there’s a reason to press on past that point is another question altogether. You seem to love the idea of physics, but that really doesn’t get you very far.</p>
<p>In regards to the idea to pursue what you love: “loving” something doesn’t create jobs for you, doesn’t pay the bills, and it most certainly doesn’t offer solace when you’re doing grunt work 80 hours a day in a dead-end job just because that’s the only way to get by and pay your debts. “Do what you love and the money will follow” is feel-good advice that people want to believe, but it doesn’t make it so. However, there is a nugget of wisdom in there: “Don’t do what you hate just because it pays a lot of money.” The best advice is to do something you won’t despise that will pay well. </p>
<p>You’re a rising senior in high school, right? It’s good to tackle these issues early because they won’t solve themselves. You do have your first year of college to decide, but it doesn’t somehow get easier - neither does debt after you graduate, if you were wondering. If you want to minimize debt, earn scholarships or go to community college, or both. Financial aid alone might be enough for a community college. </p>
<p>If you truly have your heart set on becoming a physicist, which I highly doubt (I have lots of experience with aspiring physicists), it’s especially important to find the path of least debt. If you just like physics but want financial security, engineering is a good choice if you’re technically inclined (still want to minimize debt though).</p>
<p>One more question: why electrical/computer engineering? What about those two interests you?</p>
<p>Well I always have been a computer enthusiast since I had my first computer. I have built my own computer and the hardware interests me. I also dabble in programming and I am currently the president of my schools computer club, and I am planning on doing a project in creating an app. I think thats the next best thing for me. But its nothing compared to what I feel about sciences and learning about the fundamentals. I have also considered the prospect of maybe doing engineering in grad school, but that again comes down to whether I will even survive in physics undergrad. I am still very naive right now and I don’t think neither one of the decision I come to make will be right.</p>
<p>Take a look at the other engineering disciplines as well. I think that there’s at least one major field of engineering that you’d be willing to make a career out of.</p>
<p>Don’t double major just because you’re not sure. You can get into a physics PhD program with an engineering degree if you later decide that that’s what you want to do (you’ll have to make up a few classes, but that’s not the worst thing in the world).</p>
<p>Tell us more about what you like about Physics. TThat will help get you the best advise. </p>
<p>IIn HS, students (including me as a teen) often like Physics/Mechanics. But at a college level, much of physics revolves around E&M (Electricity&Magnetism… which I didn’t like so well) and particle physics (yuk). So I became a Mechanical Engineer.</p>
<p>OK, let me chime in with the opinion of someone who never lost the love for physics. I understand that it gets difficult and not interesting any more for some but there do exist those of us who absolutely love the electrodynamics, quantum mechanics and even classical mechanics. You won’t know until you get there since the idea of physics is not the same as doing physics but it is a good start.</p>
<p>As for jobs, yes engineers have a bit easier road to getting an interview but I know plenty of physics majors who find good jobs in the software, financial, and engineering professions. Any good physics program will have a significant dose of scientific programming and this is valuable when looking for a job.</p>
<p>I agree with @Salve!, if you decide you want to study physics and pursue an advanced degree, don’t bother with a second B.S. degree. Instead, if you decide to move toward engineering, your university might have an applied physics or engineering physics major, or even a co-terminal B.S./M.S. degree that allows you to get a B.S. in physics and a M.S. in engineering in the same time as two B.S. degrees.</p>
<p>Well, looking at the likely universities that I might attend, it seems that all accept AP credits. If perhaps I can get the humanities out of the way and also Chemistry (not using Physics/Calc credit), I might be able to do it in 4. Maybe since its an “interest” of mine, perhaps I will just minor in it instead of double majoring.</p>
<p>I also have looked at Universities such as Case that have Engineering Physics which interested me greatly, and other applied physics programs, but my concern with those are that, from reading different forums, it seems that many employers want the title “Electrical Engineer”. This is the greatest obstacle for me. Or else I would jump on those right away!</p>
<p>Just one more thing. Since I will be taking Physics C next year, what indications should I seek to see if I prefer Electrical or Mechanical? </p>
<p>Thanks for your help guys, you have given me great advice and asked some very important questions. Xraymancs, I have seen your posts many time and they are very informative and helped me greatly. :)</p>
<p>I suppose the answer you might want is see if you like Physics Mechanics or Physics E&M more.
But both are far too low level to really make a judgment one way or another. You’d have to take classes or at least look at the material covered in those classes to choose.</p>
<p>You are in HS so it’s a good thing that you are taking the time to focus your thoughts now rather than later. I understand that money is an issue. IMO - you should look to find your most appropriate major to finish in FOUR years rather than trying various double majors with an extra year of tuition/room&board etc. Even though you probably will receive some financial aid the extra year of school comes at a cost of a full year of salary and that’s a lot of money.</p>
<p>Taking AP courses will demonstrate that you have taken a rigorous courseload and are an attractive candidate for admission. But, even with all of the humanities out of the way it’s difficult to cut your total time till graduation by much more than a semester. Students wind up with free space in their schedule but still need to take engineering courses in their required progression. You could accelerate the process by taking a few key prerequisites during the summer but that also comes at the cost of potential summer internships.</p>
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<p>Many electrical engineers are product designers who use tools. The tools are created by engineers who are very strong in math and physics. At the lowest level, the tools are dealing with simple 3D polygons with various properties. These problems become the math and physics problems.</p>