<p>I love learning science. But I hate engineering.</p>
<p>I guess the best way to describe it is that I find science and theory really cool. About how the world works, why things are governed, and what happens.</p>
<p>I hate engineering. It seems so linear and pragmatic at times. I don't want to take tools and create something. I want to discover why the world works, and not do structural analysis on a spacecraft.</p>
<p>I remember this was a specific case in my physics class. I took two, the first half of both were kinematics, and e and m.</p>
<p>Then the second half of each were relativity and quantum mechanics, and man I loved every bit of it. Especially relativity. It just seemed so cool, and fascinating and my mind got a hold of it really quick. Those sections brought my grades up to As in those classes, and boosted my GPA up by a lot.</p>
<p>I'm in aerospace engineering, and I really don't want to work as an engineer. Is it possible to go to grad school and learn physics/astrophysics? I really do want to research in space, but anything with like quantum mechanics or relativity is something I want to do. </p>
<p>My GPA is fine, and it's competitive for grad school, but would the switch be easy?</p>
<p>To each is their own. The reason I love engineering is that it IS pragmatic. But yeah, with some catch up classes, why wouldn’t you be able to do it?? Just contact some schools, ask what you need, and do it.</p>
<p>“Astrophysics job market”, lol. There are very few positions and a lot of qualified applicants for research positions. Don’t count on that, but do it, if you’re passionate about it. The biggest regret in later life may be not having done what one wanted to do, when there was a chance, or following something else than your inner voice.</p>
<p>Also, remember that we have a lot of useless engineering as well as people pursuing rather irrational things in life (like material wealth just for the purpose of material wealth). Having an appreciation for pure science in the midst of a fairly materialistic culture is admirable and doesn’t hurt anyone or anything.</p>
<p>Engineers do get accepted to physics grad school, but you improve your chances by taking at least one class in each of the following:</p>
<p>Classical mechanics at the intermediate level, you probably already covered a lot of this in your aero classes.
Statistical mechanics.
Intermediate e&m at the Griffiths level (full-on vector treatment)
Quantum mechanics at the Griffiths/McIntyre level.</p>
<p>The more math electives and RESEARCH EXPERIENCE the better.</p>
<p>I second the recommendation for research experience. Regardless of what field you’re going into, having research experience is hugely important for applying to graduate school. It’s one of the main ways you demonstrate that you know what you’re getting into and are good at it.</p>
<p>We have taken engineering student in our physics graduate program and many of them do quite well. I second the recommendations above on what courses to take to prepare for graduate school in physics.</p>