<p>I'm currently on track for a B.S. in Pure Mathematics with a minor in Physics, however recently I felt that going into Astronomy or Astrophysics graduate programs would be something I love. I've always had a tremendous interest in Cosmology and Astronomy. </p>
<p>After doing some research, I looked up what is covered on the Physics GRE (required for Astronomy grad schools). The way my degree plan is currently set up (Math major w/ physics minor), I won't take Quantum Mechanics I & II, Classical Mechanics, and Electricity & Magnetism till my senior year. Prior to my senior year, I would have taken General Calculus Based Physics I and II, Modern Physics, and Computational/Mathematical Physics. </p>
<p>I doubt I will be prepared enough for the Physics GRE to take it during my senior year since most of the core classes of the GRE will be during my senior year. Now my question is would it be worth it to just stay at the University I'm attending for one more year? This one more year would allow me to finish requirements for a B.S. in Astrophysics. Is it unusual to do a 5year double major plan and would it even help my chances at Astronomy/Astrophysics graduate school?</p>
<p>The extra year would give you more time to strengthen your graduate application, but that may not be necessary. It all boils down to, “Would you be a competitive applicant to the graduate programs that you want to attend after 4 years?”</p>
<p>What range of graduate programs are you shooting for? Would that extra year strengthen your application in areas other than coursework/GREs, especially research experience and letters of recommendation-wise? Are you willing and able to study ahead to prepare for the physics subject GRE? Are you an international or a domestic applicant? (The former usually need higher scores than the latter.) Can you afford to go to college for a 5th year, and do you think that it’s a good investment?</p>
<p>I’ve actually started research with a physical chemist (who was my general chemistry professor my 1st semester) dealing with the atmosphere of Titan. Assuming if I stay an extra year, I will probably continue to do research with him. Range of graduate programs? Well I’m not so sure at the moment. I’m maintaining a GPA of 3.9 so hopefully I will continue like that. </p>
<p>I am definitely willing to study ahead for the Physics GRE, but I’m not so sure I will be prepared to take it my senior year (which is apparently the typical time undergrads take the exam). </p>
<p>I am a domestic applicant, and I can most likely afford another year (it’s financially doable with the scholarships I’ve got that paid for a lot of my tuition for 8 semesters). I will look into financial aid for another year and see about possible scholarships. </p>
<p>My main thought is that would it help me? Or would it just be a waste of time?</p>
<p>Depending on what year you are, it might be beneficial for you to work towards finishing your physics minor first and put the courses required for your math major off until your senior year. </p>
<p>I am also a math major and physics minor. I took calc based physics i and ii my freshmen year, no physics my sophomore year, waves and oscillations, and an electrical engineering course the summer before my junior year, classical mechanics last semester, and am currently in electrodynamics this semester. My schools requirements for a physics minor aren’t very strict and they let me substitute the electrical engineering course for modern physics. I don’t need to take quantum. </p>
<p>All you really need to take classical mechanics and e&m are the intro courses and multivariate calc. So, depending on what year you are you might be able to pull it off without the double major and some planning.</p>
<p>Also, I don’t know what your computational/mathematical physics course is like, but if it is what I think it is, you don’t need to take that if you’re a math major. My school has a method of physics course which basically reviews some upper level math that physics majors might not see or might need earlier than it would be covered in a math course.</p>
<p>Right now I’m a sophomore finishing up general physics I and II. And I’m finishing Multi variable Calculus along with Linear Algebra. However the problem is that the prereqs for the E&M and Classical mechanics are both Modern Physics and the Computational/Mathematical Physics. This is just the way the university I go to works :/. This will have to be taken my junior year before I start e&m, classical mech, and QM my senior year. </p>
<p>My university also highly discourages summer work due to the crammed nature of the courses. The head of physics dept. highly recommended that I take these courses during a regular semester. </p>
<p>Basically what it boils down to for me is that I will not be prepared for the GRE till after my senior year (that’s what I think), and am wondering if it would be worth it to take an extra year to finished a physics double major while doing some research. </p>
<p>A side question: do you know what classes are essential to doing well on the physics GRE?</p>