<p>Okay!! So my dad wants me to be a Physicist... He always talks about how he wants me to be a big time scientist and everything. However, I would like to be an engineer of some sorts. Ive always been a 'tinkerer' so I know that would fit. Are the majors similar??? If so, how?? He also wants me to discover new things. Is that possible in engineering?? Also, how can I tell my dad this in a way thats not hurtful??? Anything would be great, thanks!</p>
<p>Your dad is crazy haha! Physicists may discover new things theoretically, but that’s years of schooling and research that you’ll hate forever if you don’t really have an interest in it. Engineers discover new things all the time, look around! Who designed cars we drive, built buildings we live in, and are basically responsible for America’s success in the last 100 years? Engineers.</p>
<p>No offense but your Dad is a little weird. I am sure he means well but dude, at the end of the day, you are going to be the one going to work everyday, not HIM, so you better do something you enjoy, not what he wants you to do.</p>
<p>As far as research, YES, if you go for a Ph.D in certain types of Engineering, you can get involved in some interesting research. </p>
<p>I am not sure about discovering something truly revolutionary but for a person with a Ph.D in Materials Engineering for example, you might be the researcher who realizes that supercooled neobium might be the best superconducting material for quantum computer wafers.</p>
<p>Anyways, do what you think it is right and not what your Dad wants you to do.</p>
<p>You can be both and engineer and a scientist. Do engineering and get a PhD. Then you can do research on problems that people actually have. You get paid a whole lot better too!</p>
<p>You don’t have to convince him of anything, you know. Explain to him what about being a physicist doesn’t appeal to you and what about being an engineer does. If he doesn’t care, then he’s a horrible father and you can feel justified in ignoring his violations. </p>
<p>Also, as other have noted, you can still add new knowledge to the world. Try some research positions while in school, and if you like them there is plenty of opportunity to get a PhD and be what is no less a scientist than a physicist. There is probably more job opportunity on the ENGR side of research too, because industry hires a lot of PhD engineers to develop and research things that are more practical today than what an academic researcher probably would be doing. So doing what you want to do wouldn’t close the door on your father’s creepy stage dad dreams. At least not until you graduate and get a job.</p>
<p>Huh, I sometimes wish my kid wanted to be an engineer instead of a physicist! It seems like there are more jobs for engineers. Are you still in high school? Have you even taken physics yet? My advice is to get colleges on your list that have good programs in both engineering and physics (example: Harvey Mudd or a large university). Take classes for both your first year (there is some overlap, this is one of the few majors where you can probably overlap with engineering for a couple of semesters). Then decide what to major in. Your dad isn’t going to make you drop out of college if you pick engineering…</p>
<p>YOU’RE THE ONE whose going to taking the classes, YOU’RE THE ONE whose going have the loans taken out in your name, and YOU’RE THE ONE whose going to have to go to work and perform the tasks that the jobs for the degree entails…NOT HIM. Explain this to him, if he doesn’t like it so be it, time to step out into the real world and make an adult out of yourself, become completely emancipated from him, have him pay for nothing, and there will be nothing he can say about it.</p>
<p>You can always go your own way. Of course that means paying your own way. Apparently, you’ll soon have the choice of following your dream or your dad’s money. GL</p>
<p>Well, being only 16 years old nothing much you can do. When you turn 18 or finish HS then you can even make this relevant. Not like any major classes you can take now anyways.</p>
<p>Well OP did not mention that his dad has forbidden him to be an engineer so all attacks on his dad are excessive. If you are uncertain you can wait until sophomore year to decide between majors.</p>
<p>Absolutely, you can discover new things. Fundamental laws of the universe, probably not, but new methods of producing materials or running a process are absolutely fine discoveries with great money making potential to boot. And your odds of finding employment in your field are a lot better in an engineering discipline than in physics.</p>
<p>But for the first year or two your courseload will overlap quite a bit between physics and most engineering disciplines, so you have plenty of time to decide after you begin college. Perhaps you may be able to placate him if he doesn’t want to pay for school by taking on a minor in physics?</p>
<p>This question made me LOL (no offense intended though)</p>
<p>I get the feeling your dad has a physics degree himself. If he is that determine to make you major in physics, you can</p>
<p>1) Tell him that you want to do an undergraduate engineering degree and then a master and PHD degree in physics. You can argue that to be considered a physicist, you need a phd and this route won’t put you behind the ones who did all physics. After you finish your Engineering degree just tell him and you want a job and not more schooling</p>
<p>2) Move out of your home and get loans for your degree
3) Major in physics</p>
<p>I feel like you are a ■■■■■ haha</p>
<p>Everyone who keeps telling this kid to get loans for his degree, that is not possible in today’s college landscape. You can’t borrow enough on your own. Plus, even if your parents aren’t paying, their income is what is considered for financial aid awards. Physics and engineering just aren’t that far apart, and at 16 he has probably not taken high school physics yet. OP, don’t sweat this too much. Tell your dad you will look at physics, but you want to keep your options open. Plus, an experimental physicist will need some engineering skills anyway! So that is a good excuse to do things like robotics as EC. :)</p>
<p>Major in Engineering Physics…LOL</p>
<p>Without knowing your father’s experience (educational/professional), it’s a little premature to say his idea was totally wrong.</p>
<p>You can talk to him about how two of you derive the ideas and he and you can reason with each other. I don’t think it’s so hard to bridge the gap, which is not that far apart to start with.</p>
<p>You can also talk to you mother, relatives, his friends to get the message crossed. After all two things can be most certain: your father wants the best for you and he knows you much better than you to yourself until you leave home. Think about he raises you from day one while you remember things in bits and pieces after what age? I highly doubt that he doesn’t know you like to tinker with stuffs.</p>
<p>It could be that he has an old school of thought that math/physics is hardest to learn so it must be better. I never saw engineering students complain about they failed school because they couldn’t handle hands-on part of their majors, but plenty who failed engineering because of math, which goes hand in hand with physics. </p>
<p>Start with physics and get an engineering degree in graduate school or vice versa. There are also engineering majors called Operational or Financial, which has little resemblance to what you would describe as “tinker”, but they are true engineers, tinkering in a different way.</p>
<p>You need to put things in perspective.</p>
<p>Tell your dad it’s your life.</p>
<p>And his dad might tell him, “It is my money”. Like it or not, the OP will likely have to discuss this further with his dad. I think keeping an open mind through taking physics in high school would be a good idea. This isn’t like the kid whose parents want him to go to med school and he wants to major in music theory… these two majors are not miles apart. I just would not sweat it this year or next year, and apply to colleges that have both majors.</p>