Physics Degree

[TARSIER]

I am thinking about being a physicist as a profession, and am looking for a little input for maybe some people who have been in my shoes. (I really don't know if this is the right place for a question like this, so, if it isnt, just tell me and I will delete thread. Also, I know I should be talking to my school counselor instead of peeps online, but I am justing looking for a little information). Mainly I am wondering: 1. What are the most prestigious schools/good schools in the Physics area. 2. Is the job market for a physicist good. 3 Is the Pay good(least important for me, these are not in order of importance.) 4. Any other help that is constructive.

Thank you all who have read my post.
TARSIER

[nseidm1]

The road to a bachelors in physics is tough for most individuals, a masters, or a PHD is impressive. You gotta have heart to want to be a physicist.

[Davorak]

For me is it is a constant process of getting feed up and then realizing why I love it so much. There are as many reasons to be a physicists and there are physicists.

For me it is because I get a sense of joy and contentment when I put together piece of physics to understand new pieces of physics.

It is also fun when I know more physics as an undergrad then some of my engineering professors.

[TARSIER]

Thank you for replying, could you please answer a couple of my questions if you have a chance?

[godzilla7]

Well I'm in exactly the same boats as you, not sure why you're particularly interested in certain universities over others but I guess an Oxbridge education is impressive or MIT,Harv,Yale or whatever, kinda irrelevant though, from an employment perspective cause of the severe shortage of physisists, they'll employ any one from a cambridge graduate to a Hull uni student, in my counttry England, physisist jobs are as well paid as any other scientific fields, some times mores so cause of the aforemnetioned shortage of physisists, particularly in education, lecturers, teachers etc. I would suggest picking your university based on your needs, for example if your not keen on leaving your friends behind, stay close to home, and vice a versa if you've made a few enemies in your home town :smile: .

Think of employment opportunities, part time jobs if money is a worry, Uni is expensive, accomodation in halls in the UK is gauranteed at university in the first year usually then you're on your own, not sure about America, plan for what you want rather than for any particular prestige element is my advice, a physics degree is prestigous in itself,trust me it's considered one of the toughest degrees to get, so if your studying it people look on you as someone with brains or at least someone who's nuts :smile: ; if you want somewhere that specialises in say atrophysics or optics, then use the internet to find the best research establishments around.

Myself I work full time and study part time, I find this gives me the most felxibility, and I can study at my own pace to some degree, if you'll pardon the pun, the lack of rigidity suits me well, but if you are the sort of person that responds better to a formalized structure then full time education is a better bet, above all before you start your course it makes sense to read up on physics, cover all the forums, and read magazines on the subject: forewarned is fore armed, and a little maths reading wouldn't go amiss as physics and maths are twinned, you can't have one without the other. If you can master some of the concepts behind Quantum Mechanics theory then you'll be in a better postion, a good start would be looking into quanta of light, relativity and special relativity, quarks, Quantum Chromo Dynamics(QCD), Quantum Electro Dynamics(QED), weak force, this'll prepeare you for the wierd world of the quantum, or if your looking more for the astrophysics side then there's plenty of stuff out there for that too. There are specialist courses available that focus on specific areas of physics, so If you have something in mind you can usually specialise in say Physics with astrophysics or physics with nanotechnology, it depends on the universities areas of study.

I like you am not that interested in money but the jobs pay well enough so that's just an added bonus.

Hope this helps and good luck :smile: