Essential Guide: Surviving Your First Year in Physics

Part II: Surviving the First Year of College

This part covers survival tips for the first two undergraduate years. You’re now in college and intend to be a physics major — though much of the advice here applies to anyone taking physics classes, not just physics majors.

Advising and the calculus sequence

In most U.S. universities, freshmen do not receive a major-specific academic advisor because many have not officially declared a major. During your first week you will probably get “generic” advising based on what you intend to study.

Assuming you have the necessary background, you will likely need a complete sequence of calculus (typically a year or three semesters). That sequence covers basic calculus and analytical geometry (roughly the level of Thomas & Finney) and may lightly introduce topics such as vector calculus and partial differential equations. As a physics major you’ll usually need additional math beyond the standard calculus sequence — for example, a dedicated vector calculus course, a course on partial differential equations, and possibly complex analysis. (More on mathematics in Part III.)

Introductory physics courses

Introductory physics offerings vary by school. Broadly, you’ll see introductory physics with calculus and without calculus. As a physics major you should take the calculus-based sequence. If you lack calculus background, you may need to complete at least one semester of calculus before enrolling in the calculus-based physics course — high school students, take note.

The typical U.S. intro physics sequence is at the Halliday–Resnick level, usually spread over two or three semesters. These courses are a general survey of mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, and waves, and are normally accompanied by laboratory work that introduces systematic experimental methods and measurement.

Value of laboratory work

Many students view lab sessions as a waste of time, especially when equipment or experimental conditions are imperfect. But labs teach skills that cannot be learned from lectures or textbooks alone. Labs build practical skills (for example, reading meters accurately and minimizing errors), and they build mental skills: how to analyze experimental setups, interpret and evaluate data, and extract relevant information.

After an experiment you must be able to explain — in words and with graphs — what you did and what the results mean. That ability to document and critically analyze experiments is essential and is acquired through practice in the lab.

Skills beyond physics

The skills learned in physics classes and labs are valuable for students in any major. Critical analysis, understanding data reliability, and drawing sound conclusions are transferable abilities that will serve you throughout academic life and beyond. For many students, these skills will be more useful long-term than memorizing specific physics facts.

Get involved: The Society of Physics Students (SPS)

If you are an undergraduate in a U.S. university, there is no excuse for not joining the Society of Physics Students (SPS). SPS is open to all students, not just physics majors. As part of membership, you receive a one-year subscription to Physics Today and get newsletters and undergraduate-focused information. Membership also offers discounts and sometimes free registration for physics conferences.

Check whether your physics department has an SPS chapter and enroll through it. If there isn’t a chapter, you can join as an individual at http://www.aip.org/education/sps/index.html. If you are outside the U.S., you can still subscribe to Physics Today at http://www.aip.org/pt/.

Focus on grades early

Throughout your first two years, the best thing you can do is get excellent grades. These early courses are the foundation for everything that follows and often represent the most straightforward opportunity to achieve high marks. Large introductory classes can make you feel like an anonymous number, but don’t let that stop you from visiting instructors during office hours or asking teaching assistants for help — they are paid to assist you.

In the next installment we will discuss the transition from introductory classes to more advanced undergraduate courses and your first steps toward distinguishing yourself from other students.

Next Chapter: Part III: Mathematical Preparations