Hello fellow scientists and engineers.
I am a Physics-EE double major at the U of MN (twin cities). I was originally focused on doing pure physics and obtaining a research position in academia or government, but various pressures have turned me from this path, causing me to pick up a second...
I don't have official statistics, but to get a picture of what bigger universities are like, at the U of MN, the intro physics (calc based) class sizes look like they're at least 200-300. Not including the various honors physics courses.
My sophomore-level physics classes appear to have about...
The corollary to that is that you have to be willing to give your life for any entity that has a vested interest in war. Which, by definition, is not typically an entity that is worth giving your life for.
Research is the most important extra curricular activity (and it is VERY VERY important).
Second to research is involvement in relevant groups. If you're applying for physics grad school, for example, involvement in a physics club or SPS (Society of Physics Students) is good to have. (Actually...
My understanding is that, in a nutshell, with CE your focus is hardware. With CS, your focus is software. Obviously in one of these you will learn some stuff about the other. With CE, you'll not get quite as much about programming or theory, but you'll be studying a little bit of EE and a lot...
I may have misunderstood; it sounds like you know what you're doing.
In my opinion if you're confident in your ability to succeed at it and you're certain it's what you want, then it's definitely worth it. The only thing is, it would be ideal to be able to take some intro classes before making...
I have to ask: just what exactly do you want with a physics degree? Would you like to go to grad school and ultimately pursue research, or would you like to teach, or would you like to find some sort of industry job?
It's difficult to provide advice when I'm not sure what you want out of this...
Ah, Vanadium 50, you old curmudgeon, you. I knew I could count on you to take my hyperbolic rhetoric so literally.
Then again, given your dream-crushing pessimism that you seem so prone to, I figured you'd agree with me this time.
All of the engineering programs at my school (UMNTC) are ABET accredited, but I don't believe that includes the engineering physics degree, since that's a B.S. and not a B.E.E.
I'm considering changing to electrical engineering, but I reckon it would take at least two more years after this year...
I thank you for your advice, I shall keep that in mind.
Some articles I've read claim that there's a shortage of engineers, but I have a feeling that that's propaganda to try to get more people to go into engineering. A "shortage" probably just means that companies can't higher them for dirt...
Nice. That kind of job sounds right up my alley. The closer to the realm of science, the better. Academia jobs are probably the closest it gets, but in finding work in academia there's a lot of crap that I probably don't have the patience or the academic fortitude to deal with. Plus, as much as...
The first thing I'd do is make sure you can do algebra. If you don't have the right mindset for independent study (not many people do, it seems), perhaps attend a community college and take some math classes. It never hurts to get some education anyway.
Then try your hand at calculus. If you do...
Well, the idea of pursuing a PhD program in physics is sounding more and more ridiculous every day. The hope was to eventually get research job in academia. However, the competition for such jobs is outlandish. My advisor made the point that if he graduates a student with a PhD every year of his...
I disagree. I think someone on these boards said that if you shoot for the moon and miss, you'll still be among the stars.
There's nothing wrong with having lofty aspirations, just as long as you don't beat yourself up if you don't fulfill them. In fact, in my opinion, people these days...
I sort of go along with the recurring theme here in that it is very satisfying to know how things work, and physics describes how things work on a more fundamental level than any other branch of science (using mathematics as its means of communication). Also, for some people such as myself...