Advice on Math / Engineering or Physics / Engineering?

[ArchieAnonymous]

Hello! I am a sophomore in college currently pursuing degrees in Physics and Engineering, part of a dual degree program my college offers. However, I am having trouble deciding between sticking with my current major and changing to a pursuing of Math and Engineering degrees. Allow me to explain what these look like:

Physics / Engineering
My college offers this through a dual degree program, which would allow me a B.S. in both Physics and Engineering over the course of 5 years. I would spend 3 years total at my current school for Physics and two years at the partner school for Engineering.

Math / Engineering
My school does not, however, have a dual degree program for Math and Engineering. If I were to change to this program, I would be getting a Math B.S. at my current school and a Masters in Engineering at some other school, all of this taking place over 6 years.

My Situation
While I have not gotten very far along in physics classes, Principles of Physics I & II were both difficult for me, which sort of intimidates me when I think about the later, likely more difficult physics courses. I was able to pull off an A in Principles I and a B in Principles II, however, so maybe I should not give up so soon. On the other hand, I have been more successful overall in my Math classes as well as enjoyed them more. The only reason I believe I enjoyed them more, however, is because most of them weren't PowerPoint classes like both physics classes were. I do much better in classes where the teacher writes notes on and works problems out on the board, which seems less common in Physics. Am I mistaken in thinking all my future math classes will be like this?

For fear I am making this post too long, I am going to wrap up now. Overall, I'd be very appreciative if you guys could share your thoughts on this dilemma. I need all the advice I can get ! Thank you very much!

 

[wartickler]

Time worn and true: do what you love. If you don't love it then it's not what you should do.

 

[dkotschessaa]

I could be wrong, but I would think it would be tough to go from math to engineering, unless you were also picking up some engineering/physics stuff along the way. I have two years of graduate math (almost masters) and can't imagine any engineering school letting me into their program without at least taking a year of undergraduate engineering courses or something.

-Dave K

 

[Crass_Oscillator]

I would say work harder and get the physics degree rather than wasting an extra year of your life because you got 1 B in 1 course. It sounds like the teaching sucked for your physics classes but the math classes could get worse and the physics courses could get better.

Most likely the teaching will just get worse in both!

 

[Carlos PdL SdT]

Hello! I am a sophomore in college currently pursuing degrees in Physics and Engineering, part of a dual degree program my college offers. However, I am having trouble deciding between sticking with my current major and changing to a pursuing of Math and Engineering degrees. Allow me to explain what these look like:

Physics / Engineering
My college offers this through a dual degree program, which would allow me a B.S. in both Physics and Engineering over the course of 5 years. I would spend 3 years total at my current school for Physics and two years at the partner school for Engineering.

Math / Engineering
My school does not, however, have a dual degree program for Math and Engineering. If I were to change to this program, I would be getting a Math B.S. at my current school and a Masters in Engineering at some other school, all of this taking place over 6 years.

My Situation
While I have not gotten very far along in physics classes, Principles of Physics I & II were both difficult for me, which sort of intimidates me when I think about the later, likely more difficult physics courses. I was able to pull off an A in Principles I and a B in Principles II, however, so maybe I should not give up so soon. On the other hand, I have been more successful overall in my Math classes as well as enjoyed them more. The only reason I believe I enjoyed them more, however, is because most of them weren't PowerPoint classes like both physics classes were. I do much better in classes where the teacher writes notes on and works problems out on the board, which seems less common in Physics. Am I mistaken in thinking all my future math classes will be like this?

For fear I am making this post too long, I am going to wrap up now. Overall, I'd be very appreciative if you guys could share your thoughts on this dilemma. I need all the advice I can get ! Thank you very much!

I don't how it works in your college but at least in Spain having a B is nothing bad, there are pretty much only two grades: failed or not failed and about 90% of people fail some subject sooner or later. If you can do physics (and your grades prove you can), I'd suggest: do it.
Maths can get pretty dull if you compare them to engineering, you'd need to pay for another year in college (which isn't cheap) and I know that I would like physics better.