- #1
feuxfollets
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Hey guys, so I'm a freshman and course registration for next year is coming up. I have several thoughts about what to take but I'm not exactly sure what would be best. It's spring break right now for us and I'm going to talk to the undergrad physics advisor in two weeks, but I thought maybe I could get you guys' opinion on this.
This year I took an honors mechanics and I'm currently taking an honors e&m class and a modern physics class. I'm also taking a one year honors sequence of proof based mathematics, covering real analysis, linear algebra, differential equations and multivariable calc. Next semester I plan on taking advanced real analysis, theory of computation, and intro to cognitive science, in addition to whatever physics classes I decide to take.
I guess my main problem is that I don't have the background in math yet to take a lot of the further physics classes because I took proof based stuff this year. I'm enjoying them and I also want to math major, so I don't feel like that was a bad choice. However that leaves me kind of in a weird position for physics...
I could take a one year sequence of proof based complex analysis and partial differential equations. Which means the only physics options available to me next year are vibrations and waves, maybe statistical dynamics (technically I have the prereqs from modern physics but people have told me that I should take a full year of quantum first...), an electrical engineering-ish crash course for physicists, biophysics, and advanced mechanics.
The former 4 are all first semester and the latter is second semester. Unfortunately waves/vibrations and advanced mechanics don't sound terribly interesting to me (that's what people usually take), and I don't think I want to go a whole year with just those classes. There are graduate level classes on general relativity and intro to condensed matter physics; would I be able to handle them second semester of next year? I could take a one-year differential geometry/topology sequence for GR if needed.
I'm not sure if I would gain anything from taking biophysics. I'm not really interested in biochem stuff, but computational neuroscience is something interesting that I'm looking at (applied to some programs on that for this summer).
Alternatively I could take a math class over the summer that goes over PDEs and some complex analysis. That would enable me to take a year of quantum mechanics and electricity/magnetism next year. However the math class over the summer is geared towards engineers and focuses on computation and stuff, and I kind of want to understand the theory behind all of that stuff with the one year math sequence. I guess I could get the books for those classes and self study them over the summer along with the class?
Sorry for the long post. Any advice on what to do would be greatly appreciated.
This year I took an honors mechanics and I'm currently taking an honors e&m class and a modern physics class. I'm also taking a one year honors sequence of proof based mathematics, covering real analysis, linear algebra, differential equations and multivariable calc. Next semester I plan on taking advanced real analysis, theory of computation, and intro to cognitive science, in addition to whatever physics classes I decide to take.
I guess my main problem is that I don't have the background in math yet to take a lot of the further physics classes because I took proof based stuff this year. I'm enjoying them and I also want to math major, so I don't feel like that was a bad choice. However that leaves me kind of in a weird position for physics...
I could take a one year sequence of proof based complex analysis and partial differential equations. Which means the only physics options available to me next year are vibrations and waves, maybe statistical dynamics (technically I have the prereqs from modern physics but people have told me that I should take a full year of quantum first...), an electrical engineering-ish crash course for physicists, biophysics, and advanced mechanics.
The former 4 are all first semester and the latter is second semester. Unfortunately waves/vibrations and advanced mechanics don't sound terribly interesting to me (that's what people usually take), and I don't think I want to go a whole year with just those classes. There are graduate level classes on general relativity and intro to condensed matter physics; would I be able to handle them second semester of next year? I could take a one-year differential geometry/topology sequence for GR if needed.
I'm not sure if I would gain anything from taking biophysics. I'm not really interested in biochem stuff, but computational neuroscience is something interesting that I'm looking at (applied to some programs on that for this summer).
Alternatively I could take a math class over the summer that goes over PDEs and some complex analysis. That would enable me to take a year of quantum mechanics and electricity/magnetism next year. However the math class over the summer is geared towards engineers and focuses on computation and stuff, and I kind of want to understand the theory behind all of that stuff with the one year math sequence. I guess I could get the books for those classes and self study them over the summer along with the class?
Sorry for the long post. Any advice on what to do would be greatly appreciated.