Any chance for an arab in physics?

[nabki]

ive been interested in physics for sme time now, and in a couple of weeks ill be starting my 3rd(and last) year at high school, where i will have to do an exam at the end of the year to decide my future. 240 marks that cover: maths,physics,biology,chemistry,arabic, english and sociolism(or something like it)

mathematics includes: algebra, calculus, trigomotry, 3D geometry, and equasional geometry.
chemistry includes organic and no-organic chemistry.
physics contains mechanical, electromagnetic, and electronics.
biology examins the neurosystem on a molacucler then cellular, then moves on to genetics and then reproduction and evolution.
i have great mathematical skills(exept in trig) and a great understanding of physics. I am also good at inorganic chemistry and acceptable at organic chemistry.
my english is pretty good i think, and my computer skills are great.
do i have a future in physics, does anyone recommend it for me, and if anyone does, where should i study? I've already been offered training in theoretical physics for free at the national center for scientific research if i get more than 217/240 marks, should i take it up?
sorry for writing a book, but i just want to know if physics is a good decision for me :)

 

[HallsofIvy]

There is no reason in the world why being an Arab should keep you from studying physics! If you really are interested in physics, go for it! What nation are you living in? That sounds like one heck of a test!

 

[nicktacik]

There are plenty of arabs taking physics at my school (Mcgill in montreal, Canada).

 

[Werg22]

Allot of the Arabs I know are into the natural sciences.

 

[nabki]

thanks! I am living in syria, and yes it is one heck of a test, but what I am asking was if i wanted to study abroad (UK,USA,japan,france,ect...)should i do it, and where? I am even asking if physics is a good career line. is promotion quick? is it easy to get a job? how much proper research can i conduct? i love physics, and I am already challenging some concepts, and have read a lot of books(not even wrong, the universe in a nutshell, a brief history of time, the road to reality...).
im also asking is if when i graduate from high school, will my diploma be accepted at any of the majour universiteys around the world?
nick, doesent that school have something to do with showeifat intl. school?

 

[Werg22]

You must be warned that is is extremely difficult for international students to get admitted to North American and European universities. If your intention is to study abroad I suggest you apply to allot of schools, prestigious and not-so-prestigious. If you intend to apply in N. America, you will have to take the SAT subject tests and the TOEFL. You'll have to take the SAT subject tests Math IIC and Physics, and preferably Chemistry too. You'll have to get good scores and aside from that, good grades and ensure you have teachers who will write you recommendation letters. The most important thing is to make the transition to first world country I presume and as the name of your school for an undergraduate degree doesn't matter that much, your top priority should be getting in anywhere and be able to afford it.

 

[nicktacik]

"nick, doesent that school have something to do with showeifat intl. school?"

No idea, never heard of it.

 

[Manchot]

Interesting: I'm surprised that no one's mentioned the "r-word" yet. Unfortunately, regardless of whether a good university in the US accepts you or not, it'll be relatively difficult for you to get a student visa, thanks to racial profiling. (It certainly won't help that you're from Syria, in the heart of the Mideast.) Like everyone else said, you'll need to have extremely good grades, but in addition, I'd say that you need to make sure that you don't give them any excuse at all to deny you entry. Don't even take part in any protests, regardless of how benign they are, and expect to be grilled by the Department of Homeland Security when you depart and arrive. I know, I know: it's sad, but it's the truth.

(Ha, I just realized that in American discourse, Mideast and Midwest mean two completely different things. It's a lot like the difference between an American Indian and Indian-American. )

 

[oedipa maas]

Abdus Salam was from Pakistan and he won a Nobel prize a few years ago:
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1979/salam-bio.html

In the last lab I worked at (in New Zealand), one of my coworkers was Palestinian/Jordanian - he'd done his M.Sc in Jordan and then he'd taught high school in Dubai for a couple years before deciding to do his PhD. He's a super guy and he was great to work with. In Canada there are loads of arab students - I've been in classes with people from Iran, Egypt, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. I'd estimate that it's not any harder for someone from an Arab country to do graduate work in Canada than for someone from China.

Are your parents supportive?

 

[mgb_phys]

Was just about to add that link but couldn't remember how to spell Abdus Salam.
Wiki is very bad at searching if you get one letter wrong.

 

[animalcroc]

no one cares that you're arab unless you want us to.

 

[CPL.Luke]

I live in the Us, at my community college I was good friends with an Iraqi who had moved here less than 2 years ago, he had a lot of other friends who moved here during the same period from the mideast, it wasn't a problem (I wouldn't give to much worry to homeland security as long as you haven't been talking to any terrorists lately, he had friends back in Iraq who had gone to the militias). At my current university (Umass) I know several people from all over the mideast, most of whom are recent immigrants. As long as you aren't chanting death to america it'll be fine.

I should add that I live on the east coast, I know its a similar attitude on the west coast but the midwest has a reputation for being less tolerant, how true that is I don't know.

most schools in the Us accept a wide range of foreign students, and immigrants, If you cast a good net you'll find placesto study. The only problem with the US that makes it hard for foreign students is the cost. the average university costs about $25,000 a year, loans are readily available but its still prohibitive. Most european and Canadian schools are subsidized by the state and are either free or cost around $5000 a year.

good luck in any decision you make, if you want some choices for schools feel free to ask.

 

[JFonseka]

So you decided to take bio,phys and chem, lots of work. Being a certain race does not impair your ability to do a subject, so it's a rather silly question, what would have been a better question was, "could I do physics while taking the other two sciences and still get a good mark for physics?"

And the answer is yes, but you have to work hard at it, each science in itself goes a very long way and they are entirely different, but have certain similar aspects and you have to be committed to getting the best from all 3.

 

[Dissonance in E]

Yeah, I went to high school in Israel and the level between the kids at my international school and the kids at ramallah was HUGE, especially in mathematics. As far as I'm concerned you guys have a respectable reputation when it comes down to natural sciences and maths. So i don't think there will be much negative prejudice in e.g europe.
Go for it.

 

[Huma waseem]

Yes ! u can Do if you are interested ... Inshallah

 

[nabki]

thanks to everyone!
i'm british born british national, and i lived the first 13~14 years of my life in britan, so that should clear some things up... and private universities here cost about that much. my parents are very supportive, and have told me that i can study what i want.
i would appreciate it if someone would link me to some mathematics/physics SAT tests, just so i can try myself.
j fon, i can't choose the subjects i take here, instead i have a choice of what type of curriculum i want to follow after 9th grade: there's scientific(what i chose), litrate, economic, artistic, technological(computers mainly), handcrafts/mechanics and religous.(islamic or christian). scientific is considerd the most ardious(oh joy). oh, and we also get to choose if we want english or french at 4th grade, but now you start taking english form 1st grade and french from 3rd grade.
oh and one last thing, my high school diploma dosent matter abroad? and what do you mean by good grades?(% please)

 

[JFonseka]

With that kind of spelling and grammar mistakes, I'd stick to lower level english lol.

 

[nabki]

lol i probably should.