Physics Becoming a Theoretical or Astronomy-Physicist: High School Prep Advice

[perseus32]

I am planning on be a theoretical physicist or a astonomy-physist, but I need to make sure there's a possible career need for those fields before I choose it. Also I need to know what classes I should take, as I have three more years of high school. So I need to know what classes to start taking to prepare, obviously physics and ap physics, will those help with theoretical physics?
Thanks,
Perseus

 

[eri]

Astrophysics is a field of physics. Theoretical physics is a way of approaching physics, not a field of physics. You'd need a PhD in astronomy or physics to get jobs in those fields (not many exist if you don't have one), and there aren't a ton of jobs even if you do have a PhD - you'd have to be willing to move wherever the job took you. In high school, take all the math and lab science you can. In college, major in physics and take classes in math, computer science, and astronomy. Spend your college summers doing REUs at your school and others. There are even some research programs for high school students, if you're a great student - NASA and MIT offer some.