Can a Teenage Pacifist Pursue Quantum Physics and Afford College?

[i8pieyay]

you see i love quantum physics its a new discovery for me but i don't know i just get it. it amazes and baffles me( as anyone who is not confused by quantum physics truly doesn't understand it) i alwways had liked math but never science but always did and still do love the study of space and the heavenly bodies in blasars quasars and theoretical sciences its what gets me up in the morning then i heard about quantum physics and thought what a theoretical science with math i must be in heaven then upon further research lots of hair pulling out i realized i really enjoy it but must admit my knowledge in the field is rather shallow but my resources and indeed any resources for the field are limited especially for a 16 year old junior like me. now I am also poor and for me to get into college i have to join the military to afford it which sucks because I am a pacifist by nature but we all must risk everyhting and anything in the pursuit of knowledge now in going to sign in the army national guard because they will pay for 100% of my college any i want to go to in my state (Pennsylvania) but the problem is they will pay if you sign up for militarily beneficial majors and i don't think the army has much need for any theoretical sciences if anyone knows of someone i can still accomplish my dream of reading the stars splitting atoms mapping out electrons (hopefully not killing any cats) please let me kno

 

[Meir Achuz]

If the NG let's you major in physics or electrical engineering, you could continue to graduate school in physics. (As a teaching assistant, you get paid to go to grad school in physics.) You should also investigate ROTC programs or the service academies.

 

[jmatejka]

While I was at University of Colorado, the Army loved Physics Majors, the campus recruiter would call me all the time. General Physics has many applications with the military.

Let the military pay your way through school, General physics comes first, then Modern\Quantum Physics. Hopefully your love for "quantum physics" won't fade after you have pushed the pencil through pages of equation manipulations. Hang in there!

 

[i8pieyay]

haha thank you and an ROTC program was what i was thinking about doing and going osc but i haven't figured out which type of officer I am going to be

 

[Dr Transport]

I went to school on the GI bill while a Reservist during the '80's, there is no reason why you cannot join the guard, take their benefits and go to school for physics. I wasn't the only one, I went to school with others like me who were in the guard or reserves.

 

[skeptic2]

On the other hand, if you are truly intelligent and pacifist to boot you may not be able to stand the military. After humiliating you into submission they attempt to destroy any vestige of independent thought. In the military you will learn to obey without question, not think out of the box. It seems to me military training is the worst possible mental training for someone who wants to do research in quantum physics. If your grades are good, look for alternative means of paying for your education. You may be able to find a job that pays for your education. Obama may even bring back Americorps started by Clinton to provide money for college for those are willing to do community service.

 

[Jack21222]

First:

Could you please use punctuation, capitalization, and some semblance of sentence structure? That post was extremely hard to read. You're 16, not 6.

Second:

As skeptic2 mentioned, if you're a pacifist, you may hate the army. Additionally, with the state of the world as it is, you may be trying to learn physics in Iraq or Afghanistan. Luckily, Bush is out of office, so the risk of that is lower... but it's possible.

Have you considered the other option of doing well in your high school classes and getting a scholarship? How about a student loan?

If you are indeed poor, there are a lot of need-based options. Look into those before signing up for something you're going to hate.

 

[MathGangsta]

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RS22451.pdf

http://www.1800goguard.com/education/collegefirst.php

In the Army NG, you got 2 years then you're going to be deployed. Even though that first link is a year old, the stats speak for themself. Someone mentioned under Obama this might change, but I wouldn't count on it. We could only hope.

I would consider the Air National Guard first. It's more technical job-wise, they have quite a bit of electronic and computer jobs. Although with that said, you aren't crunching numbers or doing any theory. You might have to rebuild a device or maintenance a machine.

Goodluck with everything.

 

[i8pieyay]

but even as a pacifist, i find that it is my duty as an american citizen to fight for my country for what good is knowledge if you are being controlled by a communist dictator or living in constant fear. If once signed up i am sent to Iraq, or anywhere in the middle east I will do what I can for my country.

P.S. sorry for such previously attrocious grammar, I was in a hurry.

On the other hand, if you are truly intelligent and pacifist to boot you may not be able to stand the military. After humiliating you into submission they attempt to destroy any vestige of independent thought. In the military you will learn to obey without question, not think out of the box. It seems to me military training is the worst possible mental training for someone who wants to do research in quantum physics. If your grades are good, look for alternative means of paying for your education. You may be able to find a job that pays for your education. Obama may even bring back Americorps started by Clinton to provide money for college for those are willing to do community service.

 

[Jack21222]

but even as a pacifist, i find that it is my duty as an american citizen to fight for my country for what good is knowledge if you are being controlled by a communist dictator or living in constant fear. If once signed up i am sent to Iraq, or anywhere in the middle east I will do what I can for my country.

P.S. sorry for such previously attrocious grammar, I was in a hurry.

I don't think pacifist means what you think it means. As a pacifist, I'd say the best thing you could do for the country if deployed to Iraq is refuse to go.

So, since you want to "serve your country," (*snicker*) I think you'll enjoy the army reserve just fine.

 

[quantumdude]

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure that a pacifist is someone who refuses to fight in the Pacific Theater. If he were an atlanticist then I could see a problem with being deployed over that way.

 

[quantumdude]

That was a joke.

 

[daveyinaz]

To the OP, the more poor you are..the more financial assistance you can receive in the form of grants (free money not like loans)...all you have to do is make sure to sign up for the selective services when you turn 18 and then apply to FAFSA.

Don't get caught up in the belief that the ONLY way to pay for school is through the military.

 

[j93]

Don't get caught up in the belief that the ONLY way to pay for school is through the military.

Oh God I hope he doesn't believe the army is only way to pay.