Can I Pursue a Degree in Physics if I'm Struggling with Math?

[SparkleJumpropeQueen]

I'm a Junior in high school trying to pick my undergrad program. I always thought I'd go into biology. I love it an I'm good at it. Then I took physics just to try it. I started looking up stuff online and, it's just so cool and amazing. Like I'm infatuated with it. I want to know all I can.
But the problem is I suck at it. I started pretty good but my mark keeps going down. Its the math. I really want to continue learning it in college but I don't think I'm smart enough and that makes me sad. I don't know if I'm dumb or just bad at studying. People just get the math part so much faster compared to myself.

 

[WIN]

and do you still love biology?
Math and Physic learning method is a bit different from biology i would say... maybe you might need a different study method for these 2 subjects
how long have this physics passion started and how deep have you go through it.
Weightage of passion for bio vs phy or do both =)

 

[SparkleJumpropeQueen]

and do you still love biology?
Math and Physic learning method is a bit different from biology i would say... maybe you might need a different study method for these 2 subjects
how long have this physics passion started and how deep have you go through it.
Weightage of passion for bio vs phy or do both =)

Yeah, I still do love biology. I've always been into space and how things worked but I've only been into physics this year. I looked up quantum mechanics and it was so cool cause we were always taught atoms are the smallest things. And I can't understand much, cause math, but what I can understand fascinates me and I do a lot of research in my spare time. It's the same with bio, but a bit less extensive.
How do you study for physics/math? I redid all practise problems but I didn't do it enough times on my last test.
I think I do want to do both. Or like a general BSc where I can also study chemistry. It just depends if I can actually score 90s. But I still don't know what career I want bc everything is too competitive.

 

[Kilo Vectors]

Math, your fundamentals are shaky

I recommened these books: You can find them online in some places.

http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/alevel/alevel.htm

http://www.mathcentre.ac.uk/topics/

Schaums outlines of mathematics for technology and science
Schaums college algebra
schaums college mathematics.

The for dummies series is pretty good too (calc 1 and 2, algebra 1 and 2).

Good luck!

 

[Student100]

I'm a Junior in high school trying to pick my undergrad program. I always thought I'd go into biology. I love it an I'm good at it. Then I took physics just to try it. I started looking up stuff online and, it's just so cool and amazing. Like I'm infatuated with it. I want to know all I can.
But the problem is I suck at it. I started pretty good but my mark keeps going down. Its the math. I really want to continue learning it in college but I don't think I'm smart enough and that makes me sad. I don't know if I'm dumb or just bad at studying. People just get the math part so much faster compared to myself.

People always complain about the math in physics, "I understand all the concepts, but the math man..."

It isn't the math, assuming you'd actually taken the required prerequisites to enroll in the class, it's applying the math to the physical concepts. The only way to get better at that is to keep doing problems in physics, ask yourself what's the significance of the problem, what's the significance of the formula, what's it telling us physically, etc. You need to analyze what you're doing and why you're doing it.

You're never going to be successful at anything as long you continue to talk down to yourself. There's about zero reasons why not doing good in a subject should make you sad. In fact, for most successful people, it should just make you want to try even harder. What're you going to do when biology gets a little rough? Change majors to sociology?

 

[jbrussell93]

Yeah, I still do love biology. I've always been into space and how things worked but I've only been into physics this year. I looked up quantum mechanics and it was so cool cause we were always taught atoms are the smallest things. And I can't understand much, cause math, but what I can understand fascinates me and I do a lot of research in my spare time. It's the same with bio, but a bit less extensive.
How do you study for physics/math? I redid all practise problems but I didn't do it enough times on my last test.
I think I do want to do both. Or like a general BSc where I can also study chemistry. It just depends if I can actually score 90s. But I still don't know what career I want bc everything is too competitive.

Wow, I feel like I'm listening to myself when I was in high school. I was basically going through the same thing, though I didn't discover my interest in physics until a bit later, the summer between my junior and senior year. At that point, I felt like an imposter when I told people I wanted to study physics because I was always sort of a slacker in high school. I wasn't great at math and didn't take calculus in high school and always thought I would study biology. Long story short, I devoted the next 4 years to studying physics, graduated with a 4.0, and now working on a PhD in geophysics... That is to say -- AVERAGE PEOPLE CAN MAJOR IN PHYSICS!

If you want to study physics, my advice would be to study the hell out of the math. Take your math classes seriously now, and start studying like you would in college. Read ahead in your math and physics books before you go to class. Don't let a single detail or step pass you by without understanding it fully. I think one of the most important things for being successful in a physics degree is identifying when you don't understand something and finding other resources that make sense to you.

As for your interest in biology, the field of biophysics is huge. The good thing about a physics degree is you can move into almost any STEM field afterwards (usually with a graduate degree), including biology. You might consider majoring in physics and taking a few bio classes on the side. Also, try to get involved with research as soon as you get to university.

 

[WIN]

Yeah, I still do love biology. I've always been into space and how things worked but I've only been into physics this year. I looked up quantum mechanics and it was so cool cause we were always taught atoms are the smallest things. And I can't understand much, cause math, but what I can understand fascinates me and I do a lot of research in my spare time. It's the same with bio, but a bit less extensive.
How do you study for physics/math? I redid all practise problems but I didn't do it enough times on my last test.
I think I do want to do both. Or like a general BSc where I can also study chemistry. It just depends if I can actually score 90s. But I still don't know what career I want bc everything is too competitive.

physics and maths is about understanding as well... you redid all the practice problems but did you think it throughly the mechanism and understanding behind those practices. Plan properly to do well =) You need the fundamental Math but the math in physics is also about the understanding of physics law. If you throughly understand the physics part then you will know what is the math part trying to imply.