Choosing Between Mathematics and Physics for Undecided Students

[JA123]

Hi. My name is [personally identifiable information removed by moderator].
I have an innate interest in both mathematics and physics, and am unable to decide which to study at University. I believe that I can only study one due to my parents and their restrictions, and have no idea which to choose. The reason I mentioned my parents is that I am currently 16 years old, and have just graduated high school, and am about to move onto uni. Please help. Which one would be more beneficial to me?

Please note, if it helps, that I have an IQ of 172, and have learned both differential and integral calculus, ODEs and PDEs already. Thx.

 

[MidgetDwarf]

I would edit your name out from the post, for security reasons. Have you gone through rigorous math books ( proof/theorem), or just plug and chug? i.e., Stewart Calculus.

 

[Andreol263]

Well, what areas from physics are most interesting to you? and i ask the same question from MidgetDwarf, you prefer rigorous math books(i.e:Calculus with Theory courses, that involve theorems and its proofs) or just the superficial books who nearly only teaches you how to compute some derivatives and integrals and that's all?
Ps:I'm 16 too haha :D

 

[Akorys]

If you like both subjects, the best way to decide (assuming you have sufficient background knowledge, as the above questions are trying to deduce) would be to take a more difficult book from each of the fields and try to work through the problem sets. If you find that doing hours of work for difficult problems keeps you engaged in one subject more than the other, you may have your answer. As for books you could use, there are many good recommendations in textbook threads. And if you still cannot decide, doing a joint degree could be an option if your university offers it, and you may decide to switch into one or the other major after doing more courses.

 

[JA123]

Hey thanks for the suggestion. Um, do any of you know which would be easier to obtain a job with. I have little to no interest in working as a researcher, so I'm not entirely certain which degree would offer better job prospects.

 

[symbolipoint]

Hey thanks for the suggestion. Um, do any of you know which would be easier to obtain a job with. I have little to no interest in working as a researcher, so I'm not entirely certain which degree would offer better job prospects.

How certain are you about that? Have you research experience? Have you, maybe, bad research experience? Had you, maybe, done research under bad guidance? Maybe you could be comfortable doing research. Are you less interested in research but more interested in Design or Development? This is much like research but more oriented to practical results.

Try to ask companies what problems they want people to solve. When you have some of those answers, ask yourself, (1) Which of those problems do you want to be able to solve, and (2) What should you study so that you would be able to solve those problems.

 

[JA123]

How certain are you about that? Have you research experience? Have you, maybe, bad research experience? Had you, maybe, done research under bad guidance? Maybe you could be comfortable doing research. Are you less interested in research but more interested in Design or Development? This is much like research but more oriented to practical results.

Try to ask companies what problems they want people to solve. When you have some of those answers, ask yourself, (1) Which of those problems do you want to be able to solve, and (2) What should you study so that you would be able to solve those problems.

As I said, I'm 16, so I haven't had any experiebce really. All I know is that to me, research sounds a bit... "icky" I prefer applications anyway. However, what you suggested does soud interesting.

 

[symbolipoint]

Hi. My name is [personally identifiable information removed by moderator].
I have an innate interest in both mathematics and physics, and am unable to decide which to study at University. I believe that I can only study one due to my parents and their restrictions, and have no idea which to choose. The reason I mentioned my parents is that I am currently 16 years old, and have just graduated high school, and am about to move onto uni. Please help. Which one would be more beneficial to me?

Please note, if it helps, that I have an IQ of 172, and have learned both differential and integral calculus, ODEs and PDEs already. Thx.

You study both! You must learn Mathematics for ALL scientific fields, and Physics is very extensively reliant on Mathematics. You could choose Engineering as major field to study, if you want to have a practical choice for an easier time finding employment. You will need at least some courses in Physics for any engineering degree.

 

[JA123]

You study both! You must learn Mathematics for ALL scientific fields, and Physics is very extensively reliant on Mathematics. You could choose Engineering as major field to study, if you want to have a practical choice for an easier time finding employment. You will need at least some courses in Physics for any engineering degree.

That's true. However, I feel that Engineering would disappoint my parents and my family. They have... High expectations for me. Does anyone know which engineering branch is the most mathematical?

 

[symbolipoint]

That's true. However, I feel that Engineering would disappoint my parents and my family. They have... High expectations for me. Does anyone know which engineering branch is the most mathematical?

Which of these would disappoint your parents:

• Degree in Physics and you struggle to find a job
• Degree in Engineering and you find a good job

 

[JA123]

Which of these would disappoint your parents:

• Degree in Physics and you struggle to find a job
• Degree in Engineering and you find a good job

Alright, that's true. I just don't know what engineerig will be like. Will it be challenging?

 

[Andreol263]

Did you try to study some topics of physics before? like eletrodynamics, thermodynamics, quantum physics, etc..? pehaps it could help you to decide what course in your life you should get in, and again i ask, you prefer rigorous books, or more superficial books?

 

[JA123]

Did you try to study some topics of physics before? like eletrodynamics, thermodynamics, quantum physics, etc..? pehaps it could help you to decide what course in your life you should get in, and again i ask, you prefer rigorous books, or more superficial books?

In all honesty, I do prefer the more rigorous, in depth books.

 

[Jaeusm]

I feel that Engineering would disappoint my parents and my family.

You shouldn't waste your time worrying about what others might think about your choice of college major.

 

[symbolipoint]

Alright, that's true. I just don't know what engineerig will be like. Will it be challenging?

Now you have the beginning of a sense of direction to take. Will you, in the region of the world where you are, have the option to study Physics AND include some courses in Engineering? Can you choose Engineering as your major field to study and earn a "minor" concentration in Physics?

 

[JA123]

You shouldn't waste your time worrying about what others might think about your choice of college major.

I kind of have to, my parents are paying the fees.

 

[Jaeusm]

I kind of have to, my parents are paying the fees.

You said engineering would disappoint your parents and your family. Is everyone contributing?

 

[symbolipoint]

I kind of have to, my parents are paying the fees.

You are willing to accept some counseling. Your parents need to accept some counseling also. Be very careful about trying to satisfy what they want you to do. It could backfire on you badly. Physics is a great, wonderful subject, but when companies want to hire scientific or technical people, many of them look for Engineers, or at least candidates with practical knowledge and skills.

 

[JA123]

You said engineering would disappoint your parents and your family. Is everyone contributing?

No, they just tend to pressure me a lot. Being a child prodigy isn't all it's cracked up to be.

 

[JA123]

You are willing to accept some counseling. Your parents need to accept some counseling also. Be very careful about trying to satisfy what they want you to do. It could backfire on you badly. Physics is a great, wonderful subject, but when companies want to hire scientific or technical people, many of them look for Engineers, or at least candidates with practical knowledge and skills.

Yeah, I may do engineering first, and then, if i can, another degree in Physics later. Speaking of which, is it worth it getting a Ph.D in Engineering. Or is that more for physics and mathematics?

 

[Andreol263]

i think that graduate in physics or mathematics would be a lot more interesting...

 

[JA123]

i think that graduate in physics or mathematics would be a lot more interesting...

What do you mean?

 

[jtbell]

I'm not familiar with the Australian educational system, but maybe you or someone else can answer this: at what point (age) do you have to "lock yourself into" either math or physics or engineering or some other specific path in the technical fields? Surely not at age 16?

In the US, this varies from one university or college to another, but is typically the second year at university level (age 20).

 

[Andreol263]

after you undergraduate in enginnering of course. And you should search deep in mathematics and physics, if you prefer rigorous areas, try study some analysis,group theory and other pure mathematics courses for you to have a good vision about what you really wants.

 

[JA123]

I'm not familiar with the Australian educational system, but maybe you or someone else can answer this: at what point (age) do you have to "lock yourself into" either math or physics or engineering or some other specific path in the technical fields? Surely not at age 16?

Um, well since I am fibished high school, I am expected to now attend university, and really the only options for me are as you said, technical fields. I could either do a Bachelor of science or engineering.

 

[micromass]

To be honest, if you're not interested in research, then a major in math and physics is not for you, and it would be engineering that is perfect for you. Of course, you don't really know whether you'd enjoy research, but you should definitely play with some engineering stuff.

Also, as a general advice, never mention your IQ to strangers. It makes you sound pretentious. You don't want people to think that of you as their first impression.

 

[JA123]

To be honest, if you're not interested in research, then a major in math and physics is not for you, and it would be engineering that is perfect for you. Of course, you don't really know whether you'd enjoy research, but you should definitely play with some engineering stuff.

Also, as a general advice, never mention your IQ to strangers. It makes you sound pretentious. You don't want people to think that of you as their first impression.

I'm beginning to think that Engineering is the way to go. And sorry for the IQ thing, it's just that my intelligence is really my only positive trait, so I tend to display it more than I should ;)

 

[micromass]

I'm beginning to think that Engineering is the way to go. And sorry for the IQ thing, it's just that my intelligence is really my only positive trait, so I tend to display it more than I should ;)

I'm sure you are very intelligent and that's a good thing. But you saying that your intelligence is the only positive trait, that is very worrying. I understand that being 16 is not easy and that you tend to look at yourself very critically at that time. But still, you need to learn to appreciate yourself for who you are. And you need to learn to like many things about yourself outside your intelligence. This is easier said than done of course, but this is really vital to yourself in the future.
As for me, I don't believe for a second that your intelligence is your only positive trait. You need to surround yourself with people who like you for more than your intelligence.

 

[JA123]

I'm sure you are very intelligent and that's a good thing. But you saying that your intelligence is the only positive trait, that is very worrying. I understand that being 16 is not easy and that you tend to look at yourself very critically at that time. But still, you need to learn to appreciate yourself for who you are. And you need to learn to like many things about yourself outside your intelligence. This is easier said than done of course, but this is really vital to yourself in the future.
As for me, I don't believe for a second that your intelligence is your only positive trait. You need to surround yourself with people who like you for more than your intelligence.

Thing is, all my friends are exactly like me...

 

[JA123]

Also, does anyone know how much coursework is in engineering on average? If there is a lot, then I may have to rethink it...