Deciding My Future: 17-Year-Old's Dilemma

[Robert Mak]

This is my last year in school (17 years old), so i was deciding my future with my dad and we fighted about my career when i told him that i want to study physics, and he sayd that you can't cause you will not earn money, and stuff like that.

So he impose that i must study administration, lol (be a manager that's a crap). And i don't have the economical power to scape the house and study physic, so i was thinking studying administration (5 years), after that seek for a job, with the money of that job, will finance my studies in physic...

What do you think...

sorry for my bad english.

 

[whitay]

how about you reach a compromise and do a dual degree with business and science or administration and physics (same difference?).

If not tell your father engineers make heaps of money and study that. Then you get physics, maths and chem all in one hit.

 

[quasar987]

Convince him that physicists earn money?

 

[radou]

It is a typical thing that dads think physicists don't earn money. That's interesting.

 

[verty]

Don't give up. Don't do what you don't want to do.

 

[moose]

Print him out an article which states how much physicists earn. They can earn a lot.

 

[Robert Mak]

How much does they earn?

 

[marcusl]

You can found out at this web site
http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/emp_salary.html"

The categories on the left are the employers (i.e., "High Schools" means you are teaching).

 

[marcusl]

Also compare new physics grads to bus. admin. grads by clicking on the fifth link at this site
http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/emp_salary.html"

 

[JasonRox]

Plus, the salary levels for Business Administration is spiralling down because everyone thinks there is money in it, hence your dad thinks so too. Because of this, supply goes up! And if you know anything about business, when supply goes up for a job, salaries go down.

It wouldn't surprise me if the salaries for Physicists have stayed consistent in the past 50 years (considering inflation) because it's not like all of the sudden there will be a flood of Physicists coming into the field. That would be great, but it's not going to happen.

Note: When I transferred to university, my mom thought I was going into business. I didn't tell her it was for Mathematics. She didn't find out until half way through first year. Of course, she didn't and probably doesn't like that decision. I'm happy, so that's all that matters.

 

[Robert Mak]

Thanks a lot guys, Now my emotional state had rised.

Just another question; if a person is not too smart, can he finish a physics career?

Cause we don't know our limits until we are in the middle of a career, rigth?
Because in college the math and the physics is easy, and it is a hard decide.

 

[moose]

Because in college the math and the physics is easy

What college?

 

[JasonRox]

What college?

www.buyitonlinedegree-prestigiouscollege.com[/URL]

DUH!

 

[moose]

www.buyitonlinedegree-prestigiouscollege.com[/URL]

DUH![/QUOTE]
:biggrin: I almost clicked the link, but then read the title of it... then clicked it to make sure it's not an actual link :bugeye:


Best of luck Robert Mak. When it comes to your undergraduate education, don't settle for anything you do not want to do.

 

[Robert Mak]

Thanks guys; I will study physic, my dad is an idiot (He doesn't know what he says) and talking about studing administration, i think that is too easy for a person who like science.

ps: I think that i passed my transition period (I mean i have only 17 years old and it is hard for a young men to take decision without the understanding of this path).

 

[verty]

Just another question; if a person is not too smart, can he finish a physics career?

Cause we don't know our limits until we are in the middle of a career, rigth?
Because in college the math and the physics is easy, and it is a hard decide.

I don't think it's about smartness more than skills. If you gain skills, you can use them whether you are smart or not. Smartness probably makes it easier to gain skills, or easier to gain them on your own without guidance, but once you have them, you have them.

 

[JasonRox]

I don't think it's about smartness more than skills. If you gain skills, you can use them whether you are smart or not. Smartness probably makes it easier to gain skills, or easier to gain them on your own without guidance, but once you have them, you have them.

But then you're assuming that anyone can gain a skill, smart or not, which I disagree with.

That's the reality. Not anyone can do Physics, however slow you go.

 

[verty]

In the extreme, a disabled person typically can't learn to do hurdles, so some skills can't be learned, and perhaps some intellectual skills require some base level of intellect, but I think the hill is the learning of, not the having.

 

[Robert Mak]

In average how many people are studying physics in a university?

 

[CPL.Luke]

very very few, an average large university may only have 20-50 majors entering every year.

For instance NYU which has a population of 50,000 students and they only get about 30 physics majors every year.Also in the US high school physics teachers are in such high demand, that in some states you can get a free house, land, and a job right out of college. I believe the ratio of high school physics teachers to students is something on the order of 1:1000.

 

[moose]

It really depends on the university. Some universities have less than 20 per graduating class, some have over a hundred. It's probably more approriate to talk about the percentages.

You can look all of this stuff up on school websites, and other websites such as collegeboard.com

CPL.Luke, isn't NYU's student body like 35 thousand?

 

[Robert Mak]

Can you explain me what's the differece between TOEFL and SAT (I don't live in the United States of America but i want to there to study), and what books do you recommend to study for these tests.

 

[moose]

The SAT reasoning test is a standardized test which contains three categories:
-Mathematics
-Critical Reading
-Writing

You can learn more about the SAT on http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about/SATI.html

The TOEFL is the Test of English as a Foreign Language.

The difference between the SAT and TOEFL is that the SAT is aimed at students living in the United States, educated at an english speaking high school. The TOEFL is meant for those who are not absolutely fluent in the English language.

Most US universities I know of require international students to take the SAT and TOEFL. If your critical reading and writing scores on the SAT are low, the TOEFL can off set that.

Search www.google.com to learn more about these tests.

It is probably in your best interest to take both tests.

 

[interested_learner]

Quant shops (in finance) pay top phD physicists and mathematicians up to 1/2 million dollars to start. Yes, that is million. Aerospace companies (have to be a US citizen) will pay in the six figures for PhDs in physics and math and around $60-70,000 for BS. You won't starve if you are any good at physics and math.

 

[physics girl phd]

Also in the US high school physics teachers are in such high demand, that in some states you can get a free house, land, and a job right out of college. I believe the ratio of high school physics teachers to students is something on the order of 1:1000.

Ok -- I KNOW the ratio is low... but FREE house, land, etc?

come-on. I was better paid as a grad student than as high school teacher of physics and chem at +30 master's credits pay scale (and both jobs were within the past 10 years). And buying supplies out of pocket.

Yes -- things are improving... but I'd sure like to see which state is doing this. Yeah -- pay should scale with demand, but in this case I'd be surprised. Teachers are usually paid out of local/state moneys. What school board would approve this? AND still have supplies? May I kiss the board members' feet?:!)

 

[Robert Mak]

Quant shops (in finance) pay top phD physicists and mathematicians up to 1/2 million dollars to start.

What is a Quant shop.

 

[pasatom20]

Yes, physicists do earn money.
Here is the facts and figures of career in physicist.

# of people in profession: 18,000
Average hours per week: 40
Average starting salary: $38,500
Average salary after 5 years: $65,000
Average salary after 10 to 15 years: $85,000+

 

[CPL.Luke]

there sttes way out in the midwest where 14 acres still costs verly little, and the state steps in and gives you the money to build a house, otherwise they could never get anybody to move out there to teach physics.

also NYU's been expanding a lot recently, I got the statistic off of wikipedia just before posting.

 

[moose]

also NYU's been expanding a lot recently, I got the statistic off of wikipedia just before posting.

Yup, you're right.

Off of www.nyu.edu

Enrollment

* Total: 50,917
* Undergraduate: 19,401
* Graduate and Professional: 18,990
* Noncredit Programs: 12,526

EDIT: pasatom20, is that for bachelors, or masters or something? I know that starting for PhD is higher than that..

 

[physics girl phd]

there sttes way out in the midwest where 14 acres still costs verly little, and the state steps in and gives you the money to build a house, otherwise they could never get anybody to move out there to teach physics.

I would still like to know EXACTLY which states -- so you haven't clearly answered my question. A link to the states' departments of education, or particular policies stating this would be informative -- or newspaper article from some reputable paper.

I WAS in the midwest (OH). I've given numbers on my information ($24k as a BS +30 level, less than ten years ago -- 8 to be precise, and I was paid $24k throughout my PhD program which I started two years later, seeing that I'd be paid as much to go to grad school as to teach and my father passed away that year, so I needed an emotional break). I'll give you some particular programs or links that I do know of showing that incentives are available to become a teacher. Because yes, I'll say you can get incentives... but they aren't like that. In my experience, and I've been trying to look up different articles on Google, state education pages, college education pages, and I haven't seen free houses... and one of my research areas is "physics education with an emphasis on producing more qualified high school teachers" for my university. So it would be useful. I'd love to know if you could get that...

In order to be useful, I will say that now an individual seeking a teaching license will frequently have large incentives to become certified --
1) tuition waivers --
a) through the university -- I received a university fellowship to get my M.Ed. which was through Wright State University of Ohio, and I've seen similar ones, eg. Cornell, just by googling.
b) PROBABLY through state programs --although I haven't googled any and I'll admit that.
c) Definitely through national fellowship programs -- like the Knowles program.
2) loan forgiveness -- eg. Americorps teaching.
3) teacher pay is increasing (but still low) -- and increasing on need-based and skill based means (the $500 million Teacher Incentive Fund for example, and through local school districts implementing incentives on limited and controlled pay scales, eg. Denver Public).

But a house, land etc... I'd love to see it -- teacher pay is almost always out of taxes and linked to a pay scale based on education level and years of experience and has no link to field. I was offered less pay at a rural school ($19k). Only private schools (although I was offered only $18k because well--- the kids there are so much better that they make up for it) and charter schools might be able to change that -- because even the need-and-skill based incentives are pretty regulated (see for example the previously referenced program at Denver public schools that started a few years back).

Note -- I really just don't want to misinform students that might be interested in teaching. It's a great career, it pays OK although not as high as industry, the people/students are usually great -- and the classroom always interesting and unpredictable. If I wasn't having such a great opportunity to train and recruit more high school physics teachers, I'd probably go back to the high school classroom myself. And yes -- as a physics teacher, one would be employable... not problem. One would get lots of offers, but probably not free land and houses or a vacation home in Cancun.

Edited for minor typos.