- #1
CubismCubed
Some background: I'm currently going into my senior year in a Biochemistry/Biophysics (BB) program at a large state university. I currently have a physics minor but I'm going to end up just a few courses shy of a physics major if all goes according to plan. I'm doing very well academically - 3.88 GPA (3.82 in my major and 4.00 in my physics minor FWIW), I've TA'd calculus based physics classes for a year, and all my professors seem to like me and think highly of me.
In short, despite my academic success I'm finding myself pretty unfulfilled and that's making grad school applications fairly stressful. Over the past year I have seen my interest in my BB classes wane while my interest in physics classes has increased and I've been sparse in the biochem/genetics lab that I work in mainly due to a lack of interest. I think that my PI recognizes my lack of interest but doesn't really want to confront me about it and I know that I lack the conviction to let him know. Of note, the way my major works I haven't actually taken any biophysics classes yet, I will take a sequence of three courses this year.
As graduate school open their applications I'm increasingly getting more and more stressed. I have no idea what type of grad program I should be applying to (or if I should even be applying in the first place) - do I bank on liking my biophysics classes (I loved physical chemistry and did exceptionally well in it so maybe tis is an option), do I apply to physics programs and attempt to explain why I don't have a physics major and why I one of my recommendations is from a biochemist, should I stay a fifth year to get a phyiscs major and work in a lab and then decide, or should I just graduate with a degree in biochem/biophysics and figure something else out?
I've talked with one physics professor about this and his advice was to stay for a fifth year and get a physics degree which is what I'm leaning towards but I'm hesitant to commit to any decision.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I know that a forum may not be the typical place to ask for major life advice but I imagine that others have been through similar situations.
In short, despite my academic success I'm finding myself pretty unfulfilled and that's making grad school applications fairly stressful. Over the past year I have seen my interest in my BB classes wane while my interest in physics classes has increased and I've been sparse in the biochem/genetics lab that I work in mainly due to a lack of interest. I think that my PI recognizes my lack of interest but doesn't really want to confront me about it and I know that I lack the conviction to let him know. Of note, the way my major works I haven't actually taken any biophysics classes yet, I will take a sequence of three courses this year.
As graduate school open their applications I'm increasingly getting more and more stressed. I have no idea what type of grad program I should be applying to (or if I should even be applying in the first place) - do I bank on liking my biophysics classes (I loved physical chemistry and did exceptionally well in it so maybe tis is an option), do I apply to physics programs and attempt to explain why I don't have a physics major and why I one of my recommendations is from a biochemist, should I stay a fifth year to get a phyiscs major and work in a lab and then decide, or should I just graduate with a degree in biochem/biophysics and figure something else out?
I've talked with one physics professor about this and his advice was to stay for a fifth year and get a physics degree which is what I'm leaning towards but I'm hesitant to commit to any decision.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I know that a forum may not be the typical place to ask for major life advice but I imagine that others have been through similar situations.