Figuring out which (undergrad) classes to take

  • #1
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I have spent the past few months incredibly conflicted. I just finished my freshman year of undergrad (at a 4-year American university) and I have discovered Biophysics, a field which I really want to pursue. However, I still love math and want to continue with my Applied Math major. I'm afraid that by keeping my math major, I will have to take less physics courses, and consequently look less appealing/be less appealing to graduate programs (PhD).
These are the remaining courses, for sophomore - senior year, I expect to take with the Double Physics and Math major, while preparing for graduate biophysics:

Math:
Partial Diffequ, Advanced Statistics, Biostatistics, Numerical Applied Methods (year long advanced course, has lots of Matlab), and Stochastic Processes

Physics:
Intro to Quantum, Physics of the Brain, (Advanced) Mechanics, (Advanced) Electricity and Magnetism, Physics of the Heart, Physical Measurements Lab, Biophysics Lab, Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics, and an elective I have yet to choose

and also the full years of intro Bio and intro chem, Organic Chem, and Physical Chem.

As you can probably see, by giving up the Math major I would able to take much more physics/computer science. I really really enjoy math, but I fully expect to apply to graduate programs in physics. Should I just drop the major?
 

Answers and Replies

  • #2
At most American universities, you do not have to specify your major(s) until the end of your second year. So a good idea is to find out what courses you could take that would be required or recommended no matter what your eventual decision is, and plan your sophomore year accordingly. Then you will have the entire year to consider and to meet with your academic advisor.
By the way, there is a field called mathematical biophysics that you could aim for.
 
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  • #3
Maybe consider a math minor?
 

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