Schools Finishing undergrad school -- What are my options?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on a student nearing the completion of their undergraduate degree in Spain, expressing frustration with their university's quality and their own mediocre grades. They are uncertain about pursuing a master's degree, especially with upcoming resit exams, and are exploring options within physics and engineering, including satellite design. The student acknowledges the challenges of transitioning to graduate studies, particularly in a demanding field like physics, and emphasizes the need for deeper exploration of various branches and potential career paths. They seek guidance on how to better understand their options and make informed decisions about their future. Engaging with professors and graduate students, as well as researching different fields, is recommended to gain clarity and direction.
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Hi
I'm finishing undergrad school at a university in Spain. It's taken me 5 years (was supposed to be 4) and my grades are mediocre (trying to reach a 7 out of 10).

My university itself is a trainwreck, a disaster. Most of what I've actually, properly learned was during my year at Nottingham University. My grades there were a bit better (≈75%). And now I don't know where to go. Also, my university has resits exams in september-october, meaning that would be a handicap towards starting a master's degree next year...

I'm looking for help, for I really don't know what my options are, and I'm totally disconnected from the world that I may be entering. I started in physics with Theoretical Physics in mind, but friends have taken that idea out of my head; as beautiful as it is, it also implies a tough life.

Other typical masters that I know of are the ones in Astronomy, Nuclear physics, Biophysics... which I'm not fond of (could think about Nuclear, but still I barely know how it'd be). And that's all I know about the ones in Physics. I have been told about the field of condensed matter, but I know nothing about it.
Other options I have been looking are Engineering masters. I had an eye on satellite design. But again, I don't know of many other options.

Any help and insight will be much appreciated.
 
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I don't really know that system, but one thing about graduate school is that it tends not to get much easier. So if you're struggling with the material, or you don't feel like you've gotten a decent education, then you're likely going to struggle just as much or more in a master's program. The exception might be if you discover something you really have a deep passion for and as a result end up engaging with your studies.

Lots of people struggle with the direction to go after undergrad. It's not an easy choice, particularly if you've chosen an academic undergraduate education (such as physics) as opposed to a more professional one (such as engineering).

If you don't know much about the different branches of physics at this point, you have to either start doing some groundwork - reading, attending talks, talking with professors and graduate students - in order to figure out; or figure out how to translate the skills that you have learned into something marketable in the real world. There are a lot of options out there, but often they're not obvious, and difficult to come by.
 
I am capable of dealing with the subjects; in fact, my grades are really good now. My average, though, is low because my first two years didn't go well. I just mentioned my average grades in case they could be of relevance.
I have attended talks, but they haven't given me much info. Overall, I've heard of the fields I mentioned, but I haven't been given much of an insight. I'm looking for that, as well as to learn about any other field (academic or professional) that people here can tell me about.
 
Hey, I am Andreas from Germany. I am currently 35 years old and I want to relearn math and physics. This is not one of these regular questions when it comes to this matter. So... I am very realistic about it. I know that there are severe contraints when it comes to selfstudy compared to a regular school and/or university (structure, peers, teachers, learning groups, tests, access to papers and so on) . I will never get a job in this field and I will never be taken serious by "real"...
Yesterday, 9/5/2025, when I was surfing, I found an article The Schwarzschild solution contains three problems, which can be easily solved - Journal of King Saud University - Science ABUNDANCE ESTIMATION IN AN ARID ENVIRONMENT https://jksus.org/the-schwarzschild-solution-contains-three-problems-which-can-be-easily-solved/ that has the derivation of a line element as a corrected version of the Schwarzschild solution to Einstein’s field equation. This article's date received is 2022-11-15...
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