How to change my career to one in physics?

[dinnan]

If you are sure you want to go into this field, here are some of my suggestions.
You said you need some kind of financial support. I think that would be more likely in a PhD program. (Do they have full support for people in master degree?)
In order to get into a PhD program, you probably need some background in the field to show admission committee that you have what it takes to be successful in the program.

Understand that. V have some support system here in MS, but in country of billion people and limited resources, u have to be really good to get that. probability in my case seems less especially when profs look at ur background b4 admission.

Can't you do part-time studying? If not in your country, is it possible to get a job somewhere else where you would be able to take physics classes?

Part times suck in here and get a job and go to classes is difficult as switching into a job near to phy classes and being able to get out of it in time has low probability here in the IT industry. It can be done though, but degrees are valued here and such classes won't be usefull in the long run.

Another way is to get a job related to astronomy/astrophysics/physics. Your background should be useful for this. Maybe it's possible to join a research group that needs a programmer. Then take some time to study the basics.
Then you can take a PGRE, get letter of recommendation, and apply to programs with your research experience.

I will have to look into this. I have noted it down. Its a very good suggestion.

 

[twofish-quant]

Also you really do need a very firm grasp of the fundamentals. Start with the lectures for classical mechanics and E&M.

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Physics/index.htm

 

[sganesh88]

@dinnan
I am also in a similar situation. I have just completed my BE in Automobile Engineering. But i would like to get into err.. zapperz don't read this.. theoretical physics.
@ZapperZ
What i think is that most of the Indians finish their graduation without much input and effort. We mug up the notes just before the exams and the system in almost all the colleges don't check our understanding of the subject as they check our transient-memory power.. One guy from the final year (4th year) in our Automobile Dept remarked this while i was elucidating my doubt about the forces involved during steering.
"Why are you confused? Just turn the steering wheel. The car will take a turn".
I asked "What if the car is cruising through space".
"So what? Even then it will take a turn".
"Yeah right!"
My college is allegedly a premiere institution in India. See the understanding of a final year student. This guy actually has a CGPA of 9 out of 10.
Hence, just like we complete our schooling we complete our graduation. All that matters is a decent aggregate. So after four years we don't really get a feel of having learned something from the course.
When something like Physics comes up catching us off-guard; when we feel that life has no other meaning other than to study it wholeheartedly, we are left with no other option but to abandon our previous pseudo-course and go ahead with learning Physics. Society pressures and poor economic background will resist this decision. Depending on the extent of your love for the subject, one party will win.

@Dinnan (again)
What have you decided? I have applied for GATE Physics. Going to apply for JAM too.
Contact me thro my email- sganesh88@gmail.com
Maybe we need to form a community for people like us. :D

 

[dinnan]

@dinnan
I am also in a similar situation. I have just completed my BE in Automobile Engineering. But i would like to get into err.. zapperz don't read this.. theoretical physics.
@ZapperZ
What i think is that most of the Indians finish their graduation without much input and effort. We mug up the notes just before the exams and the system in almost all the colleges don't check our understanding of the subject as they check our transient-memory power.. One guy from the final year (4th year) in our Automobile Dept remarked this while i was elucidating my doubt about the forces involved during steering.
"Why are you confused? Just turn the steering wheel. The car will take a turn".
I asked "What if the car is cruising through space".
"So what? Even then it will take a turn".
"Yeah right!"
My college is allegedly a premiere institution in India. See the understanding of a final year student. This guy actually has a CGPA of 9 out of 10.
Hence, just like we complete our schooling we complete our graduation. All that matters is a decent aggregate. So after four years we don't really get a feel of having learned something from the course.
When something like Physics comes up catching us off-guard; when we feel that life has no other meaning other than to study it wholeheartedly, we are left with no other option but to abandon our previous pseudo-course and go ahead with learning Physics. Society pressures and poor economic background will resist this decision. Depending on the extent of your love for the subject, one party will win.

@Dinnan (again)
What have you decided? I have applied for GATE Physics. Going to apply for JAM too.
Contact me thro my email- sganesh88@gmail.com
Maybe we need to form a community for people like us. :D

I totally agree. BTW I also studied in one of those "premiere institutes". I think we should all be in contact. I think not only are we all traveling in the same boat, the boat is large and crowded. Surely its not an individual problem.

@ twofish-quant

I will go through the MIT open course ware. Thanks for your advice. I greatly appreciate.

 

[sganesh88]

Yes.. Is there any academic guidance site especially for Indian students?

 

[dinnan]

Not that i know of.

 

[counterpoint]

Ask yourself why you want to study Physics? I don't see why you cannot puruse Physics in India. Not everyone can come to the U.S. This doesn't mean that you should frown upon your other options. You don't have to study physics in the US - Understand that education in America is a 'business', although they do care about teaching and developing great minds, at the end of the day it's about paying their employees, cutting costs, etc. Real education occurs outside of class and depends entirely on the student; much of grad school is self-learning. Don't travel thousands of miles just to realize that the grass is not greener on the other side (in some situations); Why not England? India? Germany (if you know german - or learn it)?

You can study physics anywhere, if you're good at it, you're good at it people will notice; make an informed decision. Oh, and your intuition is often wrong. You are not who you think you are, but if there is a voice within you that says "you cannot paint", by all means paint! And that voice will be silenced.

 

[Amar.alchemy]

Thanks for being ab;e to understand my situation. I too have some doubts on whether I might actually get along studying it. I have started reading the feynman lectures to understand some basic things. Suggest some other book that you find is a good start.
Another problem is that of finding time after work. I am appearing 4 GATE this time too in physics. Can engineers write it and get admission into colleges with stipend? They had mentioned MS in physics as qualification 4 that.

Some of the institutes like IISc, RRI, TIFR, IIA, IUCAA, NCRA do consider BE Graduates, particularly Electronics/Electrical Engineers or for that matter any BE graduates. Regarding books, i think Physics experts in this forum can help u better than me.
Anyways, Best of luck...

 

[collectedsoul]

I just set up a blog to discuss all things related to shifting one's career to physics. Since there seem to be so many of us I thought we could share information, exchange notes and generally help each other out. Please PM me if you're interested in joining the blog.

 

[dinnan]

thanks all. appreciate ur views. will find a way out soon.