Introducing Myself and Seeking Advice

[Tater72]

Sirs and Ma'ams,

This, my first post, is really more of an introduction or perhaps an excuse to finally become a member of this forum instead of just a "guest" lurker. I am including a query, though, since I don't see an "intro" sub-forum like a lot of other forums have and typically require of new members. This is the closest sub-forum I can find so please forgive my presumption.

First, I want to express my gratitude to the admin and contributors of this site. I imagine all those students benefitting from such a resource as this and am sure certain problems would be easier to comprehend considering a teacher may or may not be doing a good job of... well, "teaching." It's nice to have varying perspectives.

I'll try to edit and simplify my post(s) since I'm cursed with the tendency to ramble on, forgetting that most, if not all, readers could care less about what drives me to pursue Physics, for example, much less my background and how I got to this point.

Yet, I would like to mention just a pinch only because it pertains to my query:

I'm 38 years old. Until only a few months ago, Physics was a subject that I would pursue only if I won the lotto and had nothing to do with all that free time. Ironically, I don't buy lotto tickets.

Yet, I've always felt some unyielding urge in the back of my mind to pursue the science of "what is", even before I ever heard the word Physics. I'll just summarize the rest by saying; I was simply misguided growing up. My mother (no dad) was indifferent to my upbringing so any achievements I made were out of personal interest. Worse, and more importantly, I was, for lack of a better word, brainwashed into believing College was a waste of time and I would be better off starting in some job at the bottom and working my way up. This is the same person whose financial advice for me was, "when you die, your debts die with you."

Consequently, I made very little effort in my education and ended up where I am today; in a vocation that requires little background other than some prior experience pertaining to the field. I do OK for myself and want for nothing for the most part.

But that unyielding urge is still there as it always has been.

This is where I start to sound pompous and egotistical which is the opposite of my true character so I beg you to keep that in mind. My entire life, I've observed that anything I apply myself at produces first rate results. Whether in school or work I always end up the best, comparatively. More so, I have never had to give more than minimal effort for those results. What I take from that is not so much that I'm some "next Einstein," but at the very least I'm capable of much, much more. This unyielding urge has finally become so predominant that it can no longer be ignored.

So here's my question: [And thank you for 1) reading my blabbery and 2) taking the time to even consider commenting. I hope this doesn't sound weird or anything, but your professional opinion is the most important thing in my life right now. No pressure :) But seriously, if I am too late I still must acquire the knowledge of the Universe as our civilization currently understands it because that urge I mentioned seems to insist that I very well just might be able to help discover some of the unanswered questions of science. My motivation is purely selfless, I assure you. Otherwise, I would just keep doing what I have been.]

Am I starting too late? More importantly, am I too far behind in my academics? I have been accepted back to the University I dropped out of 2 decades ago and the Physics advisor gave me the OK, but I have only the most basic background in Math (2 years High school Algebra) and only High School "Physical Science" which as far as I can tell is more or less Algebra-based Physics (I did, interestingly, get a 102 average for the entire year and was given the science award for it).

I've read Zapper's sticky (twice, actually) and "searched" here and read through countless posts by other members that were similar. I always knew I had a knack, even a secret curiosity in the science of Mathematics and have been self-teaching/refreshing myself from the numerous resources online and intend to be able to at least CLEP out of college algebra, hopefully more, but time is short because I'm hoping to start next semester if I can get my finances worked out in time.

Again, this is important enough for me to bother you guys with this because I'm going to have to quit my full time job (24/7 on-call type deal) because it simply won't allow me to make time to go to school and, as you all know, one can not get a Physics degree solely online. I have already made certain it will be doable financially before I trudge headlong into such a life-changing commitment, but I suppose I'm just looking for some sense of academic possibility because I have a wife that requires a sense of stability. Otherwise I'd just sell the house and move into a cheapo apartment near campus and take the bus everywhere, etc.

See what I mean about rambling on? Again, I appreciate your patience and understanding!

 

[Angry Citizen]

Of course it's not too late. I know someone who's going back to school for social work at age 43. It's never too late. Follow your dream. Buy a math textbook and bone up as much as possible before you start, because yes, you're going to be competing with kids who have calculus 2 under their belt before they even enter college. If you're good, you can test out of classes -- just do it for the right reasons and not because you need to 'catch up'. If you need to spend a summer or two taking math classes, so be it.

I needed to catch up to my peers too, but I didn't do it at university. I took remedial and lower math classes at my local community college until I was ready for higher maths. I'm only now looking at transferring. Good luck, buddy.

 

[DrummingAtom]

You weren't kidding about the rambling. I will never understand posts like this. If some anonymous people on an online forum told you that you should or shouldn't do it, would you listen? The reason I feel I can talk bluntly about this is because I'm in a similar situation. If you don't have the drive to do it yourself then maybe you shouldn't do it at all.

I gave up *a lot* to go back to school and now that I'm in it I know I made the right decision. This is my first semester back and it's a lot harder than I thought and I know it's only going to get harder. I think one of the reasons that drove me most to go back was because time seems to be going faster than ever. So, the way I see it (as do most others on this forum) is in 4 years you'll either have some kind of Science degree or not. That point right there made my decisions for me. The thing I am most worried about is what I'm going to do with the degree(s) I obtain.

Aside from my story, my advice would be to get Math/Physics books and start self studying ASAP. I started doing this 2 years before I was in a position that I could go back to school. This reinforced that I liked this stuff enough to pursue it. I was seriously at a Algebra 2 (maybe even Algebra 1, haha) high school level when I started self studying.

Anyway, good luck with your decisions.

 

[HeLiXe]

HAHA Tater your post sounds a lot like the way I think...the rambling I mean. In the past I used to explain my motives to people all the time, now I only do so if I'm misunderstood or asked.

It's not too late. I was out of school for a while and went back. I did not want to take any of the classes I took before, so I studied algebra I, algebra II, trig, precalc and some geometry before I took my entrance exam, and it worked! I was placed in Calculus I with Analytic Geometry and I'm making all A's so far. So you can do it as long as you have the will and drive. I'm also studying chemistry for a chemistry placement exam I have this weekend. I decided to double major in Chemistry and Physics. Thankfully the University I will be attending does not offer geology, or I'd be tempted to triple major. Sometimes it's really stressful, and sometimes I wonder what the heck I'm doing to myself. But I enjoy learning and I'm happy I made the decision to go back. ALSO committing to 4 years seemed like so much to me, but now that I'm in school the time is just flying.

Hope my experience helps a bit, I wanted to answer you although I am far from a professional All the best to you with whatever you decide to do.

 

[Tater72]

"If some anonymous people on an online forum told you that you should or shouldn't do it, would you listen? The reason I feel I can talk bluntly about this is because I'm in a similar situation. If you don't have the drive to do it yourself then maybe you shouldn't do it at all."

Good point, I agree.

"The thing I am most worried about is what I'm going to do with the degree(s) I obtain."

I could be more worried about that than I realize. Maybe I'm afraid all my efforts won't yield a sufficient payoff. I could just stay where I'm at and be fine until I retire... fear of the unknown and all that.

"Sometimes it's really stressful, and sometimes I wonder what the heck I'm doing to myself. But I enjoy learning and I'm happy I made the decision to go back."

All three of you that responded seem to agree that answering your calling, regardless of the effort/difficulty or how far behind everyone else you may or may not be, makes you fullfilled. Thanks guys!

I was watching a political news channel and the reporter made a statement that struck me as unbelievable, at first. He said the more a person has to work for their success the more contentment they feel. He mentioned lotto winners generally agree that they aren't as happy as they thought they would be.

I couldn't grasp the logic in that, but now I do perfectly.

My path is clear.

 

[fluidistic]

but I suppose I'm just looking for some sense of academic possibility because I have a wife that requires a sense of stability.

From what I've read on this forum, it's extremely improbable to get a tenure job in the academic. So if it is a main motivation, you should start thinking right now what would you do with a degree in hands that does not involve academic jobs. Just a tip. Good luck.

 

[mal4mac]

Most of those who do a physics degree were probably top of their science classes at school, like you and me. Things get much harder, though. You might still be top (like me) when you get your BSc. That doesn't mean you will be able to find a career in physics, though! So it probably is too late - but it's too late for most of us - even those (like me) who went to university at 18. Then again, it's not too late to get a better job than you would otherwise get without a degree, but it will probably be in finance or computing or the like...

You can't acquire all the knowledge of the Universe as our civilization currently understands it because there's just too much of it. You may go all the way to getting a PhD in particle physics, but you'll still know no more than you do now about psychology, biochemistry, music, and loadsa other interesting things ... you will not even know everything even about particle physics! That you set yourself such an impossible goal indicates that you would benefit from a University eduction, even if it's just to learn that you end up (like Socrates) still knowing nothing. Then again, why not keep the day job and read Plato (and Seneca, and Marcus, and Epictetus...) in the evenings, that's what I do now. Much more interesting than physics...