Is a Second Bachelor's in Physics a Viable Option for Me?

[eaglejohnbc]

Right now I am in my last year of undergrad, and I have just taken Intro to Physics. It is amazing, and something I'd definitely like to pursue. I know a second bachelors is possible, but I have some concerns:

First, my gpa in my first bachelor will be around 3.0 due to some bad grades in Chem and Bio classes. They are seriously boring and not what I wanted. Will this bad GPA hinder me much in the future if my physics bachelors GPA turns out to be good?

Another thing is where I'll be studying. I'd like to do it in Italy (University of Bologna) because of family there, and the cost (less than 3000$ a year). Is this a wise choice to study Physics at a European University?

Lastly, I do have one terrible grade in a math course - D+ in Linear Algebra. It came when an immediate family member died, so school was the last thing on my mind.

Any opinions or advice are welcome!

Thanks.

 

[arunma]

If you've just taken intro to physics, know that a second bachelor's degree will probably be an additional five semesters (at least) of work, even though you don't have to take any generals. This is because the first two years of physics are sequence courses, and you can only take one at a time. Anyway, with that out of the way...

I don't know how the system works in Europe, but here a D+ probably wouldn't keep you out of a university at the undergrad level, especially if you've got a good reason. Your bio and chem GPA also isn't an issue. Many physics majors never even take biology or chemistry. As for European universities, as a general rule I've never heard anything bad about them. In fact, talking to my colleagues from other universities, it seems that a BSc in physics from a European school is the equivalent of an MS in physics from an American school, because their courses are more in-depth, and they don't require generals. That's why a European PhD only requires three years.

But anyway, that's all hearsay, so you might want to get a second opinion from a European.

 

[Rika]

EU system: 3 years (BSc) -> 2 years (MSc) -> 4 years (PhD). If you want to go for BSc then your GPA doesn't really matter. It's all about high school diploma. You can transfer grades but you can also take classes again and get better results.