Other Is it too late to pursue physics?

[Nvmitsherloss]

I would like to start by saying thank you to anyone who reads this and helps me. I've been kinda stuck trying to formulate how I should ask this question.

I am a 23 year old attending a university in the US this is my fifth year, I am graduating this summer. I'm a Computer science major and an IT minor, but that might not matter much considerding our computer science program lacks more math than an average CS program (I only have to take pre calc for my degree).

Ive been feeling stuck for a while, I hate my degree, I hate the school I attend. I feel like I have no place here not that its a bad school its honestly just not for me. Only made worse by the fact I have a 2.3 GPA. I have done reserch under a physics professor and even been apart of SPS group at our school, im running for SPS president as well, but I know this isnt enough to even compete on a graduate level.

Im trying to see what can I do in order to pursue physics. I study physics on my own time and I cant see a future where im not studying how the world operates.

That leaves me with a question, what do I do if im graduating but want to pursue physics? Go to CC?, Get a second bachlors, Find a post-bacc for physics, non-degree seeking? What do I do in my situation?

 

[jedishrfu]

My feeling based on what you've said is that first you need a solid math basis to include
- Calculus 1,2,3
- Differential Equations
- Linear Algebra

From there you need:
- introductory physics
- modern physics
- statistical thermodynamics

And then you'll be ready for the heavier stuff:
- advanced calculus
- classical mechanics
- quantum mechanics
- boundary value problems

I'm guessing that would take another two to three years to complete.

You mentioned working with a physics professor. He would be a much better source of information. If he liked your work might be able to suggest how you could do a minor in physics.

Maybe there's some way to parlay your computer skills to do computer simulations of physical systems which gets your foot in the door.

Your other problem is your GPA. I can't tell whether it's due your desire to escape the comp sci route you started with or because your study skills / focus / endurance need some help.

One thing to be aware of though is that many students dream of doing physics reaching for the stars or plumbing the subatomic world of particles and string theory. However, the reality is that physicists get more mundane jobs working in acoustics, academia, manufacturing, and other industries as an experimentalist.

 

[jtbell]

many students dream of doing physics reaching for the stars or plumbing the subatomic world of particles and string theory. However, the reality is that physicists get more mundane jobs working in acoustics, academia, manufacturing, and other industries as an experimentalist.

A long-time poster here often referred to "measuring the spectrum of glopolium."

I did my PhD in experimental particle physics. I ended up on the fringes of academia, teaching at a small liberal-arts college similar to the one that I got my bachelor's degree at. That was fine with me, in fact I sought out such positions after I finished my PhD, because I enjoyed my undergraduate experience. However, whenever we had to fill a faculty position, we always had a number of applications from people who were apparently simply trying to find any kind of academic job.

 

[Nvmitsherloss]

My feeling based on what you've said is that first you need a solid math basis to include
- Calculus 1,2,3
- Differential Equations
- Linear Algebra

Sounds good, im taking calc 1 over the summer with the other classes I need to pass. I could take linear alegbra but then ill probably doing a course overload at that point.

From there you need:
- introductory physics
- modern physics
- statistical thermodynamics

I could potentially take this in the summer as well as our school has university physics online.

And then you'll be ready for the heavier stuff:
- advanced calculus
- classical mechanics
- quantum mechanics
- boundary value problems

Are all these classes taken one by one or is there a certain threashold of math needed where I can take any of the courses?

I'm guessing that would take another two to three years to complete.

I'm cool with that as long as I can do physics.

You mentioned working with a physics professor. He would be a much better source of information. If he liked your work might be able to suggest how you could do a minor in physics.

The problem with that is because im graduating I would need to do a another bachlors in order to get a physics minor. That means I would have to call off my graduation in order to get it. Which I wouldn't mind but im tired of the school im attending. Another thing is i'm scared to talk to her about this in fear of being judged.

Maybe there's some way to parlay your computer skills to do computer simulations of physical systems which gets your foot in the door.

I would love to do particle physics, computational is great and matches a skillset I already have, but im sick and tired of programming as a whole.

Your other problem is your GPA. I can't tell whether it's due your desire to escape the comp sci route you started with or because your study skills / focus / endurance need some help.

Its a mixture of both, when I first came to school I did enough to just pass, and I didn't take school serious failed many classes with a D that I cant makeup now as it will get in the way of my graduation. Nowadays i'm passing my classes but in reality im a C student who just so happends to get a couple B's and A's here and there.

One thing to be aware of though is that many students dream of doing physics reaching for the stars or plumbing the subatomic world of particles and string theory. However, the reality is that physicists get more mundane jobs working in acoustics, academia, manufacturing, and other industries as an experimentalist.

Im interested in national lab jobs, Cern, Fermi ect. How rare would it be to be accepted by them? What do they look for in a canidate?

 

[Nvmitsherloss]

A long-time poster here often referred to "measuring the spectrum of glopolium."

I did my PhD in experimental particle physics. I ended up on the fringes of academia, teaching at a small liberal-arts college similar to the one that I got my bachelor's degree at. That was fine with me, in fact I sought out such positions after I finished my PhD, because I enjoyed my undergraduate experience. However, whenever we had to fill a faculty position, we always had a number of applications from people who were apparently simply trying to find any kind of academic job.

You're doing something I wish I could do haha, my dream is to do experimental particle physics, it feels like the perfect blend of hands on engineering and theory. Do you have any advice on what to do in my situation? From what you wrote it seems like physics is highley competitive which makes me kinda scared. Also good luck with your teaching!

 

[jtbell]

Im interested in national lab jobs, Cern, Fermi ect.

Most of the people who work on experiments at the big labs are professors, postdocs and grad students from universities that have signed on to help propose and participate in those experiments. When I was a grad student 40+ years ago, I was part of a research group at my university that collaborated on an experiment at Fermilab with some people from Fermilab itself, and two other outside groups. It was a small group by today's standards, maybe 30 people altogether instead of 200 or more.

Most of what I did was actually FORTRAN programming for data analysis. I enjoyed it, but at the end of my PhD I decided I wasn't cut out for a full-on research career and would rather teach. After I got a tenure-track small-college position, I did participate in some more research at Fermilab by hooking up with a group at a university about an hour's drive away from my college. Then my workload at the college put an end to that. Things like taking a turn as department chairman, and getting involved in starting up our Internet connection in the 1990s.

Any academic position is going to be very competitive, even at small teaching-oriented colleges. Whenever we had to hire someone at our non-elite school, we got 100 or so applications. I was lucky twice: first when I looked for a temporary position after grad school (turned out to be a 2-year position at a college in upstate NY), then when I got my tenure-track position in the southeast, from which I'm now retired.

If you aim for an academic or research career, you need a fallback plan. Mine was a programming career, because I enjoyed that. I did end up teaching some computer science for many years, along with the physics, plus the internet stuff.

 

[Frabjous]

Nowadays i'm passing my classes but in reality im a C student who just so happends to get a couple B's and A's here and there.

If that is a correct assessment, you will have extreme difficulty getting into graduate school or a job at the national labs afterwards.

 

[Nvmitsherloss]

If that is a correct assessment, you will have extreme difficulty getting into graduate school or a job at the national labs afterwards.

Yea I understand.

 

[WWGD]

Most of the people who work on experiments at the big labs are professors, postdocs and grad students from universities that have signed on to help propose and participate in those experiments. When I was a grad student 40+ years ago, I was part of a research group at my university that collaborated on an experiment at Fermilab with some people from Fermilab itself, and two other outside groups. It was a small group by today's standards, maybe 30 people altogether instead of 200 or more.

Most of what I did was actually FORTRAN programming for data analysis. I enjoyed it, but at the end of my PhD I decided I wasn't cut out for a full-on research career and would rather teach. After I got a tenure-track small-college position, I did participate in some more research at Fermilab by hooking up with a group at a university about an hour's drive away from my college. Then my workload at the college put an end to that. Things like taking a turn as department chairman, and getting involved in starting up our Internet connection in the 1990s.

Any academic position is going to be very competitive, even at small teaching-oriented colleges. Whenever we had to hire someone at our non-elite school, we got 100 or so applications. I was lucky twice: first when I looked for a temporary position after grad school (turned out to be a 2-year position at a college in upstate NY), then when I got my tenure-track position in the southeast, from which I'm now retired.

If you aim for an academic or research career, you need a fallback plan. Mine was a programming career, because I enjoyed that. I did end up teaching some computer science for many years, along with the physics, plus the internet stuff.

There's the issue too that several universities are expected to close over the short run, which will limit your options on jobs too.

 

[Choppy]

It sounds to me like perhaps the first step is to enroll in a first year physics course, along with the co-requisite math courses. Lots of people are intrigued by popular physics, but when it comes down to the long hours of working out problems and monotonous measurements, they find out it's not what they thought it was. So start with some introductory courses and see if you like it.

If that's the case, then you're going to need to re-orient your undergraduate education. There really isn't a way around this. If your current school isn't doing it for you, consider transferring somewhere else.

You'll also need to pick up your grades if you want graduate school to be an option. Most graduate schools require students to have at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and that's just to get your application looked at by an admissions committee. Positions are limited and they tend to start with the applicants who have GPAs ~ 4.0 (plus research experience, publications, major external scholarships, etc.) and work their way down.

 

[Nvmitsherloss]

It sounds to me like perhaps the first step is to enroll in a first year physics course, along with the co-requisite math courses. Lots of people are intrigued by popular physics, but when it comes down to the long hours of working out problems and monotonous measurements, they find out it's not what they thought it was. So start with some introductory courses and see if you like it.

If that's the case, then you're going to need to re-orient your undergraduate education. There really isn't a way around this. If your current school isn't doing it for you, consider transferring somewhere else.

You'll also need to pick up your grades if you want graduate school to be an option. Most graduate schools require students to have at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and that's just to get your application looked at by an admissions committee. Positions are limited and they tend to start with the applicants who have GPAs ~ 4.0 (plus research experience, publications, major external scholarships, etc.) and work their way down.

How should I go about it? Would going to community college for a year or two for my basic level physics classes, boost my gpa , then trying to get into a masters program work?

Or should I just start a new bachlors at a different university.

 

[Choppy]

Would going to community college for a year or two for my basic level physics classes, boost my gpa , then trying to get into a masters program work?

This strategy is unlikely to work. An MSc is still a graduate program and it's generally not advisable to take graduate level coursework without the senior undergraduate coursework that's prerequisite to it.

Or should I just start a new bachlors at a different university.

In the long run, this is likely your best strategy to get into a PhD program down the road. I know it's a long option, but I've seen people do it successfully. Before committing to another 4 years though, you may want to start with some courses at a community college, just to make sure this is really the direction you want to go with your life.

 

[Nvmitsherloss]

This strategy is unlikely to work. An MSc is still a graduate program and it's generally not advisable to take graduate level coursework without the senior undergraduate coursework that's prerequisite to it.


In the long run, this is likely your best strategy to get into a PhD program down the road. I know it's a long option, but I've seen people do it successfully. Before committing to another 4 years though, you may want to start with some courses at a community college, just to make sure this is really the direction you want to go with your life.

Ill definatly take a couple of physics classes this fall at a CC for sure. Also wouldnt it be 2 more years since I have my gen eds complete? The bachlors for physics at my current school is around 60 credit hours for Physics, I would assume it might be the same at other institutions.