Math or Physics: Which Major Should I Choose for My Undergraduate Degree?

[hangover]

Hi! I am from Hong Kong.I love this forum very much!
I am going to enter university in September but i am faced with a dilemma-that i cannot declare a double major in math and physics.
So that means i can only choose one of them. Which one should i choose?

First of all, I am good at maths and i love it very much. However, i am not very good at physics(failed twice in school exam) but i love physics very much as well. Actually, i love these two subjects equally.


Secondly, i personally think that studying physics is more USEFUL than studying math. In my opinion, the knowledge of university physics is always applied to the real world(like car industry, engineering);while university math is too complex and not very useful(just my opinion). Conquering difficult math questions is wonderful, but is it worth it to spend three years studying sth too complex and not so practical?

Thirdly, i don't want to waste my math talent.

What should i do? Thank you very much!

 

[Shing]

Hi! I am from Hong Kong.I love this forum very much!
I am going to enter university in September but i am faced with a dilemma-that i cannot declare a double major in math and physics.
So that means i can only choose one of them. Which one should i choose?

First of all, I am good at maths and i love it very much. However, i am not very good at physics(failed twice in school exam) but i love physics very much as well. Actually, i love these two subjects equally.


Secondly, i personally think that studying physics is more USEFUL than studying math. In my opinion, the knowledge of university physics is always applied to the real world(like car industry, engineering);while university math is too complex and not very useful(just my opinion). Conquering difficult math questions is wonderful, but is it worth it to spend three years studying sth too complex and not so practical?

Thirdly, i don't want to waste my math talent.

What should i do? Thank you very much!

hi there =)
I am from Hong Kong too but I go to Taiwan for my physics major.
I have an opinion, that is to explore whether you like math or physics better in college, do not close your mind in a narrow field. (maybe double minor will do?)
I would like to ask a question here as well.
I plan to double minor at Math.
Then I found that at year two, I have to take at least total 4 math courses and 6 physics courses if I double minor at math.
I was thinking if that would be too much for me? (assuming that I have an average intelligence and fair motivation.)


feel free to add me in MSN =)
best wishes to you. buddy!

 

[planethunter]

I myself obtained my UG degree in math and am now trying to get into physics for graduate school. If you had to choose one, I would choose physics since you can get into math and engineering with a physics degree in the future. Math is too specific- if you do applied then maybe its not but in my case I did pure math and regret it now.

 

[peter570]

I suggest you major in physics. If you decide to go to grad school for math later, good math departments will accept you with a physics degree if you have done enough abstract math prep (usually two semesters of undergraduate analysis- make sure you can write serious proofs well, not just short linear algebra proofs.)
The reverse is NOT true: grad physics programs do not take pure mathematicians, or even applied mathematicians unless they have taken so much physics that they are practically double majors.
So, if you're really torn, why don't you decide according to the principle of scarcity and do now what will be less available later. Good luck.
P.S. Don't think of where are the jobs, or you will almost certainly end up with a job you hate.