Navigating a Career Change: Seeking Guidance for a 22 Year Old

[pseudapler]

I don’t know exactly how to put across the dilemma I am in…so I would rather describe it as well as I can so that one can understand my situation and give me a very valuable guidance.
I am almost 22 years of age and am currently working as a Digital Design engineer in a US based Networking Company’s R&D centre in India. I did my BTech (Bachelors degree) in Electronics & Communication Engineering from a decently reputed college in India. But my grades are not so good (7.1 out of 10). So I won't be getting good reccomendations nor have I done any significant projects during the period. But I have good academic background in schools.
From childhood I liked Physics and my dream , aim and purpose of life as I believe is to do something in that field.
To get into pure physics, as I understand I need to do have a Phd or MSc in physics.
But to do Phd properly I have learned that one need to have proper undergraduate level knowledge of Physics which I don’t have. What I have studied is Resnick & Halliday before my undergraduate course and basic calculus .My knowledge thus is very limited.
So in my present condition these are the concerns I’m having
1) Will I be able to get into any good university
2) By chance if I got into, will I be able to complete all those undergraduate level courses in 1 or 2 years ,then give the examination (as required for the PhD programs)
competing with the students already well versed in all these.
3) how much effective will my PhD be, if I go there with minimal basics ?
4) what are my chances of getting full financial aid of any kind without which its kind of impossible to study outside my country?
5) are there any other programs suited for candidates like me who are changing their fields?
6) Are there any options outside US like in Singapore or Canada?

Currently what I am thinking is that ,I shall get a Phd in physics and if I am able to find a decent job or any income source within that field I shall remain in that. If could not find that I will keep working in electronics industry with my current Btech background and pursue physics during freetimes. But for both of the above cases one need some sort academic training.

Please give me some guidance as I have reached a stage where I have to decide soon.

 

[oedipa maas]

You need a four year BSc in physics to get into a graduate program.

 

[Laura1013]

You need a four year BSc in physics to get into a graduate program.

Not necessarily. I've known people with bachelor's degrees in chemistry or math who successfully entered graduate school in physics. I would think that an engineer could also do it if he/she had a a sufficient background in physics (which it doesn't sound like this poster has) and was willing to take some undergraduate courses in physics to catch up, if needed.

To pseudapler: I would recommend pursuing a second bachelor's degree in physics. A freshman-level understanding of physics and calculus won't be enough to get you into graduate school in physics. Without knowing the specifics of the undergraduate programs you are looking at, I would doubt it would be possible to complete requirements in one or two years (three, maybe).

As for financial aid, that depends largely on the undergraduate program you apply to and your own financial or merit background. You could also look into having your education supported by your company.

 

[Urkel]

You are exactly in the same situation as me
I come to believe that only losers will say mathematics and pure science disinterest them
because they serve no practical use, "only" proving useless theorems in mathematics or coming with a theory with no real world applications,
There are many people of that sort, like many of my friends
Those people are hypocrites, they lie to themselves by saying that while their problem is they know they do not have enough intelliegence to do mathematics and pure science
They are hypocrite because they deny the fact that many practicians in fact steal the idea of applicable and practical technologies from great discoveries made by mathematicians and pure scientists and then they make a lot of money, while the real heroes are mathematicians and physicists
I guess you are already enlightened though, so welcome!

 

[pseudapler]

Not necessarily. I've known people with bachelor's degrees in chemistry or math who successfully entered graduate school in physics. I would think that an engineer could also do it if he/she had a a sufficient background in physics (which it doesn't sound like this poster has) and was willing to take some undergraduate courses in physics to catch up, if needed.

To pseudapler: I would recommend pursuing a second bachelor's degree in physics. A freshman-level understanding of physics and calculus won't be enough to get you into graduate school in physics. Without knowing the specifics of the undergraduate programs you are looking at, I would doubt it would be possible to complete requirements in one or two years (three, maybe).

.

aren't there any other options other than a bachelor's degree because that itself would consume some 4 years, after that for the higher studies i have to spend more years?..what about an MSc or MS on subjects like solid state physics wherein i can make use of my electronics background as well as gain employability also..
are there any other similar kind of courses?

 

[veejay]

i don't think getting an admit into US Physics programmes is that easy with your limited physics background. if you're very ambitious enough, try to read the various fields of physics and gain a good understanding of them so that u can crack the Physics GRE the score of which is one important measure of ur discipline and commitment to the subject.
(even I'm from ECE background and considering doing research in solid state physics. I've just started studying for the test)
u can check out the syllabus for physics gre from ETS website.
even if u want to do solid state physics, if u are applying to physics departments u need the subject test score. instead u can apply for the EE departments and specialise in microelectronics where u also do some semiconductor physics.

 

[pseudapler]

i don't think getting an admit into US Physics programmes is that easy with your limited physics background. if you're very ambitious enough, try to read the various fields of physics and gain a good understanding of them so that u can crack the Physics GRE the score of which is one important measure of ur discipline and commitment to the subject.
(even I'm from ECE background and considering doing research in solid state physics. I've just started studying for the test)
u can check out the syllabus for physics gre from ETS website.
even if u want to do solid state physics, if u are applying to physics departments u need the subject test score. instead u can apply for the EE departments and specialise in microelectronics where u also do some semiconductor physics.

1. on an average what score is required?
2.Is this score needed for doing under EE department?

 

[veejay]

i don't know abt the score.. but i know that it's not necessarily needed for the EE dept.
also i have a suggestion.. instead of trying for universities abroad, u can try doing it in IITs or other indian universities, for which u need to sit for JAM or JEST exams.
may be u can do a masters degree there and later if u want to do phd, u can apply for the US univs.