Choosing the Best Major for My Passion: Astro/Physics, Computer Science, or AI?

[MrElculver2424]

Hi,

I'm a 22 year old who, to keep it simple, has struggled to come to a decision what exactly I want to do in my life. Most people make decisions easily due to shallow thinking; I have difficulty making decisions due to extremely deep and over-analytical thinking. I've always loved science and technology, especially astronomy, space, the universe, the future of humanity, etc.

To make a long story short, after high school, I was accepted into my college within the "college of Science," planning to study physics. However, I was working a lot of hours at my job, was confronted with a TON of math, didn't enjoy the stress, and so I changed my major to Political Science immediately. I continued to work at my job while pursuing Political Science for the past 3 years. If I would've followed a standard academic schedule, I would graduate this year, but I haven't. I've worked a lot, and taken a few part-time semesters.

I also decided recently that I'm not happy majoring in Political Science and can't see myself doing that as a career. I'm just a few credits away from getting a minor in PoliSci, so I'll do that. All my gen ends are also completed, so I don't have to worry about them.

But my passion has always been science...physical science. The planets, the stars, the universe. Humankind as a whole. Our future. Technology. Stuff like that. So now, what I am going to do is transition back into these fields. I'm taking this semester off to "reset myself." I don't know exactly when I will graduate college. But I need to pick a major right now and then stick with it, because I'm already financially stressed and need to stay focused on getting to work. One good thing is, I'm a lot more mature and smarter now, even though I won't graduate within 4 years, and that will be a benefit for my career.

So I'm down to three majors to choose from for my bachelor's. Astrophysics (with a computer science focus), Physics (with a computational focus), or Computer Science.

I can't tell you exactly what I want to do in life, but I can tell you my three main fields of interest (in no particular order):
- Space (research, exploration, projects, pretty much anything)
- Artificial Intelligence (and also the possibility of extending our lives through technology/computers)
- Science policy (government...this is where my PoliSci minor can help)

So, there isn't a whole lot of difference in the three majors I'm looking at, since the astrophysics and physics concentrate heavily on programming and computer science. It's just that the straight up Computer Science major wouldn't include ANY astronomy or physics, which might be disappointing to me, since I enjoy that stuff a lot.

And above all...I want to be among the best at what I do in life. I know it's probably unhealthy (and maybe I have some psychological issue), but I'm a deep perfectionist, and if I don't feel like I'm among the best, I fall into depression. I would rather be one of the best astronomers who ever lived than be an average computer scientist. Or vice versa. You get the picture.

So, please share your input, and which major you think is the best for me. Thank you in advance!

 

[Orodruin]

was confronted with a TON of math, didn't enjoy the stress

Why do you think that this would be any different another time around? Studying any STEM subject is going to involve learning a lot of math, you cannot do physics or engineering without it and it is the major cornerstone.

To be honest, it sounds to me as if you have an idealised image of what the fields you mention would involve. It is very common that people get the wrong image of what physics or similar subjects actually are from popularised accounts in media and other sources.

And above all...I want to be among the best at what I do in life. I know it's probably unhealthy (and maybe I have some psychological issue), but I'm a deep perfectionist, and if I don't feel like I'm among the best, I fall into depression. I would rather be one of the best astronomers who ever lived than be an average computer scientist. Or vice versa. You get the picture.

This is something you will have to work on and face the fact that you are very likely not going to be among the best at what you do. This expectation is simply unrealistic. You say you know that it is probably unhealthy and I agree, you should probably seek the help of a professional regarding this issue, in particular if it leads to depressions. There are many people in the world and being among the best is going to be extremely difficult regardless of what you choose to do. In the end, what does it matter? Instead, try to do something that you enjoy and try to be the best you can. If, against the odds, you do become one of the best at what you do, then you can be happy and proud about it, but do not go into anything expecting it to be the case.

 

[MrElculver2424]

Why do you think that this would be any different another time around? Studying any STEM subject is going to involve learning a lot of math, you cannot do physics or engineering without it and it is the major cornerstone.

To be honest, it sounds to me as if you have an idealised image of what the fields you mention would involve. It is very common that people get the wrong image of what physics or similar subjects actually are from popularised accounts in media and other sources.
This is something you will have to work on and face the fact that you are very likely not going to be among the best at what you do. This expectation is simply unrealistic. You say you know that it is probably unhealthy and I agree, you should probably seek the help of a professional regarding this issue, in particular if it leads to depressions. There are many people in the world and being among the best is going to be extremely difficult regardless of what you choose to do. In the end, what does it matter? Instead, try to do something that you enjoy and try to be the best you can. If, against the odds, you do become one of the best at what you do, then you can be happy and proud about it, but do not go into anything expecting it to be the case.

I don't think the STEM material will be any different this time around. What I think will be different this time around is my approach, perspective, and treatment of the situation. I only spent 1 semester in college, my very first one my freshman year, "pursuing" the physics major. I was working a lot of hours and had no time or energy to study my material. If it was easy material, I could've done it and continued along. But instead, I knew I wasn't in a position to do it; that's why I changed my major away from STEM. My intention is to put myself in a position now where I do have the time and focus to learn this stuff.

I definitely used to have an idealized image of what these fields actually are and do (I've always been a science geek, sci-fi geek...I go on YouTube and watch videos about life, humanity, the universe, phenomena that most people never even ponder. But I have learned recently that STEM is a very stressful and mathematical field, and very little of it is actually spent thinking about the big "geek" things.

But I'm much better with stress now than I used to be; I don't complain, I don't freak out. I handle stress pretty well. I took a calculus class last summer (it was the only class I had at that time) and nearly aced the course. So I proved to myself that given the time and focus, I can do it. The situation/pacing just needs to be right for me.

I may not be naturally suited for STEM, but it's the only option I really give myself now. There's nothing else out there that I like the idea of any more. I've researched every single major imaginable, and the ones that I listed are the ones I'm down to. I considered Political Science, but it wasn't fulfilling enough, and I would have had to learn a foreign language in order to get the kind of job I wanted. And learning a foreign language just isn't fun to me at all. I'd rather push through the struggles with math in order to learn some type of math/programming skill. I know it's going to be a long and hard road, but I will beat myself up my entire life if I don't at least try.

Worst case, I'll just fall back on being a planetary scientist who deals more with concepts and science popularization rather than intense math and computer work. But that's worst case.

 

[Dishsoap]

Worst case, I'll just fall back on being a planetary scientist who deals more with concepts and science popularization rather than intense math and computer work. But that's worst case.

In order to actually be employed as a planetary scientist, even one who focuses on science popularization or concepts (?), you'll need a degree though.

 

[Orodruin]

In order to actually be employed as a planetary scientist, even one who focuses on science popularization or concepts (?), you'll need a degree though.

Indeed, and in order to do popularisation you also need to understand the math. How else are you going to translate it to something the common man can understand? It is like aspiring to be a french-english interpreter without speaking french.

 

[MrElculver2424]

In order to actually be employed as a planetary scientist, even one who focuses on science popularization or concepts (?), you'll need a degree though.

Indeed, and in order to do popularisation you also need to understand the math. How else are you going to translate it to something the common man can understand? It is like aspiring to be a french-english interpreter without speaking french.

Yeah, no duh. That's the point. That's what I'm doing.

So which of the three majors listed is the best? Or what are the pros/cons of each?

 

[symbolipoint]

Mr.Elculver2424
I read your first post on the topic, not completely, but most of it.
You're trying to keep working at a job and you want some education. Maybe choose computer science and computer programming; at least you will learn some practical skills with information-handling. Could you apply some of this skill to your current job? You still need to learn a heavy set of Mathematics. This suggestion from me to you is incomplete and just how you wil pick a path, I can't say, so you still need more advice.

 

[Dishsoap]

Yeah, no duh. That's the point. That's what I'm doing.

So which of the three majors listed is the best? Or what are the pros/cons of each?

I say that because getting a degree is hard. You have to focus on "intense math and computer work".

As far as your particular major, are those three all offered at whichever university you want to attend? In my experience, a lot of universities don't have a space science degree program, AI is usually an offshoot of a CS department if it exists at all, and science policy majors are hard to find.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Yeah, no duh.

If this is how you treat people who are trying to help you, you're going to have a very tough time finishing your degree. Any degree.

 

[MrElculver2424]

If this is how you treat people who are trying to help you, you're going to have a very tough time finishing your degree. Any degree.

It's not "helping" to offer no advice to the question I came here to ask. I'm not asking for life counseling. I asked a specific question.

Plus, you guys are misreading things. The majors I am choosing from aren't space science or science policy. I said those were the career fields I was interested in going into.

The majors I am choosing from are Astrophysics, Physics, and Computer Science.

And Vanadium...I've seen your posts on here for years. You do almost nothing except waste people's time by making indirect comments or criticisms that don't address people's need for help. That's part of the reason why science and technology isn't thriving as much as it could be...because people get discouraged when they run into people who act like you do.

 

[MrElculver2424]

Is there anyone out there who can list the benefits/downsides to each of the three majors I'm considering?

 

[Scrumhalf]

Time for some tough love, I think.

If you are 22 years old and not really sure if you are naturally suited for STEM, maybe you need to listen to that voice in the back of your head.

It is commendable that you want to be the best there is in any field. But to do that, you need to immerse yourself 110% in that area. If you want to be the best astrophysicist, go join an astrophysics program and devote the next n years of your life getting a doctorate in the field. If you want to be the best computer scientist, then you need to pick a CS program and focus on an area in computer science and then work on it.

It sounds like you are not quite sure what exactly you want to do. Nobody can help you pick a major. But based on your comment that you want to be the best there is, only you can make that choice.

That being said, and here's the tough love part, at 22, most people who are going to be the best there is have already figured it out. They are already in a top flight grad program somewhere slaving away. But that doesn't mean you can't have a meaningful career with solid contributions. The top of the mountain in science is depressingly skinny and the inhabitants might as well be a different species.

If your #1 interest area is space, then get an astrophysics degree with a CS focus and try to get a job at NASA or JPL or someplace like that. That would be the most logical choice. If you don't make it there, or change your mind, a computing background is the most fungible to other fields. Coding skill is aways in demand and can be coopted to other fields pretty easily.

 

[MrElculver2424]

Time for some tough love, I think.

If you are 22 years old and not really sure if you are naturally suited for STEM, maybe you need to listen to that voice in the back of your head.

It is commendable that you want to be the best there is in any field. But to do that, you need to immerse yourself 110% in that area. If you want to be the best astrophysicist, go join an astrophysics program and devote the next n years of your life getting a doctorate in the field. If you want to be the best computer scientist, then you need to pick a CS program and focus on an area in computer science and then work on it.

It sounds like you are not quite sure what exactly you want to do. Nobody can help you pick a major. But based on your comment that you want to be the best there is, only you can make that choice.

That being said, and here's the tough love part, at 22, most people who are going to be the best there is have already figured it out. They are already in a top flight grad program somewhere slaving away. But that doesn't mean you can't have a meaningful career with solid contributions. The top of the mountain in science is depressingly skinny and the inhabitants might as well be a different species.

If your #1 interest area is space, then get an astrophysics degree with a CS focus and try to get a job at NASA or JPL or someplace like that. That would be the most logical choice. If you don't make it there, or change your mind, a computing background is the most fungible to other fields. Coding skill is aways in demand and can be coopted to other fields pretty easily.

Thanks for the input :) And yeah, I know that I'm unlikely to be "the best" in any single thing...I just wanted to throw that out there...that I have struggled mentally with a "perfectionist" mindset in the past. In my heart, though, I am a logical and grounded person. What I really feel is just that I want to make a contribution...one that I can see and feel myself, and maybe that other people will notice too. That's what I truly mean.

And yes, my #1 interest area is space, so I'm leaning towards astrophysics with the CS focus. I figure worst case, even if I don't work directly with space, I'm sure there are companies/places that would hire someone with computer science skills and a physical science degree.

Oh...and to address an earlier post...I don't plan to work during my studies. I have up until now, while I was going for a liberal arts degree at a local branch campus, so I could work at my job. But since I transferred to my main campus, I haven't been working, and once I decide to commit to astrophysics, I won't be able to; unless it's with an on-campus service like tutoring or work-study. My old job is just a bakery back at home that I've worked at since I was 17. They let me go back and help any time I want, so maybe I'll just go back there in the summers for some extra money. But once I'm mid-semester in the math and physics, there's no way I'll be able to work at a job that's unrelated to that. I just won't have the time.

Thanks!

 

[Scrumhalf]

I think that's a rational way to approach this. Get the astro degree with CS focus. Civilian space programs are expanding fast, so who knows, by the time you graduate, maybe it will be the golden age for jobs in space science. And if not, computers are not going away anytime soon, so you'll have plenty of opportunities to make course corrections, to borrow a telemetry reference.

Good luck!

 

[Scrumhalf]

See if you can get an assistantship. That way, you are working on something that you could potentially leverage into your thesis, or at least grading papers or having after-class sessions for your advisor, which can help with establishing a relationship with him/her.

 

[symbolipoint]

Is there anyone out there who can list the benefits/downsides to each of the three majors I'm considering?

Post #7 which I made. Not so easy to give better advice of what/or which for YOU to pick.

"Space Science" and Physics as main interests greatly suggests you might want to pick Physics. Physics is for an education and for understanding, but not really intended as job skills. Engineering, if you can fit some course in, may help you to be employable.

Other members may give more specific advice.