Should I still go for a physics major

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on a first-year university student struggling with an introductory physics course, achieving a 56% on their mid-term exam, which is below their expectations. Despite this low score, the student notes that their grade is slightly above the class average, indicating that many peers are facing similar challenges. The conversation emphasizes the importance of perseverance and effort in science, suggesting that overcoming difficulties is a key trait of successful scientists. The advice given encourages the student to analyze their mistakes and seek improvement rather than considering a major change prematurely.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics concepts
  • Familiarity with university grading systems
  • Ability to analyze exam performance
  • Knowledge of study techniques for science courses
NEXT STEPS
  • Research effective study strategies for physics courses
  • Explore resources for improving problem-solving skills in science
  • Learn about time management techniques for university students
  • Investigate support services available for struggling students, such as tutoring
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for first-year university students in STEM fields, particularly those considering a physics major, as well as educators and academic advisors looking to support students facing academic challenges.

Woah_Moses
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So I'm in my first year of university doing a physics major and I wrote my test for introductory physics. When I wrote the test I didn't feel like it was hard or anything I thought I would do fairly well; the problem is when I got it back I barely passed 56% (this is the lowest mid-term mark I ever got in any course). If I can't even manage to get a decent grade in an introductory physics class what chance do I have later on when it get more difficult; so I'm thinking of changing my major but on the other hand most people in the class got a similar grade (my grade was actually slightly higher than the class average) so maybe I'm not hopeless. I can't decide what to do I need advice.Also: I don't know if this matters or not but the test had 2 parts long answer and multiple choice. There were 9 multiple choice questions worth 8 marks each (I got 5 wrong so 40 percent off there) and 2 long answer questions (divided into several parts) worth 28 marks (I got one part of question 2 wrong and lost 4 marks).
 
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This kind of thing will happen to almost everybody, so don't let it discourage you. Don't think that a scientist is somebody who can read a text easily, immediately understand it and get high grades on tests. On the contrary, a scientist gets stuck a lot of times. But what defines a scientist is that (s)he can overcome this by putting in a lot of effort. The ones who are unwilling to overcome this, get weeded out.

So instead of feeling depressed, try to fix yourself. Try to find out where you went wrong. Try to find out how you can do better next time.
 

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