Smart enough for theoretical physics?

[ralqs]

Is there a Litmus test I could use to see if I'm cut out for theoretical physics?

I'm a first year undergrad, and thus far things have been going well. The classes aren't hard, my grades are good, and I'm finding the time to read some more advanced texts. But there's also fifty other people in my program, and I know only a few of us will make it. Granted, many of them are phonies who've read A Brief History of Time and think that they'd make great physicists because they understood it. Yet maybe I'm a fake myself, the product of everyone telling me I'm smart since I was a child.

I'm willing to put in the work, but I realize passion can only accomplish so much. Theoretical physics feels right for me, but am I just suffering from an Einstein-complex by thinking that I have the intelligence and mathematical prowess demanded? Is there any way to know for sure?

 

[twofish-quant]

But there's also fifty other people in my program, and I know only a few of us will make it.

Make it where?

If you can do partial differential equations and linear algebra, you have enough math for about 95% of the theoretical physics jobs out there. There are areas such as high energy theory where you need more math skills than that, but most people that get out with an undergraduate physics degree can handle that sort of math.

Also, physics theory covers a lot of things. There are a lot of areas in physics with very interesting questions and not too many people trying to answer them. I do think that people get overly obsesses with the big bang, and neglect other interesting areas of theory.

Yet maybe I'm a fake myself, the product of everyone telling me I'm smart since I was a child.

There's something called the impostor syndrome. You'd be surprised at the number of post-docs and junior faculty that don't feel real.

Being smart is a pain in the rear end. Personally, I find it relaxing to be with people that are a lot smarter than I am.

Theoretical physics feels right for me, but am I just suffering from an Einstein-complex by thinking that I have the intelligence and mathematical prowess demanded? Is there any way to know for sure?

If you can get through your lower level physics classes with decent grades, then you likely have the mathematical background for graduate work.

 

[shirosato]

First of all, there's no way to know for sure. A lot of us have walked the path you're trying to walk and you'll only know in retrospect. As my own first year prof told me when I asked about the final exam, "try not to think so much about grades, and focus on the material". That holds true even today, when the politics and bureaucracy of the field permeate even those who avoid it.

Good luck, and yes, only a small handful of 50 students will end up doing physics at the grad level and even fewer will do esoteric theoretical topics, but it was definitely not the intelligence factor that chose that, it was the love or passion factor more so.

 

[JyN]

Man i think u just wrote out my own thoughts for me. I've thought about this a lot too, and i have decided that i don't care if I'm bright enough for it or not. (I'm in 1st year engineering and may go into grad school when I am done). I have decided that i am going to go for it, and if i fail because I am either not smart enough, or not passionate enough, then that's okay because it was a learning experience. The point of school is to teach you, not to test you.

Life is a journey, don't try to decide weather you can make it to any certain destination before giving it a try.

 

[mariexotoni]

...do you love physics, or do you just love the idea of intelligence, that you thinks comes with physics? Are you just trying to prove something to yourself to others and yourself, or are you genuinely interested in pursuing physics?

Don't just pursue it to prove something.. pursue something because you love it.