Which field should I go in to/what job? :S

[pzyro]

Ok, I'm 17 and want to pursue a career in physics. I am interested in plasma, lasers, quantum computing, particle physics (all the cool stuff :shy:)

I just can't choose which field(s) and don't know what jobs there are.

any info/links to help me decide this sort of stuff?

 

[story645]

any info/links to help me decide this sort of stuff?

That's what your college courses are for. You'll take a couple of physics courses, do some research, and will find out what you lean towards/actually like doing.

 

[twofish-quant]

It's tough question because the job that exists when you go out looking for work may be something that doesn't exist now. When I entered college in 1987, the World Wide Web hadn't been invented yet.

 

[fasterthanjoao]

any info/links to help me decide this sort of stuff?

You have years to decide. As has been said, this is what your degree is for: you can't possibly make that decision before you've even started proper physics - most of these subjects won't be what you think they are, and the day to day work wouldn't make sense to you at the moment since you have little experience working with it.

Throughout your degree you'll get the opportunity to try lots of different topics. Hopefully you'll find one you enjoy! Then it will be time to come back and ask us for some guidance on how you can obtain more information.

For the time being, relax on the job front and focus on doing the best you can in your studies. Gaining as many skills as you can will ensure that no matter what field you choose, you'll have a path to get there. Good luck!

 

[turin]

Find universities with good applied physics programs, and then apply. Actually, you can get a pretty good idea by looking at some of the good physics department websites even before you apply. Who knows, you may start to reconsider.

As others have said, firstly, you are the only one who has any shot of answering your question, and secondly, use your university experience to answer your question.