by MostlyAnonymous » Fri May 27, 2016 1:04 am, Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited. Lost of hard work and long hours are necessary even just to be mediocre. I regret for not majoring in my favorite areas- finance or economics which could have landed me to a decent job easily. It gets much easier after that first job because now you know people. Yes I like coding, but I would also like to build "stuff." I loved the school and wanted to stay, but I also wanted to get into an engineering career. Software engineering and data science seems to be the most popular destination for most of my colleagues with Phds these guys did a lot of coding and data analysis in graduate school which made them suitable. by aliceinwonderland » Wed Dec 28, 2011 6:45 pm, Post When I try to think about my future, I don't see any light in the end of the tunnel. It is one of the most demanding professions, because it often deals with decisions that affect the safety of individuals. I exhausted the majority of my school's undergraduate physics courses as well as some graduate … With a kinesiology degree, you can help people achieve their fitness goals. I love that I took up biotechnology. Physics degree regrets and career advice. Thanks for the response! That's hard. Yes, it's hard, but it's going to be hard for anyone majoring in it. A lot of employers will find your degree to be an asset, even if it's not directly related to their field of expertise. There are several really good online masters programs you could pursue while working (I'm going through JHU for a masters in CS) that can help give you an excellent foundation that will also look good for potential employers down the line. What you are experiencing is very common and I feel that it is almost scam-like in how physics departments will tell prospective majors about how you can do all sorts of jobs with a physics degree. Since I moved away from where I went to school, I have very few connections to help get my foot in the door, which has resulted in the feeling that most of my applications are simply falling towards an event horizon. Make sure you weigh the pros and cons first! I'm not sure if I did right by majoring in Computer Science instead of an engineering field. People seem to expect an immense amount of work from you on hearing that you have the degree. It's really messed up because it leads to crappy situations like yours. When I see others mention to people that they have an engineering degree, I notice the response is not the same. While I do not regret doing the things I did do, I do wish I had more than 24 hours in a day so I could do even more! Posts should be pertinent, meme-free, and generate a discussion about physics. In adult rehab I had to transfer 150 lb plus adults from one surface to another (chair to toilet ) multiple times a day, I was responsible for buying all equipment I used with home health clients and had to carry heavy durable medical equipment (raised toilets, wheelchairs, etc.) I got talked out of majoring in history because of the job thing and I regret doing that. Is there a semiconductor industry where you live? I chose business over physics, work in financial services and make good money. I think majoring in physics is kind of a waste of time unless you plan on specifically going on in physics itself. So, after I graduated I moved back home to the Mid-Atlantic where I've been trying to start my career. I had some awful (aggressive or absent minded) advisors, and the work was mind numbingly difficult. Right now I'm at a community college taking my preparatory classes for physics. A million applications can fall through, you just need one to stick. Searching through job listings it has been hard to find positions that desire bachelors in physics or math--if any positions do want those types of degrees, it's typically at the graduate level or higher. It's worth taking even an entry level position if necessary in the right company if it's a company that has long term attraction for you. Especially when a good number of my friends are CS majors who had jobs lined up before graduation. I understand that you feel discouraged at the moment, but your degree, and your experience with math and physics is not a waste of time nor will it be a detriment to your future. (I went to a top ~5 program in physics for my PhD; of course there's not top at that point - they're all good) It was hard getting that first industry job because I had few contacts and I think they would have completely ignored me if it weren't for my credentials and amount of coding experience I listed in my resume. Had some issues finding a job, but eventually found a place doing data science out in DC that I used to start resume building before moving on to more interesting things. Building bridges, skyscrapers, airplanes, and electrical systems requires a solid foundation in physics. Current Major in Physics **REGRET** blocke92 0 replies 1 threads New Member. Some exercise science degree programs allow students to further specialize in concentrations such as sports management, kinesiology, athletic training and physical therapy. I was also, like you, rejected for a ton of engineering and software related jobs, even though I was sure I could pick up whatever job specific skills they required. I'm happy to say I was offered two jobs just today. Next Year You Will Regret That You Haven't Started Today! You could be gazing at the stars, curing cancer with radiation therapy, maintaining a nuclear power plant, or solving complex equations with very little need for specialization. And don't discount your experience. Out performing other pre-meds. I know many universities have physics departments, but which do you think is the best school to study physics? Ironically though, after having decided to not pursue physics grad school in 2013, I'm currently looking at applying next year for some PhD programs in physics. The other is a part time job as a mechanical designer for a middle-stage startup, working out the kinks in the housing of their consumer electronic product. I am on the process of applying to graduate schools but I am not really happy about what I am doing. I've been working in industry for nearly a decade doing research and some software development in an industry that uses some of the knowledge that I picked up as a graduate student. I'm currently a major in physics and, as the title suggests, I am regretting my choice right now. What was your research in? I (also a math+physics degree holder) got a job out of undergrad doing optics, which I had a teeny tiny amount of research experience in. can you explain what do you mean by "quarter time" in "That's with quarter time as he does his PhD."? Pick yourself up, and dust yourself off as many times as necessary, and try to keep a positive attitude. We don’t regret it. If you want to be an astrophysicist, major in physics. I involved myself in research early, which resulted in two summers of funded work that culminated in a few conference presentations as well as a paper in review with myself as first author. People who proclaim that CS is so tough have to explain why so many more people have been majoring in math, physics, and engineering; remember, all three majors have seen growth of over 40% between 2005 and 2015, and they’re no cakewalks either. Software engineering, data analysis, and other technical positions that are more common seem to be elusive due to my lack of practical experience that one would get from a more traditional degree or a summer internship. Prospective Physics Graduate Student Topics, ↳   Special Concerns for International Students, ↳   Transitioning to Physics from a non-physics field, Building Physics Graduate School Profiles. Hang in there. As much feedback as I can give, other than to say follow your interests: I have some regrets on this one. While I love physics and learning about the natural world, I don't enjoy the work that having this knowledge leads to. I have some regrets on this one. Hell no. Do what it takes to get an internship. They will probably not hesitate to help even if they don't know you.) That just means your career will be more varied and interesting. I did some tutoring, did a little remote contract work for a manufacturer in my hometown, picked up a few jobs for a catering company I occasionally worked for in college. I knew I was not going to continue in physics maybe 2-3 years before I left, so maybe regret not getting out sooner, but on the other hand worked on projects those years that set me up well for my transition. How many hours does your friend works on the geant4 job per week? MissSilvy said: "Er, physics. You might also want to sit down and decide what exactly you might want to do in the future, and consider pursuing that career option regardless of whether or not it's directly related to math or physics. While I love physics and learning about the natural world, I don't enjoy the work that having this knowledge leads to. Does anyone regret majoring in science? Machine learning also seems to be a trendy thing that physics degree havers can self-teach. If I was going to work this hard, I should have done something more useful like engineering. But apparently, many of my fellow history nerds don't feel the same way. I exhausted the majority of my school's undergraduate physics courses as well as some graduate courses. Theoretical physics is mostly math and a math major would probably be useful if you want to work in a purely theoretical area. One is a stable drafting/design job at an acrylic manufacturer, full-time at $45k. Majoring in Physics was the biggest mistake of my life. Post Employers are often looking for someone with job experience, and a recent college grad typically doesn't have such experience yet. I went through a similar experience when I graduated a few years ago with my undergrad in physics. So my advice, coming from pretty much the same situation, is pick something technical that you enjoy and really zero in on it. Good luck. But the job market for physics — especially in academia — can be highly competitive. My advice to you is to stay positive and not get too discouraged just yet. I graduated about two months ago from a decent school with bachelors in both physics and math. (Have you tried contacting some professors at your school to connect you with alumni? #1. Spent a good amount of time and money on an invention I've been picking away at for a year or so, to some results. I was recently rejected from what I felt to be a promising software engineering job on the (very reasonable) basis that they were looking for someone who had more coding experience such as a traditional CS degree. However, at the start of my senior year, I started to realize that the future life of academia was not what I wanted, and I opted out of applying to graduate programs. I applied for a few jobs in the Boston area (where I attended school), but ultimately decided that I wanted to be closer to friends and family. Does he work on site or remotely? Everyone tells me its useless to major in physics and that if I like science I should just study engineering.I also hear that the only jobs availabe with Physics is with teaching.So I was wondering what jobs are available by majoring in physics?I know that one can be a researcher but isn't a researcher someone who is also a professor?I do not want to be a professor. I appreciate the words of encouragement! You're caught in a bit of catch 22 scenario at the moment. Personal Trainer. Anyone gives you that line, tell them to bugger off. Engineering Physics. 4 years of doing CS work made me realize that while cool work, I miss physics and research more than anything else. You take some experimental classes but they are still too little to really learn practical skills like programming and statistics. “People typically regret majoring in anthropology because they have a preconceived notion that there is a direct and specific job title perfectly correlating to it,” says training and development consultant Farrah Parker. You are correct that probably most of your resumes are simply being ignored. Considering majoring in math? A very dangerous gamble indeed. Your degree is valuable and the skills you've developed are valuable. You could work at a private gym, be employed as a contractor for a professional athlete, or work with schools or sports teams to help people boost their health and physical fitness. The catch is, they must be disciplined, mature and academically strong. You're still young so I wouldn't sweat about it too much. Nowhere near what I make tutoring but pretty good for a semi-stable job doing what I enjoy. I've had a passion for it for years, and I did very well with it my senior year in high school. Did he have previous experience with geant4? Have any of your been in a position similar to mine and would like to offer me some advice? Engineering jobs, robotics, and even architecture are career fields where your math and physics skills might come in quite handy, and would be a valuable asset to you and to an employer. Feel free to PM me any questions or your resume for critique. Please report trolls and intentionally misleading comments. On the other hand, it sounds like you have a lot of coding experience, so I expect that if you just keep searching in that direction you'll find something eventually, because that's an extremely employable skill. Don't regret it - worked on interesting stuff, learned a lot, got to travel to a lot of awesome places on university dime. Now I am working for a software company, and the work is almost as difficult. I’m from India, and for us, the best jobs are those of a doctor or an engineer. by bfollinprm » Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:46 pm, Post Throughout my undergraduate, I did everything that I thought was right to put me on the path towards a physics PhD and a career in academia. This looks to be an old thread but here is my 2 cents anyway. You won't struggle to find money in banking! Thanks for the A2A. ?Click Here Now? Papers from physics journals (free or otherwise) are encouraged. You just have to find your own niche, because there isn't a huge mainstream career path for people like us (as opposed to engineering). In fact, we are playing that gamble right now. Your degree will open up doors to management positions in larger companies, and it will open up areas of life that would otherwise remain closed to you. Anyway sorry for the long ass post. Have a little patience and have a little faith in the future. Even though physics majors are often at the cutting edge of technology, they still often regret their major. That took about two weeks of steadily poking around for jobs and applying. There is so much to do in terms of career development, extra-curriculars, and just entertainment in general. Double-majoring (or triple-majoring or majoring and minoring — all combinations) is a complicated subject. I'm thinking of going to UCSD but if there are other universities in different states that have good physics departments then I'm open to hear some of your comments … You'd have to do a lot of independent work or get a masters to be competitive. Good luck OP! Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. I've been a part of a couple of bands on campus and taken a few music classes. Engineering is another outlet for the physics major. Every second I regret not doing Physics. Are you sure you can manage it, honey?" You could also think about taking up a programming hobby that gives you something tangible to point to at job interviews. The aim of /r/Physics is to build a subreddit frequented by physicists, scientists, and those with a passion for physics. by SSM » Fri Dec 30, 2011 12:46 pm, Post I studied history in college, and I have no regrets. Regardless of my GPA, my physics degree always seems to impress people. Now that I am graduating with biotech, I don't know what to do. Jul 28, 2008 #6 Asphodel. It's a product I'm excited about and pretty similar work environment to my invention den (garage), which I'm pretty into, and a cool $22/hr. So, there's that to look forward to. How did he find this job? Exercise science curricula might … Imagine you are sipping tea or coffee while discussing various issues with a broad and diverse network of students, colleagues, and friends brought together by the common bond of physics, graduate school, and the physics GRE. http://www.topuniversities.com/student- ... ics-degree. Re: anyone regret choosing physics as their careers? But then I realized I hadn't taken my girlfriend out to dinner in quite a while and I was eating way too much Taco Bell dollar menu bullshit, so I started looking for real jobs again. I graduated about two months ago from a decent school with bachelors in both physics and math. by aliceinwonderland » Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:57 am, Post It's been well over a year now since I resigned from my position and I haven't had one regret yet. “You are making a mistake.” “You’ll regret it later” “Will majoring in physics give you any money?”’Will you even have a job?” These might be the words that you will need to hear if you want to pursue a career in Physics. Do a music minor, take lessons, or join some musical groups on campus. Very different gigs. As a result of my struggles, I can't help but think that most of the decisions that I've made over the past four years have been a mistake. I went from somewhat unemployable to pretty competitive in a few months of practicing and studying. Now I am working for a software company, and the work is almost as difficult. 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