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PLEASE HELP!! Can't decide between EEE or Physics :(
So basically I'm applying for University but I just can't choose between Physics and EEE. They both look like really interesting courses but I'm just so torn.
Pro's for Physics:
Con's for Physics:
Pro's for EEE:
Con's for EEE:
I'm so confused of what to pick. If the employability of Physics wasn't a factor then I'd probably pick that, but I just don't want to end up with a degree and then can't do anything I want to do. I really love Physics but all the areas I love, such as high energy, quantum etc. are pretty popular now and I'm worried I wouldn't be able to find a job in those areas. I'd definitely consider a PhD in Physics but are that hard to get onto, especially in something like Particle Physics? I always thought with a Physics degree you could still do similar jobs to Engineers but apparently that's not the case and that really worries me. I don't want to end up poor and regretful.
If I do decide to pick EEE, I suppose it is the sensible option, but I'd pretty much be giving up my dream of working in those areas of Physics (I can't seem to find a way to overlap them). The moneys better, the jobs are plentiful but it's just hard deciding between your heart and head (sorry for the cheesiness but I don't know any other way of explaining it).
Does anyone have any advice? Is there a way to overlap them?
PLEASE HELP
I feel like such an idiot for not being able to make my mind up
Pro's for Physics:
•
I really enjoy it, inside and out of school
•
I love the thought of working in research e.g. High Energy Physics or Quantum etc.
•
The variety of the course at University seems really interesting and I love the areas of Particle Physics, Cosmology etc.
Con's for Physics:
•
Can't see many other career choices apart from research or education and I couldn't be a teacher.
•
Not that well paid??
Pro's for EEE:
•
Very Employable, secure.
•
Good money straight from graduation
•
Interesting but I don't know much about it?
Con's for EEE:
•
Little knowledge of what to expect (obviously related to physics etc. but I've never had any experience before)
•
University course still seems interesting but less than Physics.
I'm so confused of what to pick. If the employability of Physics wasn't a factor then I'd probably pick that, but I just don't want to end up with a degree and then can't do anything I want to do. I really love Physics but all the areas I love, such as high energy, quantum etc. are pretty popular now and I'm worried I wouldn't be able to find a job in those areas. I'd definitely consider a PhD in Physics but are that hard to get onto, especially in something like Particle Physics? I always thought with a Physics degree you could still do similar jobs to Engineers but apparently that's not the case and that really worries me. I don't want to end up poor and regretful.
If I do decide to pick EEE, I suppose it is the sensible option, but I'd pretty much be giving up my dream of working in those areas of Physics (I can't seem to find a way to overlap them). The moneys better, the jobs are plentiful but it's just hard deciding between your heart and head (sorry for the cheesiness but I don't know any other way of explaining it).
Does anyone have any advice? Is there a way to overlap them?
PLEASE HELP
I feel like such an idiot for not being able to make my mind upAnyone?
Original post by EmmaTheBeatle
Anyone?
More pros for physics (just to mix things up a bit...)
-Good for careers in Finance
-Good for many careers in software/electronics (I'm a physics student and work as a software developer in my hols)
-In fact, good for the majority of careers with a lot of maths.
-One of the higher average starting grad salaries (£28K/annum)
cons:
-The above is only true if done at a uni with a good rep, i.e. Physics at say london met would be unemployable but physics at a G5 uni you could well end up working in banking/private equity/research basically whatever
Physics is one of the most employable degrees you can get.
A lot of the graduate schemes I've seen though have been for Engineering degrees, with a lot less opportunities for Physics graduates. (I'm probably looking in the wrong places, maybe?)
I'd love to work somewhere like the ISIS accelerator but I don't know how realistic that is. As a Physics student, do you get a lot of careers advice at University?
Sorry for sounding like an idiot but I just get very worried haha
I'd love to work somewhere like the ISIS accelerator but I don't know how realistic that is. As a Physics student, do you get a lot of careers advice at University?
Sorry for sounding like an idiot but I just get very worried haha
Original post by natninja
More pros for physics (just to mix things up a bit...)
-Good for careers in Finance
-Good for many careers in software/electronics (I'm a physics student and work as a software developer in my hols)
-In fact, good for the majority of careers with a lot of maths.
-One of the higher average starting grad salaries (£28K/annum)
cons:
-The above is only true if done at a uni with a good rep, i.e. Physics at say london met would be unemployable but physics at a G5 uni you could well end up working in banking/private equity/research basically whatever
-Good for careers in Finance
-Good for many careers in software/electronics (I'm a physics student and work as a software developer in my hols)
-In fact, good for the majority of careers with a lot of maths.
-One of the higher average starting grad salaries (£28K/annum)
cons:
-The above is only true if done at a uni with a good rep, i.e. Physics at say london met would be unemployable but physics at a G5 uni you could well end up working in banking/private equity/research basically whatever
Do you mind me asking what University you are at as well?
Original post by EmmaTheBeatle
Do you mind me asking what University you are at as well?
Oxford, also saw your post about grad schemes - your'e looking in manufacturing industry largely right?
Original post by natninja
Oxford, also saw your post about grad schemes - your'e looking in manufacturing industry largely right?
Yes and no, I was looking at grad schemes with MOD, Navy, other government schemes and also things like science & technology council as well as companies like Siemens and that. Just a mixture really.
I mean I have seen schemes for Physics, obviously, but they seem a lot less common?
Also, from your experience at Oxford, do they help you a lot with careers advice etc.? Thank you for helping by the way
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by EmmaTheBeatle
Yes and no, I was looking at grad schemes with MOD, Navy, other government schemes and also things like science & technology council as well as companies like Siemens and that. Just a mixture really.
I mean I have seen schemes for Physics, obviously, but they seem a lot less common?
Also, from your experience at Oxford, do they help you a lot with careers advice etc.? Thank you for helping by the way
I mean I have seen schemes for Physics, obviously, but they seem a lot less common?
Also, from your experience at Oxford, do they help you a lot with careers advice etc.? Thank you for helping by the way
Yeah, in the technology sector, a more applied background would be desirable for obivous reasons.
Many schemes for engineering will also accept Physics grads.
There is a lot of careers advice and their careers advice people are very good
Original post by natninja
Yeah, in the technology sector, a more applied background would be desirable for obivous reasons.
Many schemes for engineering will also accept Physics grads.
There is a lot of careers advice and their careers advice people are very good
Many schemes for engineering will also accept Physics grads.
There is a lot of careers advice and their careers advice people are very good
What other sector should I look at for graduate schemes then? I can't really find anything else apart from technology based ones.
On the whole though, would you say the graduate prospects after a Physics degree is very good from our eyes?
You can go into a variety of careers with a physics degree, it's quite a versatile one. Don't dismiss it based on the idea that job opportunities will be limited because this isn't the case.
Also don't worry about finding it hard to get into physics PhD position afterwards - especially in high energy physics. That's what I'm doing now and it took me minimal effort to get a place. And I wasn't an exceptional applicant either, just your run-of-the-mill physics graduate.
Also don't worry about finding it hard to get into physics PhD position afterwards - especially in high energy physics. That's what I'm doing now and it took me minimal effort to get a place. And I wasn't an exceptional applicant either, just your run-of-the-mill physics graduate.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by EmmaTheBeatle
What other sector should I look at for graduate schemes then? I can't really find anything else apart from technology based ones.
On the whole though, would you say the graduate prospects after a Physics degree is very good from our eyes?
On the whole though, would you say the graduate prospects after a Physics degree is very good from our eyes?
If the grad prospects were that awful I'd have picked a different subject. I'm not sure where to look but generally a grad scheme that requires a general math heavy subject would take physics over engineering. So many finance, analysis etc. A fair amount of physics grads end up in software - though generally not through a grad scheme.
Original post by EmmaTheBeatle
PLEASE HELP I feel like such an idiot for not being able to make my mind up
I feel like such an idiot for not being able to make my mind upYour interests seem a lot more aligned to physics than engineering, so physics seems the obvious choice. I wouldn't recommend an engineering degree if your only reason for considering it is that the career options are better than physics. If that's the case what'll likely end up happening is that your lack of enthusiasm/passion for engineering will show to interviewers, and you'll end up taking a more "general" job that you could have easily got with a physics degree anyway, e.g. software, finance or something. Whilst career prospects are definitely extremely important, it's not worth changing your degree to something that aligns with a career that you're probably not all that interested in.
Original post by SnoochToTheBooch
You can go into a variety of careers with a physics degree, it's quite a versatile one. Don't dismiss it based on the idea that job opportunities will be limited because this isn't the case.
Also don't worry about finding it hard to get into physics PhD position afterwards - especially in high energy physics. That's what I'm doing now and it took me minimal effort to get a place. And I wasn't an exceptional applicant either, just your run-of-the-mill physics graduate.
Also don't worry about finding it hard to get into physics PhD position afterwards - especially in high energy physics. That's what I'm doing now and it took me minimal effort to get a place. And I wasn't an exceptional applicant either, just your run-of-the-mill physics graduate.
I think I will apply for Physics now
I'm just too much of a worrier and get too worked up about things. Oh wow! Do you mind if I ask you what it's like from a student's point of view? What University are you doing it at?
Original post by natninja
If the grad prospects were that awful I'd have picked a different subject. I'm not sure where to look but generally a grad scheme that requires a general math heavy subject would take physics over engineering. So many finance, analysis etc. A fair amount of physics grads end up in software - though generally not through a grad scheme.
Aww I see, thank you for being so informative
I think I was just over thinking the comparison of engineering jobs to physics jobs etc. and made a mountain out of molehill. Original post by Smack
Your interests seem a lot more aligned to physics than engineering, so physics seems the obvious choice. I wouldn't recommend an engineering degree if your only reason for considering it is that the career options are better than physics. If that's the case what'll likely end up happening is that your lack of enthusiasm/passion for engineering will show to interviewers, and you'll end up taking a more "general" job that you could have easily got with a physics degree anyway, e.g. software, finance or something. Whilst career prospects are definitely extremely important, it's not worth changing your degree to something that aligns with a career that you're probably not all that interested in.
I was just considering EEE as I obviously saw slight overlap and thought that it would be the more sensible option. However, I think you're right, it's better to do something you're passionate about rather than doing it due to unnecessary anxiety about job prospects haha I really wouldn't know what to say in an Engineering interview but Physics I could probably talk for ages
Attachment not found
Anyone help me with this question please
Original post by EmmaTheBeatle
I think I will apply for Physics now I'm just too much of a worrier and get too worked up about things.
Oh wow! Do you mind if I ask you what it's like from a student's point of view? What University are you doing it at?
I'm just too much of a worrier and get too worked up about things. Oh wow! Do you mind if I ask you what it's like from a student's point of view? What University are you doing it at?
I'd rather not reveal where I'm studying to maintain at least a shred of anonymity on here. Don't want the awful things I say on here coming back to bite me, lol.
From this student's point of view though, I can't reccomend it enough. So many of the complaints people have about uni don't apply to it - such as course too boring, arbitrarily-marked essays, no real-life relevance, just about memorizing and regurgitating facts, not enough lectures to justify the money spent, and so on. It's a tough course but the longer you persist with it the more comfortable you get, and it's an immensely satisfying subject to study. I wouldn't trade what I've learned for anything.
Original post by SnoochToTheBooch
I'd rather not reveal where I'm studying to maintain at least a shred of anonymity on here. Don't want the awful things I say on here coming back to bite me, lol.
From this student's point of view though, I can't reccomend it enough. So many of the complaints people have about uni don't apply to it - such as course too boring, arbitrarily-marked essays, no real-life relevance, just about memorizing and regurgitating facts, not enough lectures to justify the money spent, and so on. It's a tough course but the longer you persist with it the more comfortable you get, and it's an immensely satisfying subject to study. I wouldn't trade what I've learned for anything.
From this student's point of view though, I can't reccomend it enough. So many of the complaints people have about uni don't apply to it - such as course too boring, arbitrarily-marked essays, no real-life relevance, just about memorizing and regurgitating facts, not enough lectures to justify the money spent, and so on. It's a tough course but the longer you persist with it the more comfortable you get, and it's an immensely satisfying subject to study. I wouldn't trade what I've learned for anything.
Aww fair enough, I understand haha
That sounds brilliant, I hope I manage to pursue a PhD in the same kind of area Is there placements outside of the University while your doing the PhD or is it Uni based? Sorry for so many questions, it's just hard to find a straight forward answer on the course websites and that. Thank you for being so helpful Original post by EmmaTheBeatle
Aww fair enough, I understand haha That sounds brilliant, I hope I manage to pursue a PhD in the same kind of area Is there placements outside of the University while your doing the PhD or is it Uni based? Sorry for so many questions, it's just hard to find a straight forward answer on the course websites and that. Thank you for being so helpful
That sounds brilliant, I hope I manage to pursue a PhD in the same kind of area Is there placements outside of the University while your doing the PhD or is it Uni based? Sorry for so many questions, it's just hard to find a straight forward answer on the course websites and that. Thank you for being so helpful yep, I'm about to start a 6-month placement in another country actually. It's a good way to see the world.
(edited 10 years ago)
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