/sci/ - Science & Math

Saging, this isn't science or math.

>>4853079

The point of this thread is to help youth more easily trek the path to becoming a scientist. So yes, it is science related.

Without getting into an argument about the validity of this thread on this board, I'll offer some advice..
I am a chemistry math double major.

Math: Don't go into it thinking "I'm good at calculus! I'll excel." Calculus and stats are babby shit, go into math if you like math, not because you think you are good at it.

Chemistry: First year will be a joke, it is super simple into stuff. If you find yourself having any trouble your first semester GET HELP because it will only get harder. Also, organic IS hard, however, not nearly as bad as people make it out to be. Just do what you have to to get through it.

Probably the most important info, though: Stay away from the comp sci and engineering departments. They WILL molest you.

>>4853104
Sorry, intro not into

here's my best tip:

if you go into engineering, and you start getting good grades, don't act like you're the shit.

seriously, I have a 95% average in EE at a top 30 school and I know that I would get my ass raped in any department that required a lot of intelliect; math or physics for instance.

keep your ego in check, it keeps you aware of how little you know

>>4853113
Not sure if advice from EE student or someone trying to put down engineering...

But seriously, engineering is shit tier

>>4853134
I'm just saying that 95% average in engineering does not mean you're smart enough to get a 95% average in math/physics

Biological and Cognitive Anthropology are fun and awesome subjects if anyone is considering doing either.

Make sure you know how to do basic fucking maths if you do ANY degree with even a hint of academia involved. If you don't know how to do maths, get a tutor.

>>4853142
Sounds interesting, was that your major? Are you out of school yet and if you what do you do with that degree? Not saying someone should get a job with their college major, I'm just wondering if you did.

I'm trying to become an astrophysicist, does anyone have any tips for physics or astrophysics specifically? I've never really had a full understanding of the college/postgrad experience sciencewise. It seems like there would be a lot of apprenticeships or whatever but I have no one that I could talk to that would know specifically what I should do.

>>4853162
I've nearly finished a degree in Anthropology with a minor in Astronomy. I'm planning on doing some modules in Biology and Astronomy for maybe a year at the Open University so that I can get an MA in Astrobiology.

Bio Anth is fucking great and teaches you about genetics, geology, evolution, archaeology, forensics etc but won't ever get you a job outside of those fields

Social Anth is like a combo of Sociology and Psychology but not as fucking retarded as either of those subjects since it doesn't assume anything prior to research. My lecturers tended not to keep it political, gave us various theorists depending on the module topic and then told us to do mini-research projects and then analyse the data according to what those theorists said. Exams and theoretical research are hard as fuck though. This subject can get you a job pretty easily actually since it allows you to do market research or advertising for companies and many larger companies or government agencies will employ you.

My current job is a rickshaw driver in central London. Brings in enough money to fund myself at Uni

>>4853187
It isn't as exciting as it sounds, but if that is your interest go for it. There are a lot of places you could intern at but they are competitive so don't slack in school.

bump

Which science would be opportune to study if you want to make a decent living but you don't want to be an engineer?

I like the idea of research, but is that realistic ?

Are internships going to be in my area or am I going to have to travel?

Currently going for a degree in Physics, what are my job prospects like assuming I get a masters first but don't get any other degrees in other fields? I am contemplating a double major in Comp Sci or an engineering.

This is more true for physics and chemistry than anything else:

Up until now your classes have been very modular, you didn't really need to remember much from the prior class to do well in the current one and whatever you were expected to remember would be retaught to you and reviewed ad nauseum. This is no longer the case.

I REALLY WANT TO STRESS THIS, because you will probably blow it off after it doesn't emerge in the first few classes. You really need to not just understand what you're doing, but understand it so deeply that it becomes as second nature to you as the basic operations of arithmetic. If you can't snap-answer "what is the derivative of ln(x^2)" by the start of the semester after you took calc 1, you're going to run into seeeeeeeeeerious problems later. You also need to remember the higher-stuff you learn in the class, because for the first time it won't just be masturbation over the early stuff. The biggest thing to take away from multivariate calculus won't be "how to do dy/dz and dx/dz," because that's very simple. It's going to be Greene's theorem, which you spend much of the course building up to.


Also related- your physics classes are no longer going to teach you all the math you need for the material. Concentrate on your math classes as seriously as your major, if not more so; everything will be much easier. Chem 102 will be a joke if you know diffEQ

>>4854131

thank you for that

More physics advice please

>>4853074
1. decide what field you want to go into
2. distinguish self to the professors in that field
3. work in one of said professor's research labs
4. get summer internship(s)
5. build network of job contacts at school and at the companies you have interned at
6. go to grad school (optional)
7. hopefully when you are done with school, someone in your network will know of an open position for someone with your skills and experience

Remember, science is something you have to devote your life to. There is no guarantee that you will get a (good) job when you get your degree. Good luck, anon.

I honestly love Math. I honestly think I want to become a mathematician. But is something like that a wise investment? Is there really a demand for jobs for mathematicians?

Also, my local in-town university is offering a 4-year degree to any science major majoring in the following:

Chemistry
Computer Science
Geology
Information Systems
Mathematics

If you pick one of those majors, you have to pick another one of those to minor in. Is any combination of those decent?

I have another plan: I can get my Associate's degree in Math at my community college, and then transfer to Texas Tech where they have an Actuarial Science Minor for anyone majoring in math.

Give your thoughts on this. I'm not looking for an answer, but rather what might you think based on your experience?

>>4854247
Any advice on that first point?

>>4854131
>you didn't really need to remember much from the prior class to do well in the current one
I disagree with this. 4th year chem major here. All of the logic you need for your upper division chem courses are built upon the rudimentary rules you learn in general chem. I scored the highest out of 400 other students in my organic chem classes for 2 quarters. This is because most everyone else resorted to brute force memorization. They crammed a bunch of reactions into their heads without reasoning them out. Simple principles like electronegativity and acid-base chemistry govern the reactions you learn in organic chem, and you can reason each one of them out by knowing your gen chem well.

I honestly love Math. I honestly think I want to become a mathematician. But is something like that a wise investment? Is there really a demand for jobs for mathematicians?

Also, my local in-town university is offering a 4-year degree for $10,000 total ($2,500/year) to any science major majoring in the following:

Chemistry
Computer Science
Geology
Information Systems
Mathematics

If you pick one of those majors, you have to pick another one of those to minor in. Is any combination of those decent?

I have another plan: I can get my Associate's degree in Math at my community college, and then transfer to Texas Tech where they have an Actuarial Science Minor for anyone majoring in math.

Give your thoughts on this. I'm not looking for an answer, but rather what might you think based on your experience?

>>4853104
i'm an upcomming college student at uc santa cruz, majoring in computer science. will I get raped for it? I already love CS and it seems like something I see myself doing in the future

>>4854259
All depends what you are interested in. Are you fascinated by life? By the universe? Matter and energy? I love the feeling of dominion over the matter around me, hence why I went into chemistry. If you are more of the Einstein type who wants to probe reality and "read the mind of God" then go into physics. Or if you like life, go into bio or neuroscience. I'm sure if you simply talk to some of the professors at your university about why they went into their respective fields, it would be helpful to you and they'd be happy to do it.

>>4853104
>Stay away from the comp sci and engineering departments. They WILL molest you.

What do you mean?

Plan on going into neuroscience (therefore pre-med). But i'm also interested in research.

Any advice?

>>4854273
What would you say about other STEM areas, like Computer Science or Engineerings?

>>4854269
UCSC is rad just get involved in your major's community and you should have a good time.

OP don't listen to the butthurt engi-hating fags. They mad cuz engi's get 60k-90k out of college without fighting grad school politics and vying for the few doctorate positions, all along getting respect from laypersons for dropping the word "Engineer."

If you want money, go into an engineering that matches your sci preferences.

>>4854264
This applies to any science, I think.

A hard won 60% will serve you better than a 90% from a cram session. Eventually you can't cram any more in a few days of study and panic sets it. After a few sessions some people give up since they overstress. Science really does build on the basics. So study a bit everyday, and like any athlete you do better and better.

I've even past a few tests just by being healthy and relaxed when everyone else was sick from flu because of lack of sleep. Some things come easy, some don't, you just have to keep trying and eventually something works.

>>4854294
Fuck yeah I love hearing things like this. Can't wait. I was planning on going to UCLA pretty much all my life but after going there countless times and feedback from friends there, I realized that I really didn't want to be surrounded by those kinds of people, I'm really not at that kind of level haha. I wanna party, have fun, and study hard!

>>4854292
Not much different. You need to build up a network of job contacts and get really extracurricular. Most of my friends who are engineers are working in a professor's lab and/or interning somewhere. And it would help to get good grades. It's basically exactly like the business world. You need to know people.

>>4854231
e-mail some of your physics professors and find out if there's a preferred piece of math software they use in their courses, I'm only going by the 3 colleges I've studies/worked with undergrads at, but all three had one particular piece of software that the uni gave out fr free and that all the undergrads were expected to use. Start playing around with it this summer, so that when an assignment asks you to use it it'll be a helpful tool rather than an additional burden.

Learn to give yourself extra time for assignments, as your assignments move farther away from straight computation to requiring creativity it will become harder to judge how long they take to do, because sometimes you just won't see the obvious right answer for a while.


Big one that I really wish someone had told me:

You really should try to get into one of your upper courses in your major very quickly, again especially for purer maths and physics. In both those majors the later stuff is done in very different ways from the early stuff, enjoying intro physics means little in regards to whether or not you will enjoy upper physics- it's not harder, it's just very different. The same goes for purer maths but 100fold so, math up until calculus will be nothing like what you do after that.
>>4854264
Sorry if I wasn't clear, that was what I was trying to say. That you DO need to remember every class deeply, it's not enough to just cram and go.

ughhh I need to contest to my course coordinator that they forgot to add the marks from the exam I missed and retook to my mark...but I am so tired and lazy

>Be famale
>Be attractive
>Have sex with/perform sexual favors for your male profs (important! really worked for me)

tip #1: Don't browse /sci/

>>4854283
My grandfather, who is a chemical pathologist with a phd, says it is easier to get into medical research with a md than just a science degree. Also that people with a md tend to be project leaders compared to phds.

I'm in undergrad EE, but always wanted to be a surgeon. Is it stupid to go to go into med with an EE degree?

>>4854477
You could operate on the defibrillator .

*laughtrack*

bump

Why don't I ever hear about people going to school for both Physics and engineering?

>>4855416
Probably because it's too difficult.

>>4855416

I'm doing engineering with a minor in physics if that counts...

>>4855416
If you're doing physics, there's no point in doing engineering as well. You won't be learning anything new.

>>4856271

bump

>>4855416
There were quite a few people at my undergraduate school who were engineers that decided to double major in physics, as it was only 2-3 more classes. I'm not aware of any that actually finished it though, the don't really have to do anything as rigorous and thought-intensive as electrodynamics in the engineering program.

>>4856381
What does this image mean?

>>4856947
It means you've been trolled son.

bump

>>4853187
Look at the physics page in the sci wiki theres a link to college physics life pretty much

Tips for studying?

>>4858568
>>4858568

this

don't go into tests thinking your the shit and will do well because of previous achievements. It's a new day, a new test and your prof might decide to fuck you over, so always make sure to study your best everytime.

This is what I see successful people do, I do pretty good still despite not studying as much as I could for some tests, but I don't score nearly as high as these motivated people.

>>4858568
this

>>4858568
After lectures, go through your notes and make flash cards of the important points (either paper ones, or with Anki you can make ones to keep on your computer). Take time (just a few minutes a day) to periodically review these cards, while adding more from your subsequent lectures. At least 3 days before a test, start running through your cards more intensively. You should be well-prepared for just about any test. If you don't have enough time to do this for every class, save this technique for your toughest classes. However, I've found this technique to be more time-saving than having a cram-session the day before an exam.

I find for me it is important to make the cards yourself. You go over your notes to discriminate between what is important and what is not, and you reinforce it by writing it down concisely. This seems to make flash cards more effective than simply buying a premade set and brute-forcing the information into which you've put no investment of effort to compile.

Also, consider study groups. They may not be particularly effective in giving you any new information if you already know your shit, but explaining concepts to other people is an effective way to reinforce what you need to know and critically think about it when trying to explain it. This technique helped me immensely in Organic Chemistry since my study techniques were otherwise bad (I didn't start making flash cards until Biochemistry, and only because there were no study group opportunities for me).

tl;dr: make your own flash cards on important points, and participate in study groups at least to explain concepts to other people and reinforce your knowledge; depending on class difficulty, one technique or another will generally be adequate for success, but do both and really kick ass.

>>4859205

It's not the first time I've heard this but somehow it never registered how awesome it is.

Is it because you said it saved time? Is it because you made it sound easy or interesting?

Probably all of those.

This is good and you should feel good.

>>4859205

This is all solid. Also, try to become a TA. I was the guy advocating how solidly you have to know the early stuff from before, if you're actively teaching it you'll have it down solid.

Also, study groups are a good way to meet girls.

>>4859205
here

>>4859248
This. Forgot to mention the social opportunities that study groups present. I've had some pretty fun parties with people from my study groups, and having other classes with them can help expand your social circle.

Is it wise to double-major in math and physics? I mean I have absolutely no idea which of them I'd like more. I'd like to be a mathematician working with physicists but also doing research concerning mathematics itself. I wouldn't want to limit myself to just physical problems.

The best tip for succeeding in college that I could give is:

Stay away form the internet as much as you can.

When you need to memorize, like in Biochemistry the structure and names of all essential amino acids, the best thing is to do flashcards and stick them to the walls around your house. I would stick some on the bathroom wall on top of the toilet, so every time you take a leak, you can review the and practice memorization.

Give up porn and social life completely and it will be easy.

>>4859746
>giving up social life
Not a smart idea. There's tons of people who focus too much on studies and aren't capable to even hold a proper conversation after a few years. This will lead to a nightmare afterwars when you can't convince anyone why you'd be a good employee, and doing research will be even harder without contacts.
Instead, you should always look for a better social circle, always giving more attention to other competent students/professors/researchers who are able to open new doors for your academic life.

>>4859703
>>4859703
>>4859703

Prospective student here. I got accepted to Emory and ucsd. Where should I go?

>>4859950
How haven't you had to make a decision yet?
Also, Emory is a better school in general, while UCSD is much more science-focused and cheaper.

>>4859958
They are roughly same price. I live in the same state as Emory. I put deposits on both because none gave financial aid numbers until after you had to deposit.

read the stuff before the class and do the work early. Get a good GPA if you want to go to professional school.

Join a sport. Not even kidding

bump

bump

>>4860029
Why not just use the gym?

Though I guess having the physical fintess, social interaction, and team-whatsits bundled together help...

What are the major difference between CS and CE?

I'm noticing that at my uni CS lacks the hardware based courses, but becomes more focused and specialized in some really cool areas.

Are there major employability differences between the two?

>>4860750

CS is software based, while CE is hardware based.

I'm thinking about having my dad move to wherever I want to go to college, and then moving in with him and becoming a resident there so that college is cheaper. I know that not all colleges offer a less-expensive tuition for residents. Apparently, doing this could cut tuition in half or more in a lot of places. Do I have to be a resident there for a while? Any info would be helpful.

What level of Math do you need to take the Physics I?

Biofag here looking to get into med school. I have to pick a minor and im interested in physics or chemistry. Which would be more helpful in med school?

>>4860886
Taking it for summer and so far its just a lot of algebra. Just make sure you're used to rearranging equations, you'll do a lot of that

>>4860886

trigonometry, basic algebra, and calculus I

Work. A lot. A fucking ton.
Always do homework. Do more homework than necessary. You may have been smarter than your peers before, but when you're going into the hard sciences, everyone's a genius. Study basically as much as you possibly can. Read the book 3 times and take notes twice.
NEVER be a bad partner or everyone will hate you forever.

Really, all there is to it is that you're not smart anymore. You're average now. Learn to do your work.

>>4860918

That feel when this is true yet there are still people like Von Neumann, Einstein, Nash, Godel, etc. who are magnitudes over everyone else.

>>4860924
Allllll ten of them out of tens of thousands.

>>4860926

I know.

What should I do about Nuclear Engineering?
What schools are the most recommended?
What classes should I take?

>>4860885
please answer

>>4860926

If you can name 70 math geniuses, that's 1 / 100,000,000

>>4860972
I must vary, but here in NM you have to be a resident for at least a year I believe

To anyone that is a math major: How much of Calc I and II do I actually need to retain for the higher level classes? I'm doing a review of them right now since the last time I did them was when I was a junior in high school and I'm foggy with a lot of the concepts.

What would you say are the most important things to remember from it? Since then, I've taken multi, first order differential equations, and linear algebra.

>>4861169
Depends entirely on what branch of math you're planning on doing. In general, not that much. Analysis is far more important.

>>4861169
if you do applied math it's kind of important, if you do pure, not really at all, maybe some number theory will use integration tricks

>>4861182
>>4861187

Ah I don't really know how to differentiate which part of math I'm interested in. I'm thinking about becoming and actuary so I'm assuming applied math is more my thing.

>>4861203
>differentiate
lolz

>>4861203
Of course you don't, that won't happen until you have some actual knowledge of what different branches actually exist. Just do a whole bunch of different stuff, see what you like and do followup courses on those.

And yeah, as an actuary you probably will have to be pretty good at actual calculations.

1. Go to office hours. Go frequently, come with good questions, take notes. Even if you think you have a clear understanding of the material, sit down and think of some questions you could ask your professor about recent lectures or even upcoming chapters. You'll pick up as much information, if not more, as you do in lecture and that'll go a long way towards helping you work through harder homework assignments. (Plus, it shows your professor that you're making a real effort to succeed in the class and that will usually help your final grade)

2. Read the text and review your notes frequently. Look over the section your lecture is going to cover the evening before the lecture, and again the evening after. Reading it before the lecture means you'll be better prepared for the material and are less likely to get lost in the material during lecture, reading it after allows you to make sure you understand the material and, if not, gives you an opportunity to come up with questions for office hours (see #1)

>>4861280
(cont)

3. Join a study group. If one doesn't exist, form one. Most physics departments will often have a room set aside as a student lounge. Go there, study, do homework, talk to your classmates. Being part of your own little 'think tank' is great for working through the four-star problems and studying for the big exams, and it's also a great way to MAKE FRIENDS! (dun dun dun)
>A word of caution however, don't become too dependent on your study group. Working through hard problems together is fine... so long as you're contributing to the process and understanding the methodology of solving different problems. If you're just sitting there and watching other people work through the problem, you're not going to learn anything and your lack of knowledge will absolutely be reflected in your quiz and exam grades. Sometimes it's good to work in a group, sometimes you just need to work through something on your own.

4. If you're interested in going into research (either professional or academic) start early. Go to your department's webpage and look up your professors, see what kind of research they do, see if any of it interests you, talk to them about it, ask questions, and see if they're interested in bringing on an undergraduate research assistant - unless they already have way too many people working for them they will almost always say yes. It's great experience, looks great on a grad school or job app, and if they've got a decent research grant you might even get paid.


Those are really the biggest pointers I can think of at the moment. Hope this helps people.

>>4861280
>>4861283

>>4861280
>>4861283
Thanks! Those are all really good tips!

>mfw I still maintain my extremely lazy high school work ethic and I'm going into my junior year with a 3.9 GPA
>mfw 15 of my 18 credits are 300 level physics courses

>optics
>physical mechanics
>intro to quantum mechanics
>modern physics II
>E&M II
>literature and film (lol)

I managed to get an A in PDE last semester despite getting C's on two of the three tests (thanks to HW answers always on internet), and everything else was still babby tier. I'm sort of worried about this coming semester though, I think I might actually have to change my work ethic. Three of my physics courses have profs I'll need references from, so I at least have some additional motivation. Also got research in our particle accelerator lab to keep up with too. Anyone here still have high school work ethic while knee deep in high level course material?

this shit is gold

http://archive.installgentoo.net/sci/thread/4853074

>mfw I saved this thread from 404 several times

>>4861431

You don't need to go full out nerd, just put the work first and do it calmly.

please more. dear god more.

Don't give up.

Working your way through a STEM degree is not easy. But if you keep trying, give it your best effort, and see it through - it IS worth it.

Adderall
/thread.

>>4862825
Problem with adderall is it becomes a crutch. Gets to the point where you can't study without it, can't do homework without it, can't remember jack shit on a test without it.

Unless you plan on spending every day for the rest of your scientific career loaded up on attention deficit pills, just stick to caffeine.

>>4862833
I hear physics grads develop an organ in their systems that turns coffee into science

>>4862837
That is actually an old math joke.

How does A-levels work? I live in Norway and after year 10 (when we are 16) i started sonething called study specialization.
To get into the best universities you need A-levels right? I dont think you can take them here so can i go abroad and take them in the UK or US or something? if thats possible how do i go about doing that?(sorry for bad spelling, am on my phone)

>>4862970
Anyone?

>>4863003

in your position i would recommend the international baccalaureate.

I am unsure of how to choose the branch of science I want to go into. I know that I should choose whatever interests me, but the thing is that I have no idea what interests me. I am relatively well versed in some astronomy, evolution, all the staple easy sort of sciences, mostly because one of my hobbies is watching pop-science scientist interviews on youtube. Every branch of science I've come across seems pretty cool, but I have no idea which one I would want to do as a career. Does anyone have any tips as to how I can narrow down the list of sciences that I would consider going into for a career? (One aspect of the career that I would like is for it to be respectable to the layman. For instance astrophysicist or particle/theoretical/fucktastic physicist. I know it's shallow and shouldn't matter but it does because I'm a shitty person.)

>>4863089
I'm starting my fourth year of undergraduate studies this Fall and I still don't know for certain what branch of physics I want to focus on. Hell, I know grad students who still aren't sure. And at the same time I know undergrads and grads who do know for certain.

It's just one of those things that sort of clicks when you've covered enough material and done enough research.

Best to dive right in and see where you end up instead of trying to force yourself into a branch you think you'd like.

How does one form a study group?

Bump

>>4864342
>bumping after three hours
>at 4 AM

And I was the post above you. Hah

>>4864358
>>4864342
YO GUYS I AM RIGHT HERE WITH YOU!
I am very motivated to go through with choosing to devote myself to biological sciences now. I have been going through hell deciding what to do with my life. I always wanted to be a storyteller, but the life hollywood and trying to succeed in animation/comic companies seems too finicky and not as fulfilling, especially for going to college. I started looking at careers by how high the average salary was, and every time I saw a high number I could feel my soul sink as I knew that deep down I did not want to be a lawyer, financial analyst, whatever. I never considered STEM because I was a bum in highschool, but I always did well in psychology, and I realized ever since I started excelling in psych courses, I loved the neuroscience aspect. I looked up the average salary and I did not care (as much). The career itself resonates with me. Now I am doing acrobatics to change my major before I start a state uni (Have to go back to community college for a spell to earn pre-reqs I was too scared to take, long story), and preparing myself for the real life.

I visited a bio major friend of mine at Brandeis, who introduced me to the research life and other friends at MIT, and I realized that I can be some one, as long as I have the vision...and I got it (thinking about neuroengineering for researching biomechatronics, maybe language learning). I feel this work can bring me fulfillment, hard work and all... I know this is a lot of self disclosure for an image board, so I expect some trolling or something negative about my optimism.

For anyone else not sure as I was, I only offer this general advice. Just as you can remember yourself in the past from a third person perspective, doing something you may or may not approve of, your future self will be able to do it to you NOW. In four years, will they approve?

>>4863089
>>4863089

Here's some criterion to narrow the list:

Are you god-tier in math ?:
-Math
-Physics and related (Astro, particle, nuclear, etc)
-Everything below

Are you ok-tier in math?
-Chemistry
-Engineering
-Everything below

Are you mid-tier in math?
-Biology
-MD

Are you shit-tier in math?
Don't bother.

>>4865006
Not the guy you were answering to, but how do you know what kind of "tier" you're in math?

I know I'm at least ok-tier because I have been always one of the best (if not the best) in math on my classes, BUT how to know if one is god-tier material?

Say I'd like to become an engineer. I'm not really sure what being an engineer would entail besides fixing "problems". Could someone give me a run down of what being an engineer is like and who should ideally BE an engineer?

>>4865348
Engineers have gay sex. You must be gay to enter engineering.

>>4865353

Uh oh.

>>4865348
Being practical and hardworking matter way more than being smart. Most of the work you do would be making geometry work, and talking to reps from contractors and owners making sure things go smoothly.
Having a perfect answer means zip if it can't be physically done by who you have in the field, and shit happens very often when it comes to real life so adaptivity is key. Don't get married to a solution, because the idea you conceived and the one that gets made are going to look very different.

My friends schedules consist of Spanish, Econ, English, Film Analysis, etc, and so far my schedule only has calc, physics, and engineering classes. Feels like the start of something painful.

I was finally going to transfer to Science this morning when my uni registration opened up. But calculus, chemistry and physics were all full. Guess I'll just get my BA in Geography then...

RIP BSc Geoogy

bump

Well done OP

>he's not a member of Phi Beta kappa

lol pleb

bump

bump

Any idea on jobs you can take while in college that aren't as shit as working in fast food?

>>4865348

Your job as an engineer can vary significantly depending on the engineering you choose.

My roommate who is EE has been doing research at NASA on battery technology.

Someone I know who is in mechanical engineering designs parts for the rockets at SpaceX.

My EE friend worked at a company that deals with factory automation and basically designs their control systems, creating the structure for their logic and using all the info from the sensor suites.

My MechE friend works at a all-terrain vehicle company and designs the wire routing apparatus.

Someone I know in MechE both designs and machines parts for a local research group dealing with ultrasonic wave transmission.

My MechE friend works at a top car company doing component design there as well.

Another MechE works at a 3D scanning company and deals with data processing for creating scans of the inside of human bodies.

My other roommate works with NSA on cryptography stuff.

Someone else works with the manufacturing of extruded rocket nozzles for the NAVY.

A couple of people are field engineers at Schlumberger oilfield company.

A couple others have worked at Caterpillar on tractor designs.

There are many others that I can't think of.

The jobs vary greatly, from basic consumer product design, to manufacturing logistics and sales, to testing and R&D for car companies, etc.

>>4866783

Someone else I know also designs the boards for autopilots in small UAVs.

Another one also worked with a car company with their manufacturing electronics and upped their production by 1000 cars yearly by modifying their wireless systems.

>>4866758
The pay is bad, but usually professors will take on research assistants from their undergrad classes. You basically end up being the Grad students lab bitch.

That said, I did it for two years and it was by far the easiest job I've ever had. Grad students are surprisingly lazy individuals in that all of them (except one) would show up to do lab work around 10 am and leave by 5 pm. In general you do a bit of heavy lifting and some minor reading and summarizing.

>>4866797

By boards, I mean the electronics. Sensor layout, connections, etc.

>>4866758

Our campus has regular job listings for on-campus things, like help booths, bookstore, recreational facility jobs, our "green" division, etc. They also have off-campus postings, too, and generally buildings will have boards that have job listings on them, too.

I'm considering majoring in Chemistry. I'll be honest, the only Chemistry knowledge I have was a course I took as a Sophomore in highschool, I'm extremely rusty. Will the intro classes basically serve as a refresher from highschool? Also what kind of jobs could I get with a BS? Do I need a Masters to make any money?

What exactly can I do with a degree in Biochemistry?

I'm going to be a freshman in college. I planned on going to med school after college, but I wanted a back up in case I don't get into med school.

I figured I could get involved with a lab or something, but is there anything besides that and academia I could pursue?

>>4866841
This might not sound exciting to you, but fucking food science bro. This summer I've been interning at a Daisy Brand Sour Cream and Cottage Cheese plant, they have Biochemists/chemists and microbiologists working in their Research and Development lab. All I do is flunky work, but I was up there today doing some painting and shit and watching them work. They basically sit in the lab thinking up new shit to do with their bacteria cultures and playing with milk. I'm sure it's more complicated than that, but the point is they make good money(about 60k) considering they're all young/fresh out of college. Just about every processed food plant has them. Definitely a good fallback if you ask me.

Im doing my engineering degree online while working full time plus doing some academic research on the side.

Any tips on how to balance my workload?

What branch of science will allow me to research new ways of energy?

.

>>4853074
Smoke weed, every day.

>>4854053
I like how this has gotten NO replies yet..

>>4865542
I fucking know this feel
Freshman undeclared, was going to change into chem or something
now my schedule consists of history, philosophy, a shitty dinky math class and journalism
I literally want to die

>>4854053

You should go into petrochemicals. You might be fucked within 20 years though.

>>4867765
TBH Engineering is actually way preferable from this bullshit.

But if anyone wants to, those guys make mad cash, so retiring after ~10 years of work (when saving ~60% or more of their pension) is definitely possible.

Heck, yeaterday I've made calculations about it and turns out that I need to work 8 years at 65k/year before taxes (in Euro) and I won't have to work another day in my life (counting 4% interests/year are withdrawn, even though 90% of the time 5% applies)

>>4854454
>>4854454
This

Whenever I'm doing an important test/quiz my brain seems to go on vacation. I freak out and my ability to analyze/solve complex problems becomes strongly impaired. When I stop caring about the marks, I seem to go several orders of magnitude better even if I only spent a small amount of time studying.

How do I work around this?

>>4862851
And the joke was that the residue left in coffee is homonymous with the word "theorem" in the original language it was told (I think).

>>4868029
what?

it's because they drink a fuck ton of coffee because of the workload

bump

MOAR

bump

Time to let this thread go man... take some screencaps and let it go.

>>4870213
>>4870213

But there are still tips to be had and advice to be given.

Once an plebeian of /b/ I hit breaking point one night...

Sure, I was comfortable. Played vidya all day, was a photographer and undergrad games designer. Had a gorgeous model lass by my side and no money issues per say. Still, I was never satisfied (human condition, amiright?) I desired more, much more.

So, using my pleb reasoning I did what most would and created a thread on /b/. To my rescue came someone of similar circumstances, one upon a time. Over the ensuing hours we chatted, and he imparted what I've referred to since as 'My Student Bible'.

It's pretty straightforward, IMO. Still, I did promise to one day 'pay it forward' as it were. My apologies if it does seem rudimentary or useless to most. I will be adding my current tips as I upload this document.

I went from one who dreamed of designing games, to one who's now researching technologies that will make some of my favourite games a reality. Not a bad job if I do say so myself.

Four simple pages, it only exists in physical form (though I should really digitally back it up ASAP) So my apologies for the 'wear and tear'. I carried it with me to almost every class for the better part of undergrad.

Enjoy.
(1/4)

>>4870652

Current day tips #1
- I once had VERY LIMITED mathematical knowledge. If math isn't your thing, or you aren't strong with it -- too bad! Suck it up and start back at square one. I did, and it was the best decision I ever made. Seriously, I went all the way back to strengthen my basic arithmetic skills, it was incredibly humbling. Point is, EVERYTHING COMES BACK TO MATHEMATICS! So you may as well get ahead of the curve and learn it as an almost primary language.

I personally had no idea where to start, so I jumped on Khan Academy and just went through all the videos & activities (which should bring you to a solid High School understanding) then I moved into the /sci/ sticky and began chewing through their recommended resources.

I'm no mathematician by any stretch of the imagination; but I'm 'speak the language' well enough now to not look like a retard. It was also an incredible skill to have throughout undergrad.

Also, hard mode = making your calculator as redundant as possible.

>>4870683

(3/4) Current day tips #2

- Right, here's a list of websites/systems I use currently to remain as sharp as possible. Again, many might laugh, some might agree, I don't care either way just as long as someone gains from my experiences.

>Lumosity.com
It takes like 5 minutes a day, I smash it out every morning. Has a free trial so you've got nothing to lose giving it a shot. I enjoy the routine cognitive workout.

>Calnewport.com/blog/
Signup to having 'Study Hacks' emailed to you. Read the stuff and filter strategies that may be helpful to you. I know personally that I've modeled a whole bunch of successful 'tweaks' to my daily routine from here that allow me to finish everything I need to by 5pm.

>Brainworkshop.sourceforge.net/tutorial.html
Most people know about increasing fluid 'g' using duel n-back games. Worth checking out.

Also, if you need resources or want to learn something; search for open courseware (check the /sci/ sticky) the Harvard/MIT/Stanford/etc courses are helpful.

Oh, and if you don't know how to use the internet to find absolutely everything and anything then GO LEARN HOW TO INTERNET! Yes, seriously. My ability to find everything I've ever needed online has taken me eons past my fellow students. Start with your google/search engine skills.

>>4870710

(4/4) Final post and words of wisdom.

Stay organised, focused, balanced and inspired.

In words, it really is that simple.
In reality however... It's a different story.

Hopefully somebody reading this has gained something from my post series. I really did endeavor to pay forward the help I received all those years ago. Which to me, was one of those 1 in 'some exponential probability' moments that this place has done something incredible for someone else.

Good luck, and godspeed.

>>4870710
Playing brain games makes you better at brain games. I honestly think that if you're physics or math major you get enough exercise from your studies and if you need any additional exercising, do math problems, play chess, go or whatever. I used to do sudokus everyday but then I realized I might as well pick up chess cause it's more interesting, challenging and you really have to think 100 % because you're competing against someone. Brain games don't have that.

>>4870723
>>4870710
>>4870683
>>4870652

Five stars.

>>4870723
Epicness. Thank you, sir

Biologist here. Just finished undergrad, and successfully navigated college coming out near top of my class and still partied myass off. Just started my first job out of college working for mgh and harvard, in an amazing lab. Ill be here for a year or two before heading off to grad school for bioinformatics. There sre many good point, but I want to emphasize and stress a few really important ones.
1. Time management. These words are meaningless to you right now because youve never had to manage your time. In college, you have more freedom than you know what to do with. You can lead an active social life and become great in your major. At all times outside of class, you willxhave many options to choose from when you decide what to do witg your time. Learning when to say no to friends because you have a test is important. Even more important is learning when to let your studies slide when you have an oppurtunity to meet new people. Its all about learning to balance your time and recognizing what is important and what you can get away with without hurting yourself.
2. Internships are more important tgan college itself. Internships are how you learn what your future career is really like, and gives you amazing insight on whether its ehat you actually want to do. Many internships lead ro job offers. Employers and grad schools care far, far more about internships than grades or classes. I didnt go to a school anything like harvard, but now I work in their labs because of an internships which led to a job.

>>4871497

There are only 4 papers

>>4870652
>>4870683
>>4870710
>>4870723

Could you upload the document?

>>4871985
3. Friends and socializing are JUST AS IMPORTANT as the classes themselves. These people are as smart as you or smarter (well, some of them). Do not judge people like you would in high school. These individuals were all ambitious enough, at the least as ambitious as you, to make the effort to go to college. One of my best friends is bro-ish and seem like someone you'd meet in a back alley at first glance. Once you get to talking with him, hes extremely intelligent, polite, likes parties, and one od tge most capable phycisists at my college. Your friends you makexin college can be friends for a lifetime, and they will all be successful if you pick the right friends. Dont be afraid to party and make mistakes if you want to. Most of all, have fun with it! You will never have this much free time again.
4. Not one person goes into college knowing what they want to do. They might think they do, but its always diffeeent than expectations. I went in for computer science, came out with biology. In your first year, take the intro courses that interest you. Majors are designed to allow wiggle room. I took intro to comp science, zoology, chem 1, and physics my freshman year. I knew i was interest in sciences, and so took those courses. I absolutelt fell in love with biology, and it went from there. Do not be afraid to take fun classes. I took videographics and thoroughly enjoyed it. Some classes may surprise you. I took intro to anthro thinking I would hate it, and I fell in love.
Do everything you can in college, have fun, make friends, study hard, but most of all, just relax and enjoy the ride.

>>4871985

I'm this fellow here, >>4870652

I couldn't agree more, especially seeing as how I've just finished up spending my precious, vital, invaluable holidays (noticing an adjective trait here? I like most work incredible hard during the year and holidays, well they are worth more than anything)...

Anyway, yes! I elected to spend my holidays in a research position whilst my peers enjoyed their respective cruises, travel and various other time off (which I'm not saying is a bad thing, they certainly earned it).

What I'm saying is that even though I worked through my holiday, my time management skills allowed me to come out the other side in relatively good shape to return to study.

Absolutely crucial so that one doesn't burn out, and now I have a 'one up' on my peers (and had a great time doing it, alongside some excellent networking).

Which leads me to the second point in your post, networking. In highly-competitive schools there will be many with similar grades to you, what it often comes down to is your ability to connect, network and market yourself to people. I can safely say, having made the move to sacrifice my holidays to take the aforementioned position that I have *at least one* solid opportunity lined up for me in the future which is more than most can say at my stage of education...

>>4872225

(Continued)

My point (and I believe the poster I'm replying to's as well) is that experience and networking play a vital role in your success as much as your grades do. Unless you're a freakin' prodigy, you best get to work. It never hurt to look around at where you want to be when you graduate and do a little research into how you can get there, then contact the people who hold the keys. Perhaps there are things you don't know quite yet that you could be working toward to achieve such positions. You won't know until you ask.

>>4871886
>>4871497
Thank you, I sincerely appreciate it.

>>4872016
Sorry, Bud. I have no time to type it up and as aforementioned, retain no digital copy at the moment. Feel free to save those photos and either type it up yourself, or see if you can't straight re-print the images. Though I know with the rain, coffee, god-knows-what-else damages and my random highlighting one should probably just make their own copy. Hell, the thread I created that from was EXACTLY like this one. So the real winners perhaps would be using mine as a base or an introduction to one of their own creation, centered around the plethora of knowledge shared in this thread today. Be thankful you're all here on /sci/, I had to deal with /b/ at the time.

ADDERALL, FUCKTONS OF ADDERALL!!

>>4872263

(Continued II)

>>4872092

Again, plenty of excellent knowledge right here. I'm certain I mentioned 'balance' somewhere. Which is absolutely key to sustaining a successful and happy college, career, and life.

Sleep well (GET THIS DOWN! As an insomniac, I'm seethingly envious of those who can sleep easily); have friends that add value to your life, not cause drama; eat well, stay hydrated, stay well away from any systems that rely on energy drinks or any other chemicals; Exercise! So very very important, the endorphins obtained from such activities energize and give you that 'king of the world' feeling, they actively prevent you feeling overwhelmed and believe me when I say that you're living in a world of constant 'BS', you need to be able to adjust, deal and dominate at a moments notice.

Other than that, all I can suggest is building a solid routine that adds structure, balance and handles your workload for you. Having all your work planned out (and even completed) before any social or personal downtime does a multitude of good for the amount of pleasure you derive from such activities. Nothing is worse, or harder to achieve (without copious amounts of alcohol) than trying to relax when you have an insurmountable project looming on the horizon.

are you guys really enjoy giving bad advice this much?

I noticed this kind of attitide from a lot of people, like if they had even a little bit of power in the form of knowledge of things you are interested in.

Like the the guilds in the middle ages holding on to their knowledge and squeezing out everything they can from it, financial and otherwise.

>>4872322

>guilds

So what? The guilds were the best at what they did

>>4863089
>>4863089

This. Does anyone have any more advice in this area?

bump

>>4870723
>>4870710
>>4870683
>>4870652

Pic says it all. 5 star post

This thread must never end.

>>4874417
Threads don't suddenly become good when you bumb them.

>>4874427
>>4874427

Almost every time I've bumped this thread someone has come out of nowhere and added extremely useful information.

Sleep 10 hours a day and study the rest.

What's the best way to manipulate a guy into doing my homework for me? I'd like to avoid sex with ugly nerds as much as possible.

In all seriousness, though, how much reviewing should I be doing after each class?

>>4874648
>>4874648

Is there anyone else here besides me and this guy?

>>4870723
serious question:

were you a fatass or skinny weakass in college? (did you find/make time to stay fit while doing all that?)

Protip: There aren't any jobs for STEM graduates anymore, no one is willing to train you, and to be competitive you need a PhD or have fun doing shit-tier work.

/Wish I was joking

>>4866841
>>4866841

there is a type of fungus that harnesses energy from gamma radiation. study it.

>>4874674
>In all seriousness, though, how much reviewing should I be doing after each class?
Nothing instantly after a class. You don't want to review anything too soon. I'd say when you learn something new, sleep one night and review in the morning. But if you have say 5 days straigth each day containing certain subject then besides problems and homework, you'll probably best reviewing on sunday. You don't want to fill everyday with every subject you study, you'll need rest days ie. you can study other subjects while your resting from one.

On holidays try review everything you've learned so far and start from the oldest stuff. With this method I was always 100 % in exams and always took a day of before the exams to clear my mind while others were idiotically scrambling all-nighters and panicking. You need to get stuff into your long-term memory. Avoid all-nighter's and 24/7 scrambling before exams at all costs. Exams are only checkpoint's to test your progress so far and studying is a linear prosess that you have to work for everyday consintently.

>>4874828
>PhD or have fun doing shit-tier work.
>implying you won't just end up doing a decade or more of postdoc positions, read: long-term undergraduate research

>>4874784

Not skinny, weak or fat; not uberbuff, either. It's silly but during my undergrad days I actually trained parkour (google it). Incredible effective for exercising without realising you're exercising because you're far too busy being AWESOME.

Yes. You have to make time in your routine for exercise because it plays so very many crucial roles in life balance and benefiting cognitive function that it's silly to consider life without it. You also won't find any successful person that doesn't handle their physical wellbeing properly.

Also, I have one foot of my research in the healthcare and medical arena; so I'm kinda motivated to maintain as healthy a lifestyle for my body as possible (I also want to maintain the possibility of being a prime candidate for my research some day...)

>>4874981
Postdoc is not undergrad research. The level is completely different, there is much more autonomy.

If it's available, do a year abroad. Not only will you get to work in a different environment with different people, it gives you the opportunity to learn a new language and create loads of contacts. I did a year at ETH Zurich and I adored it.

I'd also recommend getting involved in socials and nights out that your society hosts. You have competitions with other societies and you really get to know everyone better. It's benefited me academically and socially. Plus, when you move out of halls you have some like minded people to move in with.

>>4874992
>You also won't find any successful person that doesn't handle their physical wellbeing properly.
Gordon Brown, John Prescott. Hundreds of other fat successful people.

>>4874828
>Accept my baseless statement.

>>4874828

LOL!

>Implying it is difficult to get a job, provided you do well in school and have internships

>>4874992

>You also won't find any successful person that doesn't handle their physical wellbeing properly.

Sit down on a bench in the middle of the financial/legal sector in your city at lunch time and wait.

Vastly obese men with vastly obese bank accounts will come from all corners, wearing gigantic suits that cost more than your car.

>>4872016

http://pdfcast.org/pdf/student-bible

merged with acrobat. that's it.

i enjoyed this thread, thank you inhabitants of /sci/

Whoever the niggers are that think this thread will not continue to be amazing until the end of time need to be stripped of their dicks and repeatedly forced to drink from said dicks as cups until this threead 404's (which will be never).

>Bring up succesful fat people
>That's your excuse for not exercising and following a diet

I sure shiggy diggy doo.

I'm going for a specialist degree in CS at university of Toronto. It takes up 12 of 20 credits, so I have room for a major or two minors. I'm considering a minor in maths, commerce or history, what is the most advantageous position to get into? I'm not great at maths, but I have good qualitative analysis skills and actually like out on some level, and I enjoy reading about economics and history.

>>4876702

>imply that everyone who is successful is healthy and in good fitness
>get mad when people point out how retarded a statement that is

>>4876815

Economics. It's very useful to have knowledge in.

I live in Eastern Europe(Estonia) and am going to study physics in a local university, i.e. University of Tartu.
I speak English well and studied some French in high school, I'm wondering if I should also take up German so I'd have better qualifications when I am, at some point, looking for jobs in Europe.

>>4876830
>imply that everyone who is successful is healthy and in good fitness
>implying I was implying that

It's one of the factors that you can turn in your favour if you choose to. Being unhealthy doesn't contribute to your success but being healthy does. Doesn't really matter how much anecdotal evidence people are gonna come up with.

>>4876851
If you have motivation, by all means, study germanese. I opens up a huge job market for you and German is a nice place to live in.

>>4876851

Holy fuck, i loved Tartu. Norwayfag here, i spent 1.5 years there.

Besides, why do you keep thinking that you're east european slavsucm? Weren't you bros with finns? I saw more blondes and scandinavian culture there than I do in Sweden.

>that feel when you're in your last year of university
>still somewhat indecisive on my major
>marks are average
>little friends
sigh, i wish i actually made the effort over the past few years, so to everyone i suggest:
STUDY.
and plan your subjects properly, have a look at your handbooks and utilise the flexibility of your science degrees (not sure how it works in the america, ausfag here).
and of course socialise.

>>4853104
confirmaton of molestation ... chem/comp sci double major reporting many molestations

>>4876909
Oh, I don't really think we're slavscum here, but that seems to be the popular opinion among those who aren't familiar with Estonia. We're pretty much closer to scandinavians than we are to other balts or former soviet regions, yeah.
My cousin went to University of Tromso for a few months, then finished her masters in chemistry at Tartu and is planning to go back to Tromso for a PhD in chemistry.

>>4859703
>>4859703
But why ? I'm 1st in high school right now and i occasionally browse 4chan. I can do the same in the university.

>>4876976
>>4876976

>implying high school is the same as college.

>>4877501

>Occasionally
That's the key word.

Then again, that could mean anything.

>>4876976

>high school
>comparable to college

5/10 if troll.

REALITY CHECK: As much as everyone on /sci/ would like you to believe otherwise, a science degree isn't as useful as you would imagine. The only difference is that you' won't get lab jobs instead of not getting office jobs.

Math is only useful when combined with statistics, otherwise you're in with the science crowd with no lab opportunities.

Engineering is only feasible if you can manage a 3.5GPA, otherwise you just spent 4 years on what companies see as a glorified vocational degree that is too "overqualified" for any work a related vocational degree would give you. Seriously, you'll be better off going to a mid-tier school and kicking ass than going to a god-tier school and scraping the 3.0 line.

Also, connections matter way more than the school you go to, unless it's an ivy league caliber school, and even then you'd get beat out by well connected people.

>>4877516
You have even more free time in college.

Im starting as physics major freshman faggot this september. I love physics, but i'm doubting myself for two reason.

1) I dont know about job prospects. Really, what can batchelors even get me, as opposed to an engineering degree? I care about physics, but I just dont want to end up in debt, without job prospects.
2) I doubt my intelligence, I know I could earn an engineering degree with enough studying just fine, but is there any point in going into physics with the will, confidence, or brains to think about grad school.

pls hlep

I dont care how many dicks to suck, and how dumbed down my physics has to be, if i'm making decent cash as a petroleum, or chemical, or whatever engineer, I'll at least have that.

>>4877554
Engineering is just as hard as physics. It's just much more boring, so it's harder to study.

If you just want a good job, do engineering. Physics only if you want to do grad school. (Physics bachelors -> engineering masters or something like that)

>>4877560
>physics bachelor > engineering master

what percentage of engineers have a masters? This may be an option

>>4877568

Very few because for all practical purposes it's useless unless you want to teach at universities.

>>4877560

>engineering
>boring

Take it from a practicing engineer. It's not boring.

>>4877572
I see, thank you for the advice. I guess ill do a semester of physics, see what's up, and perhaps change to engineering.

Not sure if this is the right thread for this question but can someone give me an example of what exactly you do in grad research for Physics?

I know there is math but when I think Physics research I think of the LHC and that's about it.

Always always ALWAYS check your primers.

Talk some precise things?
EE major, need to decide what to specialize in, thinking between robotics, biomedical engineering, signal processing or process control.
Also, most likely plan to do masters in Japan in the field of robotics, finishing second year now, already started learning japanese.

>>4853074
I'm at step 4 :D woo hoo, nice to know i'm on the right track

>>4865321
>>4865321

This shit right here. Need help.

bump

bemp

>>4877707

autoclave ALL the things!

Okay, I'm REALLY in need of some elaborate discussion regarding a degree in Mathematics. Am I really destined to have low-tier job opportunities?

Software engineer is the Wall Street Journal's top ranked career for 2012. I wanted to major in math with a computer science minor, but how well would it work the other way around? (A computer science major and a math minor)

If I could individually talk with someone about this, that would be nice. Such a crucial decision is stressing me out.

Tips on doing excellent in physical chemistry? Junior level ChemE transfer here who has completed DiffEQ, Calc III, and a poorly taught modern physics class at a CC as relevant classes to pchem. The math courses were pretty decently taught.

Tfw I'm an econ major :/

>>4879289
i fucking hate these sorts of threads, but i might as well clear shit up

no one wants to hire pure CompSci majors. the field is oversaturated with them, and unless you go to a school where employers are lining up to give CS majors jobs, you'll find that it's a tough market.

if you're seriously looking for a job, math/CS double major is the way to go. CS major, math minor if you want industry shit. math major, cs minor if you want more research-oriented jobs or applied math opportunities.

What is the best calculator for an engineer?

>>4879297
Problems, problems, problems! When you are tired of doing problems, do some more problems.

>>4879301

I know that feel, man... that fucking feel...

This is probably the biggest tragedy of a XXIst Century human being - he has to make crucial life decisions when he's a 14y.o. fucking idiot.

>>4876832

>>4853074

Do what you like rather than what you "should" do. I know many life long students in the sciences who are making shit salaries and dreading every day of work.

I have a biology degree but find all the jobs as a programmer rather than a biologist. The biology degree might help me get into grad school though.

>>4879378
da fuck man, I just smoked mad weed all throughout high school and generally dicked around and I'm in engineering now with a 3.75 GPA. Don't sell yourself short.

>>4879373
Got it! Thanks for the reply. I'm guessing the quantum course in pchem is the toughest, am I right?

>>4879399
That's really quite debatable. I guess it depends on how much of a math background you. You'll definitely survive though :)

>>4879413
you have* rather.

ITT: HighSchoolers asking pointless questions that don't need answers or could be better answered by professors, peers and upperclassmen.

>>4879399
You solve a remedial DE in spherical coordinates over and over again. It's very trivial.

Molecular symmetry is a similar concept. Remedial group theory is very trivial. Same thing with thermodynamics/lattices. Very trivial.

What's difficult is the parrot biologist part of pchem. Memorizing multistep reactions.

Math major here who had to take pchem as an elective btw

>>4879459
Thanks a lot for the input bud. I do dislike the parroting, but I can manage it. I did well in organic chem overall, and reasoning out the multistep syntheses was actually the most enjoyable part of the course for me besides lab. Memorizing all the disparate reagents blew though.

1. No-one can tell what's the right field for you. Find out something about everything and make decision that's balanced with 1. jobmarket 2. your interests.

2. Take your studies seriously. You won't learn any difficult stuff in HS and first years of college aren't actually that difficult but you need to learn to learn. Don't suprised if you have to spend extra hours on some problem or things suddenly get harder. Deal with it, it's only going to get worse.

2a. "I don't know if this is really my field" or "This isn't even useful/relevant" aren't reasons to slack of. Whatever you study, whatever courses you are taking, always do you best and never ever become one of those guys "Ohh I failed math but I don't really care, it's not useful, I can do something else". Everything might not be useful but everything is interesting as long as you are ready to do some work.

3. Partying is for idiots. You aren't gonna remember that and that party when you're older and you're not going to make any friends by partying (exept idiots). Pick up hobbies that you can continue for a long time, it's much better way of socializing and making real friends. You'll make your studies also much easier when you understand you aren't really missing out on anything when you decide to study instead of going to a party.

>>4879467

4. Girls (or boys if you prefer). If you are hard-working, kind and smart kind of guy, it's not your market right now and it's great that way. Girls in college are still as childish as anyone in college and don't really understand what a serious relatioship is or wtf they even want with their lives. You'll chances start rise after colleges and rise steadily 'till you're too old. Not-serious realtionships are fine as long as you don't let them interfere with your more important things too much.

5. Sleep, exercise, nutrition etc. These are important. You might have some kind of romantic picture of college being a place to eat whatever shit you like, party, play vidya all night etc. But it is actually place for you to start learning some life-control. Eating healthy isn't expensive and exercising can only do good for you. Pulling an all-nighter is stupid and should never be done. Were you too busy earlier to study? Did you have something more important things to do? No you weren't and no you didn't. Studying is your number one priority and staying healthy your second. If you fix your diet, stop eating and drinking shit, start to exercise daily and appreciating a good sleep. You are way ahead of your peers.

>>4879475
>4. Girls (or boys if you prefer). If you are hard-working, kind and smart kind of guy, it's not your market right now and it's great that way. Girls in college are still as childish as anyone in college and don't really understand what a serious relatioship is or wtf they even want with their lives. You'll chances start rise after colleges and rise steadily 'till you're too old. Not-serious realtionships are fine as long as you don't let them interfere with your more important things too much.

Well, unfortunately I followed this advice, and now I'm fucked. 27 m never been kissed. I'm now passed over by women with the explicit reasoning that there must be something wrong with me if I've never been on a date. Not the only reason, but it comes up sometimes. So yea, ... I wouldn't listen to this too strongly.

And how does one meet people after college anyway when you're in STEM, aka you have no interests that let you meet people?

Also, /soc/ or /adv/ thread apparently. polite sage.

>>4879480
>Well, unfortunately I followed this advice, and now I'm fucked. 27 m never been kissed. I'm now passed over by women with the explicit reasoning that there must be something wrong with me if I've never been on a date. Not the only reason, but it comes up sometimes. So yea, ... I wouldn't listen to this too strongly.

Lol what? You don't tell girls you've never been kissed if you've never been kissed before, you asspie. If you want to get laid it requires not telling the truth especially in your case. Keep that shit a mystery. Don't ever again tell another bitch you've never had sex or been kissed, you will come off as a creep/weirdo/etc

>>4879499
>Asspie
Of course, implying that I brag about it to my potential dates. Just what I've come to expect.

Oh wait, it's just EK and friends trolling. Fuck off already. No one likes you here.

>>4879506
>permavirgin getting mad because I gave him advice

You're a sorry sack of shit !

>>4879506
heeeey!
i wasnt even in the thread yet, you dick!

>>4879467
>3. Partying is for idiots. You aren't gonna remember that and that party when you're older and you're not going to make any friends by partying (exept idiots). Pick up hobbies that you can continue for a long time, it's much better way of socializing and making real friends. You'll make your studies also much easier when you understand you aren't really missing out on anything when you decide to study instead of going to a party.
I was agreeing with you until that part

>>4879506
>>4879509
>implying anyone here likes tripfaggots/namefaggots/anonfaggots

Everyone here is a shitpoaster. Redcream, Carl Sagan, and /b/ trolls scared all of the real scientists away.

>>4879506
I used to love kicking the shit out of computer science fags like you back in college.
I dont know if i should write this you might have your posse of klingon warriors shoot invisible lasers at me. By the way does your mom know youre on this site? Shes not going to take you to the star trek convention in denver next year if you keep this up young man. Well it was nice talking to you. Keep sucking dick maybe some day your dad will actually pay for it.

>>4879524
Take your pills.

>>4879519
It's funny because Scientist is the biggest shitposter of them all. Computer science =/= a hard science, thus he shouldn't even be allowed to post here. He's also 27 and living in his mom's basement, "coding" for a living.

>>4879535
>med school
>hard science
>even science
doggy doggity dog doo

If you're planning on doing anything medicine related:

>get ready to memorize everything

Medicine itself ain't hard, you'll need a little bit of logic and to be able to remember A LOT of stuff, since most things are connected to each other.

bump

9 days
Damn

Why the fuck is this thread still up?

So my school separates computer science and applied sciences from the pure sciences into completely different degrees (bachelor's of arts vs bachelor's of engineering). I am not sure If i want physics, computer science, or economics. wtf do i do? I did a lot of the intro classes already by taking college courses during high school (legit credit)

>>4853074
"Engineering study group" is just fag code for gay sex orgy.

bump

>>4881021
>oh god my sides

Polite sage.

I think this thread has gone on long enough. Someone has already archived it. Very good information.

I agree. This thread is too long.

Thank you really much for all of this!

I just started college and really needed this.

bump

I'm assuming everyone on here has seen this thread by now, so there is no more advice to be given?

>>4885696
Probably.
This thread has been here for many days.

Most threads do not get over 250 posts.

2nd year Chem major here. Looking at the future job prospects for a Chem major isn't looking so good in my area, that being said Biochem looks to be a good future. I haven't taken any classes on it yet, what can I expect and would I like it assuming I live for chemistry?

Let's say I want to study math and physics in university and I can go to any university of my choice, anywhere in the world. Which one would be the best?

about to start myt my 2nd year of pre-pharm at uconn. Any one here ever take the PCAT? How hard was it?

bump

entering 4th year math major here.

kill yourself.

>>4885702
Materials Science

Enjoy you're ban. :33333333333

>>4887824
>>4887824

>your

mailto: sage

bump

>>4888014
>>4888924
>>4890103

shut the fuck up stop bumping this shitty thread.

>>4890409
wut

>>4871985
How did you go about getting your internships?

Bio Sci here. Starting my freshman year late this august.

I'm fairly confident that I want a major related to Biology and I won't stray far from it; it's been my favorite subject since I was old enough to speak.

I could possibly see myself going into organic chemistry but that's about it.

How do I get acquainted with people that will get me in the door in terms of lab internships?

I have a co-worker whose Uncle apparently owns his own successful laboratory. I wonder if I could contact his Uncle eventually.

bump

PhD candidate in genetics here, 3rd year

I'll answer questions if people have them

>>4892075
>>4892075

What the fuck does "PhD candidate mean"? Seriously I know its what you have to do to get a PhD but what does it entail?

>>4892079
It means I've passed all of my qualifier exams and successfully defended a proposal in front of my thesis committee.

>>4892084
>>4892084

Is it basically the same process for every field? What exactly is a thesis?

>>4892090
It's just about the same in every field I've heard, at least when it comes to STEM related fields.

Every school I looked at had some variation of an oral defense and written proposal and some a written test. There's two methods for the written proposal I've encountered, on or off topic of your research.


A thesis is basically an all encompassing statement of what you did during your graduate career, what you intended to prove, your results, implications, etc.

>>4892075
Are there jobs outside academia for PhD graduates?

>>4892107
yes, I suppose there is. There are many private research firms out there that are not funded by the NIH.

You could become a consultant or a patent lawyer (if you want to go to school longer)

I'm actually starting to explore my options outside of academia more and more as I sit in on faculty meetings (i'm on the graduate student counsel)

>>4892102
>>4892102

How hard is it to come up with a thesis? From when I first learned that that is what you had to do it seemed to me like you would have to be a genius to come up with something no one else had ever come up with. It it really like that, or is it just a matter of knowing all your shit, coming across a problem that is easy to solve since you know your shit, then the hard part is defending your proposal? Also, the phrase candidate seems like there is quite a lot of room for you to not even get a PhD, is that true?

>>4892123
it's almost always based on the work your boss does. they will normally have projects for people to work on.

Now that I'm a candidate they can't really kick me out of the program actually

>>4892141
>>4892112
Not that guy but I have some random PhD questions:
Is there a minimum requirement of publishing peer reviewed papers before a doctorate is granted?

It is beneficial to get work on a 'industry funded' project as compared to govt grants?

How easy is it to form a startup offshoot from the university?

How did you decide that you will the next spend ~5 prime years of your life still in school, before starting?

Is it hard (financially) to be a grad student?

How did you choose your graduate adviser? Do you have problems with them?

>Is there a minimum requirement of publishing peer reviewed papers before a doctorate is granted?

No.

>It is beneficial to get work on a 'industry funded' project as compared to govt grants?

Nooooooooooooooooo. It's the opposite, even DARPA guarantees a right to publish.

How easy is it to form a startup offshoot from the university?

That solely depends on what the startup entails.

>How did you decide that you will the next spend ~5 prime years of your life still in school, before starting?

If you're ready for it, you know.

>Is it hard (financially) to be a grad student?

That depends a lot on your university and how frugal you are. If you're in a science or math program they'll make sure you don't starve to death.

>How did you choose your graduate adviser? Do you have problems with them?

Go with someone that isn't saturated with grad students but doesn't mind an interested hand or two.

>Is there a minimum requirement of publishing peer reviewed papers before a doctorate is granted?

depends on the program and dept. My dept is 2 first author

>It is beneficial to get work on a 'industry funded' project as compared to govt grants?

I don't see why it would be, could be helpful for making ties if you wanted to do industry research after school, I suppose

>How easy is it to form a startup offshoot from the university?

Well it would be much easier if you actually discover something patent-able during your research. But if you do discover something the University will probably get at least 50% of anything you make from that patent.

>How did you decide that you will the next spend ~5 prime years of your life still in school, before starting?

I liked science, and didn't want to go to med school and I was working in a lab during undergrad and enjoyed doing that. So I applied to grad school, it's all I really wanted to do

>Is it hard (financially) to be a grad student?

depends on the lifestyle you want to live. My tuition is paid for and I get a $25k stipend. In reality it's plenty to live on, but you can always get a roommate somewhere. The more expensive the city in general the harder it will be to live comfortably. So while a school in NYC or Chicago might give you a $30K stipend it will be harder to live on that than a school in a smaller city like Madison or Columbus that gives you a $25K stipend. And then it goes up from there if you need a car, pay for parking, and all that stuff. I live 1.5 miles from my lab so I don't really need a car even though I have one

>How did you choose your graduate adviser? Do you have problems with them?
I chose him after I came to the school, looked at PhD trainers on the websites of the depts and then rotated with him. I have no problems with him, he's awesome. He's really young, around 32 so it's not hard to relate to him. The lab always goes out to eat and get drinks together

>>4892151
>>4892151
I can answer a few of your questions as well. I'm an environmental engineering PhD student going onto my second year. I have two years of previous work at another university where I obtained a masters.

For me, there is no minimum requirement for publications, but you're highly encouraged to have at least 2 or 3, preferably 3 or 4. Faculty view 4 publications as being a "good" PhD. My advisers during my masters degree required 2 papers, otherwise they might not have signed off on my thesis. They said "1 year, 1 publication".

These advisers micromanaged, and I was screamed at often. At meetings, I wouldn't even dare to look my adviser in the eye. He made two students cry, one of them in front of me. Sometimes I would be screamed at for up to 4 hours straight. Most of this happened in the first year, and things got much better in my second year. I gained more independence, my adviser took on a pleasant demeanor, and even praised me for my work. His strategy was to scare students in their first year and micromanage, then back off and give support. He was 70 years old at the time.

>>4892151
>>4892151
My current doctoral adviser is in his early 50's, and a very nice man. He jokes with the students in the group, shows a lot of support, treats us well, and never gets angry. He doesn't even seem to get disappointed. However, he's much more laissez-faire. He gave some support in the beginning, but more or less I'm on my own. Without my previous experience during my masters, I don't think I could have made it in this environment. In those two years I spent on my masters, I learned how to read papers, design experiments, plan activities, multitask...etc. It would have been rough going from a B.S right into PhD.

I chose my doctoral adviser by looking at top programs in the country and finding faculty whose research matched my interest. I flew out to the schools I was most interested in before I even applied, in an attempt to get an edge on the competition. I applied to people, not to the school, and many potential advisers wanted to take me in. However, few of them had funding for new students. I ended up at my last choice (a great school, but working on a project that I thought I wold hate). I ended up loving the project, and the school.

I get $22,000 a year as my stipend. It's plenty for me since living costs are extremely low. Parents still help with car insurance and the phone bill. I started making food this year and it's saving me a little money.

bump

>>4892933
>>4892948

Questions incoming.

>>4892948
>>4892933

Can you please explain the entire process of college to me, from freshman year until PhD level? I am super pleb retard high school status and have had no advice or information given to me on this subject. Even the most basic information you can give me would help a lot. I have more specific questions but I have a feeling most of them will get answered if you explain the whole process to me.

>>4892957
Not to be rude, but I think you'll need to be a bit more specific. I'm not really sure how to answer that question.

Happy 1 week anniversary to this thread.

>>4892963
>>4892963

Sorry. I meant that I am completely ignorant as to what the college experience entails. If you mean that my question is too broad, then I can't really narrow it down because I seriously know nothing. Anything you have to offer would be appreciated. Basically what hoops you have to jump through, how many classes are good to take at once, ect. Everything from the mundane to the secret insider shit. Seriously I have no idea what to expect or to do.

>>4892978
Well, oftentimes your first 2 years undergrad are planned out by your department. There is some wiggle room for the humanities, and once you get to your junior and senior years you might take some grad classes, get a minor (usually with one to several additional undergrad classes), and generally have the freedom to choose half of your semester during these final two years. You might have an interest in statistics, for example, and choose to take some related courses.

I took between 4 and 5 classes per semester undergrad (excluding 1 credit labs), though 5 classes was definitely the norm. In graduate school, 3 classes plus research can be incredibly difficult, and I prefer only 1 or 2. There's more freedom to choose what you take after you finish the basic requirements, but you'll still need your advisers approval most likely, and these classes should be related to your research. Generally, you get better grades in grad school. I find it's very difficult to get a solid A, or a solid B, and much easier to get B+/A-.

As a master's student, you'll likely be given a project that your adviser thinks will work. If it fails, you just write about what went wrong and still graduate. As a PhD, you'll likely be given a more difficult problem with high possibilities of failure in some areas. The project may not be viable at all, and then you'll have to find something else to work on. As a masters student, you usually take courses and do research. Maybe you'll TA and go to a couple conferences. As a PhD it's more normal to TA for a class several semesters in a row, go to more conferences, mentor undergraduates, be a "superuser" on certain machines and train students on how to operate them, and maybe even write research proposals. You have more responsibilities as a PhD.

As a master's student, you'll likely be given a project that your adviser thinks will work. If it fails, you just write about what went wrong and still graduate. As a PhD, you'll likely be given a more difficult problem with high possibilities of failure in some areas. The project may not be viable at all, and then you'll have to find something else to work on. As a masters student, you usually take courses and do research. Maybe you'll TA and go to a couple conferences. As a PhD it's more normal to TA for a class several semesters in a row, go to more conferences, mentor undergraduates, be a "superuser" on certain machines and train students on how to operate them, and maybe even write research proposals. You have more responsibilities as a PhD.

(pic is something I made last year)

You'll need a 3.5 GPA to go from B.S to PhD most likely. Otherwise you can do a masters first, work hard, and get into a good PhD program. Directly from B.S, your GPA and GRE scores will count more, and your recommendations less. If you apply for PhD with a masters in hand, your GPA and GREs don't really matter anymore so long as you beat the minimum. I was told this by various faculty I met with prior to applying. Your letters of recommendation carry much more weight, as does your personal statement in terms of what you're interested in working on. If you don't know what to go into, getting a masters degree can really help. Like I said earlier, it can also help you get into a better school for your PhD if your undergraduate profile is not amazing.

I should also mention that to graduate with a masters, you will need to write a thesis if doing research, and might need to publish 1 or 2 papers. As a PhD, it's common to have a qualifying exam after your first year that consists of questions from all of your classes, an oral exam about your research, and possibly an essay question. Depending on the program, you might need to leave the university in the middle of your PhD if you fail, or you might get one more shot at it before being forced to leave. Then there is the preliminary exam which is oftentimes an oral exam related to your research, and there is the dissertation defense in front of faculty of your choosing. The defense comes at the very end. Some programs have more tests than these listed, and others less.

Fellow /sci/ undergrad here.

While i'm an undergrad, I have a few things that i've come to fully actualize in myself;

If you're a serious science major (math, physics, chem), and are absolutely intrigued by the frontier of discovery and want to do research, make your major your life. Learn everything you can in the realm of your science. Study random topics just for fun. The most important question for a /sci/ major:

does discovery EXCITE you?

Finally, I'll say that research can be both rewarding and frustrating. You'll encounter failure after failure, along with scattered successes. You'll almost undoubtedly fail more times than you succeed, but hopefully your successes will move your research forward, and you failures show you where to move next. There are periods of intense anxiety, stress, hopelessness, and inadequacy. If something works, you'll feel like you're walking on air.

Failure is so tough because with each time it occurs, you need to find out why it happened, what it means, and how to solve it. Many times the first two requirements take multiple experiments until a satisfactory answer is realized. You'll need to spend hours reviewing the literature, designing new experiments, planning them, collaborating with others who might be able to help you...etc. It's a long process, and often you'll find yourself underestimating the time it takes to complete something by a factor of 2 or 3. My first adviser called me "a factor of 3 student". Stung a little bit cause I was putting in so many hours in the lab.

Finally, I'll say that research can be both rewarding and frustrating. You'll encounter failure after failure, along with scattered successes. You'll almost undoubtedly fail more times than you succeed, but hopefully your successes will move your research forward, and you failures show you where to move next. There are periods of intense anxiety, stress, hopelessness, and inadequacy. If something works, you'll feel like you're walking on air.

Failure is so tough because with each time it occurs, you need to find out why it happened, what it means, and how to solve it. Many times the "why" and "how" take multiple experiments until a satisfactory answer is realized. You'll need to spend hours reviewing the literature, designing new experiments, planning them, collaborating with others who might be able to help you...etc. It's a long process, and often you'll find yourself underestimating the time it takes to complete something by a factor of 2 or 3. My first adviser called me "a factor of 3 student". Stung a little bit cause I was putting in so many hours in the lab.

thanks you /sci/.
this thread is fantastic.

archive?
http://chanarchive.org/4chan/sci

>>4892994
>>4893015
>>4893010
>>4893001

Thanks a bunch man. Is becoming a PhD difficult? By that I mean is it simple to do if you put in the work, or is there a need for a certain spark of inspiration or genius involved?

>>4892974

two

>>4893091
I'd say that a PhD is very hard to do. It's not necessarily hard to get into a program, but it may be difficult to finish. One element you're missing is luck. Most of the time you'll work within the framework of a project that your adviser got funded for, because there's no way that you're going to get a million dollars in funding by yourself. There are people who get research fellowships to do their own work, but I'm talking about the majority of students.

If that framework is reasonable then your experiments will probably work, and you'll be likely to finish unless you're just not capable. If the framework is bad, then no matter how hard you try your experiments will be a failure. You can have seemingly brilliant ideas but if they're based on false assumptions then it's hopeless.

You need to get signed onto a project that has a chance of working, be capable of designing and performing the experiments required to defend your dissertation, pass the qualification exams, and do it all in a reasonable amount of time. In some programs, 50% of the students fails quals and are forced to leave. In other programs it may be only 5-10% who fail. My last university didn't even have quals, which is great.

>>4894120
>>4894120

So if you fail once do you have to start another project to get a PhD, or is it over and you can't try again? The second seems unlikely.