Should I not become an astrophysicist b/c of math?

[0]

Physics is all about math, but math is not my strong point. I took general physics 1 this semester and I barely escaped with a "B-". I also took calculus 1 and got a "C" and calculus 2 and got "B-". My GPA is really hurting b/c of these tough math classes. I really love space, I like astronomy, and I also love space ships. But, math is really hard for me. Any one have advise??Thank You!

[eri4250]

You really need a PhD to do anything in astronomy, and there's a lot of math needed to get there, since you need to major in physics. You not only need to pass the classes but you need to be able to keep applying it in your next classes. And the physics is just going to get harder. If you can't improve your grades in these courses, graduate school is going to be out of the question. You might want to think about what you want to do with it.

[HypersphereMan5146]

Well, Eri's right. The math is only going to get more complicated. I'll share this with you.When I first started getting my first taste of real math (College Geometry in 9th grade), I thought I had hit the wall. But I kept plugging away and plugging away and, literally one night, all of sudden I had what some people call the AHA experience (some others call it the Eureka experience). All at once things started to make sense. To make a long story short I went through High School, taking both College physics and Calculus and ended up majoring in Math and Computer Science in undergraduate school. So, if you really love this stuff, keep plugging away. It's not easy sometimes, but when it does click, it will be worth it. Math doesn't only teach you how to solve equations, but it changes the way you think - and yes, for the better... Good luck.

[aerogirl]

I am in the exact same situation, except I want to go into aerospace engineering, like with rockets and that kind of thing. It will take A LOT of work to get through math, but you will do well if you put the effort in. If you do not feel you are willing to put in that much time, you may want to consider a different field involving astronomy that doesn't require quite as much math. Don't let these struggles derail you though, because you will find that things improve if you want them to bad enough. Good luck, and maybe I'll see you around someday.

[doug_donaghue5366]

Hehehe. Hypersphere man really hit it on the head. You just have to keep plugging away. I guess I'm just lucky because I've always been good at math. Even as a little kid I worked my way thru most of my Dads old College math texts and was doing vector calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations by the time I was about 12 or 13.But a lot of my students (from back when I was teaching) have told me over the years that If I hadn't kept setting on their a$$es and forcing them to study, they'd never have gotten through it. And Hypersphere is right. You wake up one morning and it all 'clicks' and makes sense. And then you spend the next hour wondering what kind of dumb-a$$ you are that you didn't see it a week or two ago.Don't sweat it. It's happened to me (I have graduate degrees in Math and Physics as well as an undergrad degree in Psychology) and everybody else I know. It's just the way the human mind works. Keep forcing yourself to do it (kinda like practicing piano or basketball) and it starts to get a lot easier the more you practice ☺HTH,Doug

[michaelc7581]

Keep plugging away, don't let the dream die without a fight. I'm like you in that I have a deep passion for astronomy, but maths isn't my strong point. I do also have a strong belief that I am perfectly capable of reaching a high standard (at least undergraduate) with the right kind of tuition.Maybe you need to supplement your learning in some way? I would scour Amazon or bookshops for maths training books, or even courses, that can show you new ways for developing your maths ability.

[GeoffG1656]

As a teenager, I wanted to be an astrophysicist, and tried for many years as an undergraduate, but my math simply wasn't good enough, so eventually I switched to anthropology, and got a Ph.D. in that. However, I maintained an active interest in astronomy as an amateur astronomer, and now that I'm "retired," I'm actually working as an astronomer, doing technical support and content writing for Starry Night software.

[xyzpdqfoo0250]

I almost didn't go for it because of the math. I was terrible at math and thought I wouldn't ever get it. But eventually it just came together and I understood it, just like others have said here.I think I learn math slower than a lot of people, but I think I take away a better understanding of it. I know I can apply math a lot better than some of my friends who get better academic grades in math courses. I saw a study recently that people who learn math on a theoretical basis rather than applied basis (like word problems) learn slower but are able to use the math in a wider range of scenarios whereas the application learners tend to get confused when they're not working with an application they've specifically studied. Theoretical is tougher but more rewarding in the end. I think I'm one of those people, it's just the way my brain works. Maybe you are too?BTW I got a C in cal 1 and a B in cal 2 :P Grad schools know physics programs are harder than most and that will reflect in your GPA.