is there a test i can take?

[fatal291]

Hello im about to enter college, i do love science. I am having a hard time finding what i like THE MOST. I've tried several methods of figuing this out but none worked. I'm interested in Planetary Astronomy, Manned mission to Mars, Paranormal /Psychology <br /> and parallel universe. They are very random i know. I am very obsessed with astronomy in general. The other problem is i have no experience in any of the above fields. I have asked my school for some work on this and they just stare at me like im crazy. Im about to go to college and id like to know what compliments what. I love the idea of humans in space, and on mars. is there a test i can take to help flatten this out?

 

[adrenalynn]

I've never put much stock in the career test kinda thing myself. It's almost laughable where they put me. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />The one common theme that I see running through your interests is physics.<br /><br />Planetary Astronomy? Check. Manned exploration? Check. The paranormal? Check. Parallel universe theories? Check.<br /><br />How do you feel about a lot of really tough math? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font>  (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.]  Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[a_lost_packet_]

Your first two years will be just getting the basic curriculum out of the way. So, you're not in any huge rush to finalize your career choice right this moment. However, you would be very well served in taking whatever mathematics classes you can along with physics and other basic hard sciences. (Biology, Chemistry, etc.)<br /><br />If I were you, I'd put myself down as a physics major and march straight to the physics/science department and talk to my college adviser. Tell them what you are interested in and have them help you plan out a line of study that gets the basics out of the way and gets you tracked in to the hard sciences as soon as possible. They take the most effort and pre-reqs of any line of study you'd encounter. So, if you later decide to switch to Psychology or another soft-science, you'll be ahead of the game for the most part and won't have a lot of very difficult catching up to do.<br /><br />While you're in college, stop by various departments and schedule a meeting with key professors in your different areas of interest. Talk to them about what they think about your interests and if their particular specialty has some association with it. As you go through your various courses, schedule a few minutes with professors you like and find out what areas they would recommend you work on relating to their particular field of study.<br /><br />Always maintain a good working relationship with your adviser. Don't bug them to death but be sure to meet with them regularly to discuss your goals and new interests. If you find that your interests are going far outside of their particular field, don't be bashful about switching advisers or your major. They will understand completely and will help you find the best adviser for your new interest.<br /><br />Good luck! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[alokmohan]

Start reading black hole.It is novel.

 

[a_lost_packet_]

<font color="yellow">alokmohan - Start reading black hole.It is novel. </font><br /><br />That's actually not a bad idea. <br /><br />Maybe not that particular book, but there are many, many science, astronomy, physics, cosmology, space exploration and other science oriented books out there that don't require you to have a degree in order to understand them. So, go to your local bookstore and go to the science section. Find a book that looks interesting, open it up and see if you feel comfortable with reading it. ie: If it has more maths on the pages than texts, you'd probably want to start off with something lighter. There are plenty of introductory books that go pretty deep into discussions about cosmology you might be interested in. Anything by Brian Greene is good, IMO as well as any of Hawking's books. Browse the sciences section and the space section if they have one. Also, when you get to college and get your college library card, head straight for those shelves as well. Picking up a few Science Fiction books may help to "get you in the mood" as well. After all, many are based on "hard science." Have fun with those. A subscription to various science magazines wouldn't be a bad idea either. All of them have some sort of student subscription rate that is well below standard costs.<br /><br />By reading books on different areas, you may come up with something you really find interesting. Don't forget, every science, hard and soft, has some application for space exploration. While you're taking your basic courses in college, you can be reading up on all sorts of things that may end up being your career. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[yevaud]

Michio Kaku also has a good stable of books that might be useful. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[Mee_n_Mac]

I tend to agree w/Adrenalynn in regards to a test and how one might interpret it's results. Instead think about what people do (for a living) who have similar interests. I'll add that perhaps a career in engineering, perhaps in the space and aviation feilds, might be an alternate to a pure science career. It probably pays better ....<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-----------------------------------------------------</p><p><font color="#ff0000">Ask not what your Forum Software can do do on you,</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000">Ask it to, please for the love of all that's Holy, <strong>STOP</strong> !</font></p> </div>

 

[adrenalynn]

I agree Mee'. I declared as a physics (emphasis on astrophysics) major. I woke up one morning and wondered how I was thinking about paying the bills. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />I redeclared as a Math/CS double. Much later (after doing a couple Masters, and a dozen-plus years of real-world work), I went back and did a doctorate in business.<br /><br />Unless one is really commited to pure acadamia or trying for the really tough competition for pure research jobs, at least consider a double-major with something more commercially marketable.<br /><br />That said - the world needs the pure scientists too. If that's your passion and you're willing to make the sacrifices, my hat's off to you (if I wore one), and more power to you! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font>  (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.]  Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[fatal291]

So astro physics? im 19 and im just trying to fit what i seem to like with whats going to be around in the future..id love to be involved with manned space exploration when it picks up.

 

[adrenalynn]

How's your math background? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font>  (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.]  Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[heyscottie]

Also, what college are you attending? Some schools have better or worse physics departments than others. You could also look into some of the various engineering fields, which will give you much the same curricula (at least for a while) as the sciences.

 

[symbolite]

This pretty much goes for me aswell. Im 21 with a web design major but my real passion is and will always be up there *looks up at night sky*. I've always been interested in reading the latest news about stuff going on for example DAWN's launch this week, can't wait to see those results in a few years. Im also very interested in whats going on with Bigelow and other companies like that. <br /><br />Ive always been great in Math but for some reason Physics has always bothered me and i don't know why, but if i ever want to pursue and career anywhere in the space feild im going to have to take physics once more and just get through it no matter how much trouble it is.<br /><br />The only things stopping me from making this descision to change majors is that i have no idea what type of job ill end up with in that feild, and whatever job id end up with id probably have to move very far from home away from family and friends. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[fatal291]

im horrible in math right now but i am working on it, i have to.. the moon taunts me every night throuh my window. i was looking at Univeristy of Virginia (because im in VA) they seem ok right?

 

[heyscottie]

Virginia is a good school.<br /><br />If you are bad at math, that is not a problem, at least yet. If you do not ENJOY math at all, that may be a problem -- you'll need it so much, and if you hate it, you may not enjoy the rest of your career. If you like it, you will become good at it. Anybody that puts in an honest effort will start to have everything more or less click, in my opinion.<br /><br />Now, there will always be branches that will be out of your area of expertise, and you'll know nothing about them. But if you can enjoy the application of math, you'll be fine.

 

[robnissen]

I was good in Math, so I was a Math/C.S. major in college. I worked in that field for ten years, but was bored to tears. I was thinking of going to law school, but I did not want to waste three years and still be bored. I went to a place called Johnson/O'Conner research (they have offices all over the U.S.), and they test your aptitudes. They then match your aptitudes with various careers where those aptitudes are useful. They told me that my aptitudes matched up well with being a lawyer. I subsequently went to law school and now really enjoy what I do. This was a very long way of recommending you check out Johnson-O'Conner research.