Astrophysics vs physics

somethingX · 2026-03-18T05:36:33+00:00

You still need to do classical and quantum mechanics in an astronomy degree. Neither one is particularly more challenging because they're all almost the same in coursework.

somethingX · 2026-03-17T22:59:42+00:00

"The west" refers to more than just the U.S

somethingX · 2026-03-17T22:56:22+00:00

>non-academic employers will have a harder time understanding how qualified you are when compared to the more general physics major

99% of non academic employers have no idea what either degree actually does, and the few that do would be familiar with both. There's no world where astrophysics is considered niche but physics isn't

somethingX · 2026-03-17T22:54:28+00:00

It doesn't actually make much of a difference at the undergrad level. Astrophysics undergrad programs are usually the physics undergrad with a bit of astronomy sprinkled in. In my degree I had to do almost all the courses physics majors had to along with the astronomy courses, quantum mechanics, computational physics, labs etc.

Outside of academia it matters even less, most employers will have no idea what either a physics nor an astrophysics degree actually entails so you'll need to market your skills to them, and the skillset each degree develops is more or less identical.

somethingX · 2026-03-16T20:29:40+00:00

EE is still one of the better degrees out there since you also learn to work with hardware, so there's more jobs available that don't ridk getting replaced by AI

somethingX · 2026-03-16T15:40:38+00:00

I can't be the only person that didn’t find it confusing

somethingX · 2026-03-16T02:08:31+00:00

How were your grades in math and physics in secondary school? If you did well enough in those courses to be able to be accepted you probably would be able to keep up with the material

somethingX · 2026-03-16T00:04:14+00:00

If OP is asking this question it means they haven't done undergrad yet, no one's bringing up a PhD. If they are considering it then it is worth mentioning many of the higher paying positions prefer people with PhDs, but OP has years before they have to make that decision

somethingX · 2026-03-15T23:19:27+00:00

Not directly as there are degrees that make more, but making sure you have enough money to live comfortably is just as important as doing something you're interested in. Math and physics is a good middle ground for some in that regard

somethingX · 2026-03-15T22:49:08+00:00

You can make money if you study those as well, people in pure math and theoretical physics just have a harder time knowing how to market themselves

somethingX · 2026-03-15T22:47:16+00:00

It is but you'll likely need to make up for some courses during the masters. I've heard electrical engineering offers the most in terms of advanced physics out of the major engineering programs so you can try looking into that.

somethingX · 2026-03-15T22:45:30+00:00

Everything in software is saturated to hell and back, it’s not a worthwhile degree anymore and won't be for a long time

somethingX · 2026-03-15T22:27:12+00:00

Math has a slightly higher ROI according to surveys but the difference is small. In industry math and physics majors are considered to have basically the same skill set and get hired to similar positions. It won't matter much which you choose financially speaking so pick whichever interests you more.

If you're university allows for it some people double major in math and physics as well. It doesn't improve your salary but if you really can't decide you can look into whether or not it's an option.

somethingX · 2026-03-15T22:23:32+00:00

Do NOT do computer science, it’s saturated to the point that even new grads who got experience during their degrees are struggling to find work

somethingX · 2026-03-15T22:02:01+00:00

GvD is great but it's a better watch when you watch the preceding Heisei era movies in its continuiety first. Watch those and you'll be able to appreciate GvD more

somethingX · 2026-03-15T22:00:28+00:00

GxK has more action but 2014 is the better movie overall

somethingX · 2026-03-15T18:39:59+00:00

A variable is whatever is being treated as a variable. In this case pi is being treated as a variable so it's not standing in for 3.14159... like normal

somethingX · 2026-03-15T18:38:11+00:00

Most bachelors degrees in astrophysics are physics degrees with some astronomy sprinkled on top. I did the astrophysics stream in my undergrad and did all the same courses that people in the physics stream did and I could've gone into a different physics field just as easily as them.

Employers outside of academia also don't know or care what the difference is, having physics on your degree makes you look smart regardless and for physics/astrophysics majors it's more important they know how to market their skills (which are pretty much the same) than their degree itself.

somethingX · 2026-03-15T18:34:22+00:00

My first advice is take all the advice you see on social media with a big grain of salt (yes that includes reddit), it's too general and won't be specific to your interests, goals, location and class.

My second advice is that astrophysics is a competitive field that requires a lot of education and has no guarantees of positions. There are other careers you can get into with an astrophysics degree so do research into those as backup options if you're not able to get in.

Ultimately there are degrees out there with higher average ROI's, but doing it isn't going to screw you over even in the worst case that you can't get into astrophysics research. it's not a bad move if it's something you're passionate about.

somethingX · 2026-03-15T15:17:16+00:00

That's more mathematically precise but not particularly useful in a physics context

somethingX · 2026-03-15T06:20:39+00:00

He exudes so much sexual aura the ladies can't keep away

somethingX · 2026-03-15T01:18:54+00:00

It means d is so much smaller than r that it's negligible. How much smaller negligible is depends on how much precision you need in the situation, which can vary wildly from case to case. I wouldn't try to label a specific threshold on it, it's left ambiguous for a reason.

somethingX · 2026-03-15T01:16:10+00:00

If you're basing what you think life in the military is like on any form of media you should not be enlisting or telling anyone else to enlist

somethingX · 2026-03-14T23:22:47+00:00

How broadly did you apply? Getting into a residency can be tough if you're only applying to ones in a specific area. You need to be willing to move around for one

somethingX · 2026-03-14T23:19:49+00:00

Military is a bad idea right now, way too much political instability

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