View Full Version : Top 5 Hardest Majors?
What do you think are the hardest majors?
And you can voice your biases you liberal art bastards. :D
ALVAREZ6
10-18-2011, 10:34 PM
physics
engineering (whichever type is the toughest)
DUNCANownsKOBE
10-18-2011, 10:39 PM
_____ engineering
_____ engineering
_____ engineering
_____ engineering
_____ engineering
tbh
Out of the engineering(s), I would argue that chemical engineering is probably the hardest, but I am biased.
Not counting any of the engineering(s), I would list
1. Physics
2. Math
3. Chemistry
4. Economics
5. Accounting
at the top of my head tbh
Damn, forgot about biochemistry.
Axe Murderer
10-18-2011, 10:51 PM
tbh i take pretty much all my math/science classes with engineers (majoring in geophysics) and i've never seen a group of people cheat so much
DUNCANownsKOBE
10-18-2011, 10:54 PM
tbh i take pretty much all my math/science classes with engineers (majoring in geophysics) and i've never seen a group of people cheat so much
This is true. I know an engineering/accounting double major and he's a huge cheater/isn't really that smart.
mavs>spurs
10-18-2011, 10:59 PM
all i know is it would fucking suck to be an economics major, i could do almost any type of engineering before i did that shit. accounting is hard, but for some people it's extremely easy. it's one of those either you get it or you don't type things, and most people don't. chemical, aerospace, physics, gotta be at the top imo.
CuckingFunt
10-18-2011, 10:59 PM
Depends on what one considers hard. My major (or should I say field of study, since I'm all graduate level and shit) is as pretentious and academic as it gets, and as a result none of the work I have to do is particularly complicated or confusing, but it's far from easy. Just lots of reading, discussion based seminar classes, research, and the production of (hopefully) rigorous scholarly arguments and papers. But not everyone's cut out for it. My younger sister is currently double majoring in organic chemistry and microbiology, while also training as an EMT (so hardly averse to hard work), but you couldn't pay her to do what I'm doing.
mavs>spurs
10-18-2011, 11:03 PM
liberal arts!
CuckingFunt
10-18-2011, 11:04 PM
tbh i take pretty much all my math/science classes with engineers (majoring in geophysics) and i've never seen a group of people cheat so much
An important point, actually. I would guess all majors are as hard and/or challenging as you make them. I've never been the type to be satisfied with skating by, and am too prone to boredom when I'm not challenged, so I've never let my lowly liberal arts major be the easy ride it probably could be.
Axe Murderer
10-18-2011, 11:08 PM
An important point, actually. I would guess all majors are as hard and/or challenging as you make them. I've never been the type to be satisfied with skating by, and am too prone to boredom when I'm not challenged, so I've never let my lowly liberal arts major be the easy ride it probably could be.
i dont give a shit if it's a stupid curriculum class. i don't like to cheat in most of my geology/science classes unless i have to. on the other hand, for a sociology class i needed, i only showed up twice for both tests and got an A because my friend had the answers
CuckingFunt
10-18-2011, 11:14 PM
i dont give a shit if it's a stupid curriculum class. i don't like to cheat in most of my geology/science classes unless i have to. on the other hand, for a sociology class i needed, i only showed up twice for both tests and got an A because my friend had the answers
Well, now, let's be realistic. No one ever has to cheat. Just as no one ever has to study thoroughly enough to be prepared for a test. There's a choice made, there.
Depends on what one considers hard. My major (or should I say field of study, since I'm all graduate level and shit) is as pretentious and academic as it gets, and as a result none of the work I have to do is particularly complicated or confusing, but it's far from easy. Just lots of reading, discussion based seminar classes, research, and the production of (hopefully) rigorous scholarly arguments and papers. But not everyone's cut out for it. My younger sister is currently double majoring in organic chemistry and microbiology, while also training as an EMT (so hardly averse to hard work), but you couldn't pay her to do what I'm doing.
What is your area of study?
mavs>spurs
10-18-2011, 11:15 PM
damn brah i swear your major changes every time. you trying to be at tech for life or somethin bro? lol
ALVAREZ6
10-18-2011, 11:16 PM
crofl wtf I don't get it.... 2 people, economics, really? dis shit is pretty easy :lol
Ditty
10-18-2011, 11:18 PM
I started my major in Mechanical Engineering, then changed my major about a year ago to Computer Science this is my last semester of basics. I'm hoping for the best.
Axe Murderer
10-18-2011, 11:19 PM
damn brah i swear your major changes every time. you trying to be at tech for life or somethin bro? lol
:lol the mass comm thing was just bullshit. used it to troll someone awhile ago tbh
CuckingFunt
10-18-2011, 11:22 PM
What is your area of study?
My undergrad degree is in Art History with a minor in Multicultural Queer Studies. And I also almost completed a second major in studio art (which, I know, isn't particularly demanding academically, but also isn't as easy as folks assume).
I'm currently at about the midpoint of an MA in Art History, and will likely follow that up with a second master's in Library/Information Science.
mavs>spurs
10-18-2011, 11:23 PM
crofl wtf I don't get it.... 2 people, economics, really? dis shit is pretty easy :lol
you major in it? how far are you? shit get's pretty hairy because it's not an exact science, it's all theoretical and there are so many factors that weigh in, sometimes things you learn even seem to be contradicting. (comparing different models or theories)
mavs>spurs
10-18-2011, 11:24 PM
My undergrad degree is in Art History with a minor in Multicultural Queer Studies. And I also almost completed a second major in studio art (which, I know, isn't particularly demanding academically, but also isn't as easy as folks assume).
I'm currently at about the midpoint of an MA in Art History, and will likely follow that up with a second master's in Library/Information Science.
why not just get a real degree at 22 and be done with it instead of being 32 and not only being broke but actually being in the negatives with all your debt? tbh
EDIT: and before you give me that generic response about picking what you are interested in and it not being all about money, there are about 15-20 different "useful" degrees I'm sure at least one of them would be of interest to you imho.
TDMVPDPOY
10-18-2011, 11:28 PM
most majors are easy if you understand and have a passion with the interests whats taught in those courses/subjects...
greyforest
10-18-2011, 11:29 PM
Just look for the most asperger-laden college students and ask them!
baseline bum
10-18-2011, 11:31 PM
Probably physics @ #1. Lots of really mind-bending big ideas and even more unanswered questions. It's computationally difficult with lots of ODE, PDE, probability, stats, group theory, numerical analysis, differential geometry, linear and multilinear algebra, functional analysis, etc. Then hands-on work in the lab and some programming skill is required too.
Depends on what one considers hard. My major (or should I say field of study, since I'm all graduate level and shit) is as pretentious and academic as it gets, and as a result none of the work I have to do is particularly complicated or confusing, but it's far from easy. Just lots of reading, discussion based seminar classes, research, and the production of (hopefully) rigorous scholarly arguments and papers. But not everyone's cut out for it. My younger sister is currently double majoring in organic chemistry and microbiology, while also training as an EMT (so hardly averse to hard work), but you couldn't pay her to do what I'm doing.
Does anyone get paid for doing what you're doing anyhow? :lol
The classes are easy. It's the career that can be challenging.
cantthinkofanything
10-18-2011, 11:44 PM
Major Dick Boner of the Royal Phallus Brigade
CuckingFunt
10-18-2011, 11:44 PM
why not just get a real degree at 22 and be done with it instead of being 32 and not only being broke but actually being in the negatives with all your debt? tbh
Because that's not the way it worked out for me.
Went to college at 18 as a business major because it was practical, but found it completely lacking in challenge and interest. I could do the classwork and homework in my sleep and I was quickly bored to tears. By my second semester, my social life was far more engaging than my academic life, and by my third semester I came to terms with the fact it just wasn't working and dropped out. Intended to only take a year off to figure things out, but I got a job that was stable and had a hard time finding the motivation to walk away from the stability of homeownership and paid bills. Finally found the reasons, the desire, and the means to go back to school when I was 29.
As for all the concern about my future of poverty and debt, you're welcome to your assumptions, but they're wrong. Between ten years of steady work and careful investing/saving, as well as a conveniently timed inheritance, I went back to undergrad with enough money to pay for school on my own and support myself for three years. And I worked hard enough and had good enough grades/GRE scores/recommendations that I'm currently working on an MA with full tuition paid and a stipend. So, sure, the job market sucks, and I haven't entirely figured out what my source of income will be as of May, but that's hardly unique to either my age or my major. I'll be only about 20K in debt (credit cards, student loans, everything) with a graduate degree, which is essentially nullified when you consider the equity in the house I still own, so I'm really not too worried.
Props to your attempt at calling me out, though. Tbh.
CuckingFunt
10-18-2011, 11:46 PM
Does anyone get paid for doing what you're doing anyhow? :lol
Yeah. Lots of people do. Hopefully I will, too, but it's not my biggest concern.
cantthinkofanything
10-18-2011, 11:50 PM
Major Peter Pecker - First Infantry
Engineering. The amount of work I see engineering majors put in is insane.
cantthinkofanything
10-19-2011, 12:01 AM
Major John Thomas Cockington - one eyed sniper
cantthinkofanything
10-19-2011, 12:03 AM
Major Hugh G Rection - Special Ops
cantthinkofanything
10-19-2011, 12:06 AM
Major Dick Boner of the Royal Phallus Brigade
Major Peter Pecker - First Infantry
Major John Thomas Cockington - one eyed sniper
Major Hugh G Rection - Special Ops
and Major Phillip Dookchute
that's 5
Halberto
10-19-2011, 12:21 AM
tbh i take pretty much all my math/science classes with engineers (majoring in geophysics) and i've never seen a group of people cheat so much
Where are you studying? I just graduated with geophysics at UT (with only 4 others).
Anyway, I'd rank undergrad majors as
1. Physics - by far
2. Biology (concentrations like molecular, biochemistry)
3. Engineering
4. Chemistry
5. Mathematics
lol at people listing business related degrees
Axe Murderer
10-19-2011, 12:51 AM
Where are you studying? I just graduated with geophysics at UT (with only 4 others).
texas tech
you only had 4 people graduate with you??
mavs>spurs
10-19-2011, 01:00 AM
Where are you studying? I just graduated with geophysics at UT (with only 4 others).
Anyway, I'd rank undergrad majors as
1. Physics - by far
2. Biology (concentrations like molecular, biochemistry)
3. Engineering
4. Chemistry
5. Mathematics
lol at people listing business related degrees
Pretty good list but then you throw biology in there at number 2 which isn't even any harder than many business degrees? Biology is NOT hard imo. Took a couple of biology's for my core and got an uncle who majored in it, not hard at all. Everything else looks good though. Only "business" degree I would put up there is economics, that crap is hard. Sure it's easy to look at a couple graphs in a vacuum, but as far as actually knowing what the hell you're doing and predicting what's going to happen, hell the whole world sure can't get it right if it's so easy.
mavs>spurs
10-19-2011, 01:22 AM
Because that's not the way it worked out for me.
Went to college at 18 as a business major because it was practical, but found it completely lacking in challenge and interest. I could do the classwork and homework in my sleep and I was quickly bored to tears. By my second semester, my social life was far more engaging than my academic life, and by my third semester I came to terms with the fact it just wasn't working and dropped out. Intended to only take a year off to figure things out, but I got a job that was stable and had a hard time finding the motivation to walk away from the stability of homeownership and paid bills. Finally found the reasons, the desire, and the means to go back to school when I was 29.
As for all the concern about my future of poverty and debt, you're welcome to your assumptions, but they're wrong. Between ten years of steady work and careful investing/saving, as well as a conveniently timed inheritance, I went back to undergrad with enough money to pay for school on my own and support myself for three years. And I worked hard enough and had good enough grades/GRE scores/recommendations that I'm currently working on an MA with full tuition paid and a stipend. So, sure, the job market sucks, and I haven't entirely figured out what my source of income will be as of May, but that's hardly unique to either my age or my major. I'll be only about 20K in debt (credit cards, student loans, everything) with a graduate degree, which is essentially nullified when you consider the equity in the house I still own, so I'm really not too worried.
Props to your attempt at calling me out, though. Tbh.
So basically you're 32 and still in school, haven't found a career yet and your net worth is only what little equity you've got in your house - 20k in debt. And all this is WITH an inheritance. Yeah I was way off.
CuckingFunt
10-19-2011, 01:47 AM
So basically you're 32 and still in school, haven't found a career yet and your net worth is only what little equity you've got in your house - 20k in debt. And all this is WITH an inheritance. Yeah I was way off.
And yet I'll be graduating in a far better financial position that I would have at 22 (because lord knows neither my parents nor I had the money to pay for the bulk of my education when I was 18), secure in the knowledge that I haven't spent the last several years of my life working toward a career that would have bored me to tears.
Chase the salary if that's what matters to you, but don't fool yourself into thinking it's the only way to do things. Or that it's necessarily the best way to do things. All boils down to what a person can or can't stand, and I know for certain that I would MUCH rather live a little more modestly working a job I like than taking home a healthy paycheck doing something I hate.
mavs>spurs
10-19-2011, 01:50 AM
Work is work. Make your life outside of it. Hopefully you are able to utilize one of these master degrees and earn a good living, you seem decently intelligent. I know if it were me though, I'm taking the sure bet on a good salary rather than majoring in something fun and hoping I can get a job. Especially in this economy, you've got to have a very specific skillset.
Halberto
10-19-2011, 02:07 AM
texas tech
you only had 4 people graduate with you??
4 people graduating with geophysics. There was probably 30-40 others graduating with me, most of them general geology. We have our own school at UT so we have tiny graduation ceremonies.
CuckingFunt
10-19-2011, 02:15 AM
Work is work. Make your life outside of it.
Well, of course, but that's fairly easy to say when you're young. When I was 18, I was much more confident that a good salary would be incentive enough to put up with a less than thrilling job, but then I had the privilege of experiencing just how much the stuff outside of work is compromised when five days of your week are spent somewhere you don't want to be.
The job I had during my extended break from college was stable, and paid my bills easily enough that I was hesitant to walk away, but I really fucking hated it. Which is ultimately what inspired me to pursue something I enjoy when I finally went back to school. I'm not naive enough to think that I'll be handed my dream job when I'm done with school, or that I'd love every minute of work even if I was, but I'll be damned if I give up on the possibility of a genuinely rewarding career without even trying for it.
DeadlyDynasty
10-19-2011, 03:25 AM
I couldn't say what the hardest major is, but Comm is definitely one of the easiest. If you're good at something more lucrative, go after that instead of Comm.
Went for the Comm major out of HS b/c I knew it was easy, and writing/journalism was the only thing I was good at. Besides, who really knows what they wanna do when they're 18? At that age college (especially in Miami) was just a 4-year excuse to get laid, do drugs, and hopefully make a couple connections.
After a year of traveling and basically just fucking around, I landed a couple newspaper jobs as a sports reporter--mainly covering HS and some college sports. It was fun, but it paid shit.
Then about 5 years ago I joined a Fire department in MD, fell in love with EMS/Fire/Rescue, and eventually became a paramedic. Paramedics don't get paid well either, and after the honeymoon of an adrenaline-filled job wore off I started to hate it. When you work 24 hours shifts for a couple years you eventually just become numb to the world and devoid of any feelings.
I got my critical care cert and eventually trained as a flight-medic--which afforded me the opportunity to travel and paid me a hell of a lot more. Plus, the hours are sane.
Long story short, you have two choices: 1) go for the money major or 2) if not, find ways to keep challenging yourself (another degree, a different line of work, etc). Most importantly, like rogue/m>s said, attain a specific skillset that is always in demand--even in a recession.
I'm 28 and I still have no idea what I ultimately want to do, but at least with medicine I have some tangible skillset. I don't want to do this shit forever though. I just wanna travel. That's all.
TDMVPDPOY
10-19-2011, 05:28 AM
any arts degree is useless, same with business degrees...
those are easy degrees to get and the jobs out there for entry roles lmao, u dont need to have a degree to apply for those office type jobs....
Summers
10-19-2011, 08:13 AM
Pretty good list but then you throw biology in there at number 2 which isn't even any harder than many business degrees? Biology is NOT hard imo. Took a couple of biology's for my core and got an uncle who majored in it, not hard at all. Everything else looks good though. Only "business" degree I would put up there is economics, that crap is hard. Sure it's easy to look at a couple graphs in a vacuum, but as far as actually knowing what the hell you're doing and predicting what's going to happen, hell the whole world sure can't get it right if it's so easy.
I'm not arguing that biology should be at the top of the list, but if you only took a couple core biology courses, you probably didn't even take the ones biology majors have to take. Genetics, ecology (which is really a statistics class), and evolution are tough classes, plus, depending on the degree program, you have to take classes learning to classify and identify major phylogenetic groups. Still, the hardest two classes I've taken (I graduate in May) were organic chemistry I and II. I spent the entire summer hunched over my kitchen table just working o-chem II problems until I understood them. Brutal class.
Agloco
10-19-2011, 08:22 AM
Damn, forgot about biochemistry.
How do you of all people forget about biochem? :lol
Agloco
10-19-2011, 08:28 AM
Whats with all the physics being hard posts??
Physics is Phun!!!!
My list? There's only one really.....
For me English - I don't get it period. All of the syntax and grammar rules make this a no go.
The easiest? Physics and Chemistry of course!!
DUNCANownsKOBE
10-19-2011, 08:47 AM
It obviously varies a lot by person. I'd seriously find most engineering majors easier than a liberal arts or writing major. The upper division math classes I've taken were classes I could coast to an A or B in while doing little to no work outside of class, while I fuckin hated English 102 and dread all writing assignments.
Where are you studying? I just graduated with geophysics at UT (with only 4 others).
Anyway, I'd rank undergrad majors as
1. Physics - by far
2. Biology (concentrations like molecular, biochemistry)
3. Engineering
4. Chemistry
5. Mathematics
lol at people listing business related degrees
Good list, except for Biology at two; stick with Biochemistry and you have something (in most universities Biochemistry is either a separate department, or included within the Chemistry department). Ask most doctors and even they will tell you the toughest class for them in med school was biochemistry. Molecular Biology is not as tough as Biochemistry. That said, an undergraduate Biochem (or Physics) degree for that matter is not very valuable; just can't learn enough of those subjects in undergrad to be much use to anyone. Even masters degrees in Biochem top out at lab technician jobs; it's pretty much Ph.D. or M.D. or you're a scrub.
There are, of course, certain school where degrees from there in specific subjects can be daunting. Jazz music performance at North Texas, or just about any Computer Science degree from Carnegie Mellon, for instance.
ploto
10-19-2011, 08:53 AM
Work is work. Make your life outside of it. Hopefully you are able to utilize one of these master degrees and earn a good living, you seem decently intelligent. I know if it were me though, I'm taking the sure bet on a good salary rather than majoring in something fun and hoping I can get a job. Especially in this economy, you've got to have a very specific skillset.
With her masters' degrees she will have the very specific skill set to be an art librarian, an archivist, a curator, or a professor.
MannyIsGod
10-19-2011, 08:59 AM
:lol @ biology not being hard. I'd probably rank it right behind physics and chem. Engineering is up there too.
Pretty much any degree that requires you to get to linear algebra is going to be a tough one.
baseline bum
10-19-2011, 09:02 AM
Whats with all the physics being hard posts??
Physics is Phun!!!!
Part of what makes it fun is that it's hard, lol. The same reason why pure math classes kill applied math.
My list? There's only one really.....
For me English - I don't get it period. All of the syntax and grammar rules make this a no go.
English was definitely the subject I hated most, but the stuff you're talking about is linguistics, which is an awesome field with lots of cool math and applications to computer science.
The easiest? Physics and Chemistry of course!!
Wow, I didn't know physicists liked chemistry. I remember going to listen to Richard Smalley give a lecture one time and the physicist introducing him made a joke about all the physicists in the room only knowing freshman chem. :lol
Seriously though, you're going to tell me quantum mechanics makes sense and is easy, lol? I think Mr. Feynman would have something to say about that!
ploto
10-19-2011, 09:04 AM
I understand that people traditionally list the STEM subjects as the hardest, but I know plenty of STEM majors who have trouble writing a coherent essay. Analyzing literature or historical documents is difficult for them.
I think the hardest thing to do is to study subjects that are very diverse and to challenge yourself in multiple areas. For my bachelor's, my major was in the School of Science, Engineering and Technology and my minor in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. My master's is in neither.
ashbeeigh
10-19-2011, 09:05 AM
Anything where more than 2 classes with numbers in it is required.
Oh, and philosophy drove me crazy. I have no idea how/why anyone would major in that.
ploto
10-19-2011, 09:24 AM
Oh, and philosophy drove me crazy. I have no idea how/why anyone would major in that.
My son's friends are discovering this. He is a freshman in an honor's program, and the first class they take together is a philosophy course. Many of the kids who are used to feeling so smart and who probably found high school relatively unchallenging are having difficulty reading philosophy, analyzing its meaning, and then expressing their thoughts. I think they are finding they have so little to say while my son had no issue with writing a four-page analysis of one sentence from Plato's Gorgias. He is so grateful for the teachers who had him write and write and write. It seems to be the skill most lacking in incoming freshman, even more so than math skills.
ashbeeigh
10-19-2011, 09:45 AM
My son's friends are discovering this. He is a freshman in an honor's program, and the first class they take together is a philosophy course. Many of the kids who are used to feeling so smart and who probably found high school relatively unchallenging are having difficulty reading philosophy, analyzing its meaning, and then expressing their thoughts. I think they are finding they have so little to say while my son had no issue with writing a four-page analysis of one sentence from Plato's Gorgias. He is so grateful for the teachers who had him write and write and write. It seems to be the skill most lacking in incoming freshman, even more so than math skills.
I had no problem writing. It was digesting a sentence about random crap that no one, even in 100 bc cared about but for some reason professors in the 2000s seem to think we should all know.
Axe Murderer
10-19-2011, 10:51 AM
4 people graduating with geophysics. There was probably 30-40 others graduating with me, most of them general geology. We have our own school at UT so we have tiny graduation ceremonies.
what was the hardest undergrad class you took?
tbh im taking Earth Materials right now (not sure if they have that at UT) and they say it's the hardest one you have to take as an undergrad
Axe Murderer
10-19-2011, 10:52 AM
Pretty much any degree that requires you to get to linear algebra is going to be a tough one.
:lol i thought linear algebra was much easier than cal II/III
robino2001
10-19-2011, 10:53 AM
I won't say biology isn't hard, but I'd take any of the 6 biology courses I took over any of the 8 chemistry classes I took (after general chem) any day. Outside of maybe differential equations and that type of math once you get there, I think there's nothing tougher out there than physical chemistry... shit still confuses me and I'm a chemist.
Besides P-Chem and the super advanced math - toughest class I took in undergrad (no joke)... Geomorphology. That shit was insane. Took a test from the previous year as practice once, 1 hr test... took me 6 hours to find what I thought were the answers to the multiple choice section, never even got to the short answer/essay, used the book and notes... only got ~50% of them right. Said fuck it - I'm out. (I assume it was because I never took/wasn't a geology major)
MannyIsGod
10-19-2011, 10:58 AM
My son's friends are discovering this. He is a freshman in an honor's program, and the first class they take together is a philosophy course. Many of the kids who are used to feeling so smart and who probably found high school relatively unchallenging are having difficulty reading philosophy, analyzing its meaning, and then expressing their thoughts. I think they are finding they have so little to say while my son had no issue with writing a four-page analysis of one sentence from Plato's Gorgias. He is so grateful for the teachers who had him write and write and write. It seems to be the skill most lacking in incoming freshman, even more so than math skills.
There are many college students who would do well with a logic course as a requirement, as well. Much of the writing I've seen at the college level is fairly poor as well. If you give me the choice of writing a 20 page paper or doing complicated physics or calc problems and I would never choose the paper.
That being said I still think the math is harder. :)
MannyIsGod
10-19-2011, 10:59 AM
:lol i thought linear algebra was much easier than cal II/III
But you have to take Calc II/III and DifEQ just to get to Lin Algebra!
Axe Murderer
10-19-2011, 11:00 AM
yeah i know, that's why its weird
and Major Phillip Dookchute
that's 5
Anyone who's said you try way too hard is absolutely right. Also, your name fits you better than anyone here.
cantthinkofanything
10-19-2011, 11:12 AM
Anyone who's said you try way too hard is absolutely right. Also, your name fits you better than anyone here.
Thanks. At some point, I decided that making innocuous dick jokes was better than being just a cynical asshole.
Thanks. At some point, I decided that making innocuous dick jokes was better than being just a cynical asshole.
The cynical asshole shtick was still viable. The dick jokes, not so much.
Maybe start a thread asking for advice on a new shtick, and go with the one you pick.
cantthinkofanything
10-19-2011, 11:20 AM
The cynical asshole shtick was still viable. The dick jokes, not so much.
Maybe start a thread asking for advice on a new shtick, and go with the one you pick.
In real life I'm still a cynical asshole. But I felt it was getting too offensive for Spurstalk.
Anyway, give me a break. It was around midnight. "Major Dick Boner of the Royal Phallus Brigade" struck me as funny.
In real life I'm still a cynical asshole. But I felt it was getting too offensive for Spurstalk.
Use your strengths, accentuate the positive. You can be a cynical asshole without breaking the rules.
Anyway, give me a break. It was around midnight. "Major Dick Boner of the Royal Phallus Brigade" struck me as funny.
Just this one time.
mavs>spurs
10-19-2011, 11:30 AM
bump ya fuckin liar stop trollin
2Blonde
10-19-2011, 11:44 AM
Where are you studying? I just graduated with geophysics at UT (with only 4 others).
Anyway, I'd rank undergrad majors as
1. Physics - by far
2. Biology (concentrations like molecular, biochemistry)
3. Engineering
4. Chemistry
5. Mathematics
lol at people listing business related degrees
Good list IMO, although I'd probably put Biology equal to or just below Chemistry.
Pretty good list but then you throw biology in there at number 2 which isn't even any harder than many business degrees? Biology is NOT hard imo. Took a couple of biology's for my core and got an uncle who majored in it, not hard at all. Everything else looks good though. Only "business" degree I would put up there is economics, that crap is hard. Sure it's easy to look at a couple graphs in a vacuum, but as far as actually knowing what the hell you're doing and predicting what's going to happen, hell the whole world sure can't get it right if it's so easy.
Taking a couple of classes in biology hardly qualifies as knowing how hard Biology can be. The thread asked about hardest majors, not hardest classes.
I'm not arguing that biology should be at the top of the list, but if you only took a couple core biology courses, you probably didn't even take the ones biology majors have to take. Genetics, ecology (which is really a statistics class), and evolution are tough classes, plus, depending on the degree program, you have to take classes learning to classify and identify major phylogenetic groups. Still, the hardest two classes I've taken (I graduate in May) were organic chemistry I and II. I spent the entire summer hunched over my kitchen table just working o-chem II problems until I understood them. Brutal class.
Agreed.
:lol @ biology not being hard. I'd probably rank it right behind physics and chem. Engineering is up there too.
Pretty much any degree that requires you to get to linear algebra is going to be a tough one.
Agreed.
I have a BS Chemistry w/ a minor in Biology. IMO Chemistry was conceptually very difficult, but I loved it and that made it worth it. O-chem I & II were, for me, the most difficult 2 courses I ever took.
I found Biology consisted more of massive volumes of information to take in & learn very quickly. That was my experience.
mavs>spurs
10-19-2011, 11:58 AM
Taking a couple of classes in biology hardly qualifies as knowing how hard Biology can be. The thread asked about hardest majors, not hardest classes.
I understand that. I only know a very small amount but those were some of the easiest classes i've ever taken, and had I wished to continue I would have been right there with the top of the class. I sometimes talk a little biology with my uncle who has a degree in microbiology and he will tell you it just ain't that hard. He went to the same hs as I did and laughs about how shitty the school was back then and how poorly they prepared him for college and that it was a big adjustment, but ultimately not too hard.
Btw my question to all you chemistry and biology majors is what do you guys do for a living? I'm not going to lie I chose my major strictly for the money because when I entered college it was the start of this big financial collapse, to me it was pretty clear that to survive in this day and age I would need something that was in demand, not just any major. Maybe someday I'll go back for a degree in the sciences, always thought it would be cool to major in biomedical engineering and come up a cure for something.
EDIT: that would be in my old age, if i'm ever able to amass enough money to retire early and get bored.
RandomGuy
10-19-2011, 12:10 PM
Not counting any of the engineering(s), I would list
1. Physics
2. Math
3. Chemistry
4. Economics
5. Accounting
at the top of my head tbh
As an accountant who like economics, I don't think economics is harder than accounting.
Heh, take a tax accounting class and tell me your major is harder...
Seriously though, if you want job security, muscle your way through something hard to get through. The bigger the "barrier to entry", the higher the salary.
Petroleum engineering = $100k+ right off the bat.
leemajors
10-19-2011, 12:12 PM
I understand that people traditionally list the STEM subjects as the hardest, but I know plenty of STEM majors who have trouble writing a coherent essay. Analyzing literature or historical documents is difficult for them.
I think the hardest thing to do is to study subjects that are very diverse and to challenge yourself in multiple areas. For my bachelor's, my major was in the School of Science, Engineering and Technology and my minor in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. My master's is in neither.
Most academic research papers are grammatically disgusting.
leemajors
10-19-2011, 12:14 PM
There are many college students who would do well with a logic course as a requirement, as well. Much of the writing I've seen at the college level is fairly poor as well. If you give me the choice of writing a 20 page paper or doing complicated physics or calc problems and I would never choose the paper.
That being said I still think the math is harder. :)
I had two great logic courses at UT. One was a literary criticism class and basically an intro to the Logic course.
The Reckoning
10-19-2011, 12:25 PM
economics is not easy. taking through Cal 3 plus 3 different types of stats and 4 semesters of a foreign language.not saying its the most difficult (aeronautical engineering...)
Borat Sagyidev
10-19-2011, 12:27 PM
Whats with all the physics being hard posts??
Physics is Phun!!!!
My list? There's only one really.....
For me English - I don't get it period. All of the syntax and grammar rules make this a no go.
The easiest? Physics and Chemistry of course!!
I agree, English is such a varying syntax over time I found it to be a waste to study.
Funny how people respect Engineers and Physicists soo much, but they care less for paying them soo much more.
I have 2 doctorates in Physics and Engineering and I only make about what a lower tier M.D. just out of residency makes.
ashbeeigh
10-19-2011, 12:33 PM
I have 2 doctorates in Physics and Engineering and I only make about what a lower tier M.D. just out of residency makes.
Which is still a shit ton more than most of us. I hope you're not complaining about that small amount of money you're making.
Borat Sagyidev
10-19-2011, 12:34 PM
economics is not easy. taking through Cal 3 plus 3 different types of stats and 4 semesters of a foreign language.not saying its the most difficult (aeronautical engineering...)
I was done with those classes my first year of college. It was easy. I also tried aerospace engineering out for a while, got me bored.
Something may be easy for one person but it is difficult for the other.
I hate English, and Art...essentially anything that doesn't have rigid form. I also suck big time at it. So if someone tells me those things are difficult, i usually agree. Unless it's grade school level.
There is nothing engineers, physicists or biochemists like better than having a C in English bring their GPA down.
cantthinkofanything
10-19-2011, 12:34 PM
I had two great logic courses at UT. One was a literary criticism class and basically an intro to the Logic course.
Neither has any application for Spurstalk.
Creepn
10-19-2011, 12:41 PM
I started my major in Mechanical Engineering, then changed my major about a year ago to Computer Science this is my last semester of basics. I'm hoping for the best.
I think you made the right choice imho. Good luck with the math.
resistanze
10-19-2011, 12:41 PM
Biochemistry is disgusting. I specialized in genetics and pharmacology which were pretty challenging in of itself (especially genetics), but biochem destroyedme.
I took a biochem course in my senior year (was also crosslisted to graduate students) thinking it wouldn't be so bad since I had taken a biochem course in 2nd year...LOL. A guy I knew dropped out after the second week. I told myself 'it's not THAT bad'....until the midterm. I walked out of the midterm and went straight to my registrar's office to drop the course with no refund, tbh.
CuckingFunt
10-19-2011, 12:45 PM
With her masters' degrees she will have the very specific skill set to be an art librarian, an archivist, a curator, or a professor.
Also sets me up for work in collections management, or as a special collections librarian, and on and on. Which, in this economy still amounts to not much of anything, because in institutions that have art collections it's usually the art librarian positions that get cut first for budgetary reasons (unless you're talking about huge museums, but those aren't entry level possibilities), but ut's not as if I'm not working toward a particular skill set that has practical applications.
Fuck being a professor, though. I'd sooner go back to a thankless clerical job than staying in academia forever.
I understand that people traditionally list the STEM subjects as the hardest, but I know plenty of STEM majors who have trouble writing a coherent essay. Analyzing literature or historical documents is difficult for them.
Oh, and philosophy drove me crazy. I have no idea how/why anyone would major in that.
Most of the people I know who've abandoned Art History majors have done so because of the above reasons. They pick it as a major because they like the general ed level survey classes only to discover after the first couple of semesters that they're reading psychoanalytic theory, Foucault, complex feminist analysis, and the like far more than they are looking at paintings. It's not quadratic formulas, but neither is it light and breezy.
CuckingFunt
10-19-2011, 12:56 PM
I had no problem writing. It was digesting a sentence about random crap that no one, even in 100 bc cared about but for some reason professors in the 2000s seem to think we should all know.
Well, it's not really random crap. It can be frustratingly dense, but these early philosophical theories/arguments/debates are somewhat foundational to how people have seen the world ever since and are visible in art, politics, and so forth.
But, ya know, tangent, and junk.
Biochemistry is disgusting. I specialized in genetics and pharmacology which were pretty challenging in of itself (especially genetics), but biochem destroyedme.
I took a biochem course in my senior year (was also crosslisted to graduate students) thinking it wouldn't be so bad since I had taken a biochem course in 2nd year...LOL. A guy I knew dropped out after the second week. I told myself 'it's not THAT bad'....until the midterm. I walked out of the midterm and went straight to my registrar's office to drop the course with no refund, tbh.
Do you do any work in genetics now?
CuckingFunt
10-19-2011, 01:10 PM
There are many college students who would do well with a logic course as a requirement, as well. Much of the writing I've seen at the college level is fairly poor as well.
I took a psych class in undergrad in which the professor was willing to accept final papers in outline/bulleted points format, rather than in a standard research/essay format. Pissed me off.
As a TA, I spend a lot of time reading/grading papers and essays. By and large, freshman level college students can't write worth shit.
spursfan09
10-19-2011, 01:14 PM
I majored in Accounting, and got my BA. Isn't that hard!
Halberto
10-19-2011, 01:59 PM
what was the hardest undergrad class you took?
tbh im taking Earth Materials right now (not sure if they have that at UT) and they say it's the hardest one you have to take as an undergrad
Yeah, Earth Materials was probably my least favorite geology course. Hardest geology course for me was probably seismic exploration (I liked it and devoted myself to it and STILL got a C. Graduate level course if you ask me, especially when you consider more than half the class are graduate students.) or structural geology. Structural deformation, as you should expect, is determined by more than just time, pressure and temperature.
Hardest undergraduate course I took was actually the weed out class physics majors take, wave motion and optics. After that I would say calc 5, basically vector calculus on steroids here at UT. More than half my class was aerospace engineers.
Geophysics is a hard fucking degree man. Make sure you get internships that allow you to gain experience with seismic interpretation. Most companies require a masters in geophysics or 8 years experience in order to get a position concerning seismic interpretation. I was a research assistant for a summer where I interpreted new profiles and even made a 3d map with them.... still not enough experience. I'm looking for companies right now that will take me as a general geologist and gradually ease me into the geophysical work or will pay for my masters. Stick with it though, it's well worth it and you will make serious money later on. Senior geophysicists make more than $150k salaries for most companies.
I'm an economics major, but I despise Math. Graphs and simple equations don't bother me, but I'd much prefer writing any day of the week.
resistanze
10-19-2011, 02:43 PM
Do you do any work in genetics now?
Didn't love genetics so focused my shift to pharmacology for graduate school. My career is in pharma/biologics so genetics plays some role, but mostly pharmacology and immunology.
robino2001
10-19-2011, 04:03 PM
Btw my question to all you chemistry and biology majors is what do you guys do for a living? I'm not going to lie I chose my major strictly for the money because when I entered college it was the start of this big financial collapse, to me it was pretty clear that to survive in this day and age I would need something that was in demand, not just any major. Maybe someday I'll go back for a degree in the sciences, always thought it would be cool to major in biomedical engineering and come up a cure for something.
Research scientist for a biotech with my BS, finishing up a Masters now in Biosecurity/Biodefense for a business/government scientific liaison position in the company. Got lucky with the first position right out of school and got more money than what most fresh grads got so I have no place to complain. Don't land a good position fresh out of school and you're making $12 an hour doing lab work a monkey could do.
ALVAREZ6
10-19-2011, 04:05 PM
you major in it? how far are you? shit get's pretty hairy because it's not an exact science, it's all theoretical and there are so many factors that weigh in, sometimes things you learn even seem to be contradicting. (comparing different models or theories)
I'm a senior studying Finance + Economics (B.S.) ...after this semester I'll be about 13 credits away from finishing both.
FuzzyLumpkins
10-19-2011, 04:54 PM
Hardest part in engineering is getting down the systems used for linear approximation. You do not even really need to understand how the technique was derived but rather just know the technique to pass.
Most engineering students know how to work with fourier transforms and the natural number but if you were to ask them how it they were derived, they would just look at you.
Math as such is much more difficult to master as the focus is on the derivation. The why versus the how.
From my experience quantum field and even classic field theory is much harder than both.
In order I would say
1) Physics
2) mathematics esp stochastics
3) Engineering
Biochemistry is disgusting. I specialized in genetics and pharmacology which were pretty challenging in of itself (especially genetics), but biochem destroyedme.
I took a biochem course in my senior year (was also crosslisted to graduate students) thinking it wouldn't be so bad since I had taken a biochem course in 2nd year...LOL. A guy I knew dropped out after the second week. I told myself 'it's not THAT bad'....until the midterm. I walked out of the midterm and went straight to my registrar's office to drop the course with no refund, tbh.
I think Biochemistry is quite possibly the best field to study if one is considering medicine or any form of it.
If I could go back, I would major in Biochemistry instead of Chemistry. It probably would have helped me more. More like, it would have helped me.
Didn't love genetics so focused my shift to pharmacology for graduate school. My career is in pharma/biologics so genetics plays some role, but mostly pharmacology and immunology.
Cool.
I have a friend who's a staff scientist at a biopharma research facility. He likes it. Since it's private sector, they have some cool shit to work with.
Axe Murderer
10-19-2011, 05:48 PM
Yeah, Earth Materials was probably my least favorite geology course. Hardest geology course for me was probably seismic exploration (I liked it and devoted myself to it and STILL got a C. Graduate level course if you ask me, especially when you consider more than half the class are graduate students.) or structural geology. Structural deformation, as you should expect, is determined by more than just time, pressure and temperature.
Hardest undergraduate course I took was actually the weed out class physics majors take, wave motion and optics. After that I would say calc 5, basically vector calculus on steroids here at UT. More than half my class was aerospace engineers.
Geophysics is a hard fucking degree man. Make sure you get internships that allow you to gain experience with seismic interpretation. Most companies require a masters in geophysics or 8 years experience in order to get a position concerning seismic interpretation. I was a research assistant for a summer where I interpreted new profiles and even made a 3d map with them.... still not enough experience. I'm looking for companies right now that will take me as a general geologist and gradually ease me into the geophysical work or will pay for my masters. Stick with it though, it's well worth it and you will make serious money later on. Senior geophysicists make more than $150k salaries for most companies.
thanks for the info
tbh i don't think the EM material is that hard, but the workload and the way they grade isn't like anything i've ever seen before. the class average on our 1st test was a 42 (the grading scale is 60-70=C, 70-80=B, 80-100=A). I ended up getting a 55 while answering every question correctly.
And, yeah, I'm taking that physics class now and it sucks. He does give out curves though so I think I'll be able to make it through
Fpoonsie
10-19-2011, 06:07 PM
I hate English, and Art...essentially anything that doesn't have rigid form.
And see. I'm the exact opposite. I'm a Liberal Arts major, and my favorite thing about it is the wiggle room it affords me. Science and math classes that have a definitive answer terrify the HELL outta me.
mavs>spurs
10-19-2011, 07:49 PM
so...if it's not too personal, how much do all you chemistry, biochemistry, biology related majors exactly make? props to you for undertaking something that requires real intellect, but for me the incentive just wasn't there for 50k a year, in a lot of cases that's exactly what i've heard people make with some of those degrees. i'm just wondering how accurate that is, i know someone mentioned if you're not lucky you'll be stuck doing lab research that a monkey could do for 12 bucks an hour.
MannyIsGod
10-19-2011, 09:42 PM
Google the occupational handbook. Its a publication put forth by the dept of labor or some shit. It has a lot of awesome salary info as well as job projections.
MannyIsGod
10-19-2011, 09:43 PM
Here you go:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/
resistanze
10-19-2011, 09:48 PM
I think Biochemistry is quite possibly the best field to study if one is considering medicine or any form of it.
If I could go back, I would major in Biochemistry instead of Chemistry. It probably would have helped me more. More like, it would have helped me.
A good friend of mine did her Masters in genetics and started a MD/PhD program last year. She says her 2nd year classes in medicine are boring as hell compared to the research she was doing. But I'm guessing things will change as she progresses in the higher years, where her background will probably be more applicable.
scott
10-19-2011, 09:54 PM
There is a reason the highest paying degrees are always:
1. Pretty much any kind of engineering
2. Physics
3. Applied Mathematics
4. Economics
5. Computer Science
And it's not because they are easy.
A good friend of mine did her Masters in genetics and started a MD/PhD program last year. She says her 2nd year classes in medicine are boring as hell compared to the research she was doing. But I'm guessing things will change as she progresses in the higher years, where her background will probably be more applicable.
A course I'm enrolled in right now introduces (or extends) much of the molecular biology, cellular physiology, medical biochemistry, pharmacology, and basic genetics covered in typical undergraduate upper level bio courses with emphasis of course to human systems. Not a lot of genetics has been covered with the exception of the aforementioned course. I would assume that's why your friend finds med school boring :lol
so...if it's not too personal, how much do all you chemistry, biochemistry, biology related majors exactly make? props to you for undertaking something that requires real intellect, but for me the incentive just wasn't there for 50k a year, in a lot of cases that's exactly what i've heard people make with some of those degrees. i'm just wondering how accurate that is, i know someone mentioned if you're not lucky you'll be stuck doing lab research that a monkey could do for 12 bucks an hour.
I received my B.S. in Human Bio from U.T. It was pretty hard but mostly because of my professors. Most of them could barely speak English and were researchers first. This meant lectures were useless and tests were unintelligible. We literally didn't know if the tests were riddled with spelling errors on purpose or not. The material itself wasn't all bad but there were definitely plenty of bumps were the information we received on certain proteins were outdated and markers were outdated. We usually had to spend the first month or so re-learning old material in a new way in order to build on it.
I actually had a great job lined up working for a company which did preventative health care research. They looked for genetic markers that indicated the probability of having a rare disease. These companies still exist but the one I was in tanked after the recession hit.
So now I work as a Linux tech. Most of the most brilliant scientists of our generation will be in this field because this is where the money is. It isn't all that hard but it requires a ton of knowledge and troubleshooting skills which is what science is all about. My starting salary was 50k + 10% bonuses + 10% if you worked second shift + 5% if you worked third shift. That doesn't include benefits like health care, dental, company discounts on phone plans, etc.
A good friend of mine did her Masters in genetics and started a MD/PhD program last year. She says her 2nd year classes in medicine are boring as hell compared to the research she was doing. But I'm guessing things will change as she progresses in the higher years, where her background will probably be more applicable.
Makes sense. Anything that's been printed in a textbook is already outdated. I had a really great genetics professor who didn't teach out of a text, but required us to read out of journals of our choosing. I learned more in that class than the typical class setup.
xellos88330
10-19-2011, 11:12 PM
Just look for the most asperger-laden college students and ask them!
Assburgers? :wow
robino2001
10-19-2011, 11:15 PM
so...if it's not too personal, how much do all you chemistry, biochemistry, biology related majors exactly make? props to you for undertaking something that requires real intellect, but for me the incentive just wasn't there for 50k a year, in a lot of cases that's exactly what i've heard people make with some of those degrees. i'm just wondering how accurate that is, i know someone mentioned if you're not lucky you'll be stuck doing lab research that a monkey could do for 12 bucks an hour.
Science REALLY depends on the area. Friends of mine who graduated in the Boston area went to work with the BS doing lab monkey work (media prep, etc) starting at ~$48k/year, but that's in New England. In Texas, you're looking at $30-35k to start on average in research, less in lab monkey rolls. I was offered two jobs on the same day - the first was ~$25k a year and I told the dude no chance, I'd already been offered more elsewhere (that was a lie)... he said he'd love to know where because no one will offer more than that. That afternoon I got offered my job at $40k a year starting. Generous raises increased that relatively quickly. You also hear a lot that you spend your entry level 5 years in and then after that you see a big bump in your salary. I can see that to a point if you're able to transition into a better position.
My coworker and I (who got hired at the same time into a very small group) often bitch about our salary, but we always end up coming back to that we know we're making much more than most people our age with science-based BS degrees. With that said, both of us are getting our masters because we know it's necessary to really get that next jump (into or very near the 100k range). Good money is there in industry after 5-10 years in, but you need to work your way into one of the positions that's there with the money, otherwise you'll get stuck low or burn out and abandon ship... There are numerous lab monkeys at my work who are making very little, work long hours, and apply for any and every job that comes up within the company trying to move into a new/better position. Quite often we hire new grads for those new/better positions instead of an internal lab monkey because the new grad hasn't learned their bad habits yet and we can groom them as we like. The lab monkeys are the ones who couldn't find a job for 6 months after graduating and were willing to take anything they could.
But at least there is potential growth at times. I know my RN wife has about maxed out at her employers maximum RN salary already after only 6 years but once they do that, they really speed up the rate they accrue time off, so it all kinda equals out. With that said, she even went and got her master's so she's not stuck doing the same thing for the next 40 years.
All-in-all, while not having the most glamorous jobs in the world, my wife and I took our two BS degrees and are doing extremely well for ourselves, especially in our mid/late 20's. If/when we actually use the master's we have/will get, then we'll be even better off.
mavs>spurs
10-20-2011, 12:41 AM
Science REALLY depends on the area. Friends of mine who graduated in the Boston area went to work with the BS doing lab monkey work (media prep, etc) starting at ~$48k/year, but that's in New England. In Texas, you're looking at $30-35k to start on average in research, less in lab monkey rolls. I was offered two jobs on the same day - the first was ~$25k a year and I told the dude no chance, I'd already been offered more elsewhere (that was a lie)... he said he'd love to know where because no one will offer more than that. That afternoon I got offered my job at $40k a year starting. Generous raises increased that relatively quickly. You also hear a lot that you spend your entry level 5 years in and then after that you see a big bump in your salary. I can see that to a point if you're able to transition into a better position.
My coworker and I (who got hired at the same time into a very small group) often bitch about our salary, but we always end up coming back to that we know we're making much more than most people our age with science-based BS degrees. With that said, both of us are getting our masters because we know it's necessary to really get that next jump (into or very near the 100k range). Good money is there in industry after 5-10 years in, but you need to work your way into one of the positions that's there with the money, otherwise you'll get stuck low or burn out and abandon ship... There are numerous lab monkeys at my work who are making very little, work long hours, and apply for any and every job that comes up within the company trying to move into a new/better position. Quite often we hire new grads for those new/better positions instead of an internal lab monkey because the new grad hasn't learned their bad habits yet and we can groom them as we like. The lab monkeys are the ones who couldn't find a job for 6 months after graduating and were willing to take anything they could.
But at least there is potential growth at times. I know my RN wife has about maxed out at her employers maximum RN salary already after only 6 years but once they do that, they really speed up the rate they accrue time off, so it all kinda equals out. With that said, she even went and got her master's so she's not stuck doing the same thing for the next 40 years.
All-in-all, while not having the most glamorous jobs in the world, my wife and I took our two BS degrees and are doing extremely well for ourselves, especially in our mid/late 20's. If/when we actually use the master's we have/will get, then we'll be even better off.
yup my uncle also got stuck in that lower tier of salary ranges for a long time with just a BA in microbiology. it took him until 50 years old to get hired on at alcon labs and start making the big money, better late than never but i just didn't want to wait that long, or do that much school. i'm smart enough, but not so smart that it would just be a breeze and i'm not really the type who enjoys school , i've always hated it actually. as a CPA i can earn 95k on average without even a masters degree, just very limited post grad and if you get in with the government you're looking at anywhere between 120-225k.
TAMUK Drop-out
10-20-2011, 12:48 AM
HVAC degree from Everest College is no joke if you're a white suburbanite like myself.
2Blonde
10-20-2011, 01:27 AM
If you really are leaning towards the sciences but also want big paycheck out the door, apply to pharmacy school. They are doctorate level now with a Pharm.D. designation & the beginning salary, according to the latest report I saw, was approx. $120K to start.
AS for your question avout what I did with my chem degree... went to work for Baxter Healthcare in Medical Sales & now I'm retired fore medical reasons.
mavs>spurs
10-20-2011, 02:34 AM
pharmacy school ain't practical for most people. my cousin graduated last spring with a degree in chemistry and a really high gpa(towards the top of the class), but still didn't score good enough on the entrance exam to get in. i forget what the acceptance rate is but its something like less than 10%, only a couple hundred get in out of the thousands who apply.
TDMVPDPOY
10-20-2011, 03:57 AM
If you really are leaning towards the sciences but also want big paycheck out the door, apply to pharmacy school. They are doctorate level now with a Pharm.D. designation & the beginning salary, according to the latest report I saw, was approx. $120K to start.
AS for your question avout what I did with my chem degree... went to work for Baxter Healthcare in Medical Sales & now I'm retired fore medical reasons.
MILF!!!! not everyone is maarried to a dentist and can call it in retired :(
masters etc is bullshit if ur thinking of moving in the next tier of salary, when everyone has the same thinking of advancing you be competing with alot of applicants with limited jobs in that pay bracket...
its the same with accounting...get ur bachelors and if ur not successful gettin a good position in a big bank or hedge fund company....then ur stuck with the paper pushing entry role jobs that dont even need any degree but basic trainning...hence when u get ur CPA, you be like the other idiots who ur trying to compete with for that job, theres a reason why pay scales for accounting has gone down...oversupply of applicants and limited jobs, allows the employer to pushed down salary expectations and students will lower their demands and get any job possible...hence you hire monkeys you get monkeys
i think i shouldve done commerce/economics...fkn
hey milf you forgot one thing about pharmacy, that market has slowly declining with the big supermarket chains having their own pharmacy chains and paying shit all for pharmacy jobs....unless you own ur own pharmacy where there is not a supermarket chain next to it that offers the same service, then you be making money....other then that ive seen many supermarket chains are taking out the local small business pharmacy stores....
TDMVPDPOY
10-20-2011, 03:58 AM
pharmacy school ain't practical for most people. my cousin graduated last spring with a degree in chemistry and a really high gpa(towards the top of the class), but still didn't score good enough on the entrance exam to get in. i forget what the acceptance rate is but its something like less than 10%, only a couple hundred get in out of the thousands who apply.
i got a friend who had twin brothers got into medicine...attending top20 university in the world, i think its 1st rank in australia...
The_Worlds_finest
10-20-2011, 06:15 AM
in no particular order; Actuarial science, electrical engineering, physics, chemical engineering, computer science.
Hardest part in engineering is getting down the systems used for linear approximation. You do not even really need to understand how the technique was derived but rather just know the technique to pass.
Most engineering students know how to work with fourier transforms and the natural number but if you were to ask them how it they were derived, they would just look at you.
Math as such is much more difficult to master as the focus is on the derivation. The why versus the how.
From my experience quantum field and even classic field theory is much harder than both.
In order I would say
1) Physics
2) mathematics esp stochastics
3) Engineering
Good post. I couldnt give a shit about derivation. I just wanted to get it over with. Math majors have a completely different outlook.
And I've known quite a few biology majors and seen a lot of their work. Many of those people were pre-med. The only thing that would make biology difficult is having to make A's (pre-med). But I don't see how it could be included among the most difficult majors when it includes as much memorization as it does. I'm not sure how someone could compare Bio to Math, Physics or Engineering (Chem/Nuc, Mech, Civil, Elec) especially when you take into account the amount of time that is required to be successful in those majors.
I don't know any biology students who spent, or were expected to spend 5+ days working one computational problem. If anyone in Bio actually did do that, it's because they're retarded.
baseline bum
10-20-2011, 09:52 AM
But I don't see how it could be included among the most difficult majors when it includes as much memorization as it does. I'm not sure how someone could compare Bio to Math, Physics or Engineering (Chem/Nuc, Mech, Civil, Elec) especially when you take into account the amount of time that is required to be successful in those majors.
That would make bio seem way harder to me then. I remember signing up to take a bio class to fill a GE and there were literally 100 definitions I had to memorize in the first lecture. I dropped that ASAP and found a way more interesting class to fill the requirement. The fact that you only need to remember a few very simple definitions/theorems for a math or physics exam made it so much simpler to me (I say this having never taken physics classes more advanced than oscillations + waves and a course on analytical mechanics though).
resistanze
10-20-2011, 09:58 AM
Good post. I couldnt give a shit about derivation. I just wanted to get it over with. Math majors have a completely different outlook.
And I've known quite a few biology majors and seen a lot of their work. Many of those people were pre-med. The only thing that would make biology difficult is having to make A's (pre-med). But I don't see how it could be included among the most difficult majors when it includes as much memorization as it does. I'm not sure how someone could compare Bio to Math, Physics or Engineering (Chem/Nuc, Mech, Civil, Elec) especially when you take into account the amount of time that is required to be successful in those majors.
I don't know any biology students who spent, or were expected to spend 5+ days working one computational problem. If anyone in Bio actually did do that, it's because they're retarded.
Sure, maybe if you're talking about pre-meds at the lower undergrad level. If the Bio students you're talking about are anything like the ones here, they're usually taking the path of least resistance in order to apply to med school.
When you have a genuine interest in genetics, biology, and biochemistry research you'll encounter mostly conceptual based problems by upper undergrad courses and into graduate school. Memorization is almost useless in order to do well. If you take a course in membrane proteomics, structural biological or advanced molecular biophysics, you'll see what I mean.
resistanze
10-20-2011, 10:02 AM
I shouldn't have said memorization is useless - you have to memorize on top of even understanding concepts. I know the professor tolds us in that biochemi course I took that everyone should already know all the amino acids and every single of its structural properties off the top of your head.
resistanze
10-20-2011, 10:09 AM
A course I'm enrolled in right now introduces (or extends) much of the molecular biology, cellular physiology, medical biochemistry, pharmacology, and basic genetics covered in typical undergraduate upper level bio courses with emphasis of course to human systems. Not a lot of genetics has been covered with the exception of the aforementioned course. I would assume that's why your friend finds med school boring :lol
Seriously, whenever I talk to her she's partying. I'm like WTF? She's not flunking out so hey, she got that shit under control. :lol
Agloco
10-20-2011, 07:48 PM
Most academic research papers are grammatically disgusting.
Agree, even for the man who hates English and syntax.
English was definitely the subject I hated most, but the stuff you're talking about is linguistics, which is an awesome field with lots of cool math and applications to computer science.
Yes, I had this wrong. At any rate :td
Wow, I didn't know physicists liked chemistry. I remember going to listen to Richard Smalley give a lecture one time and the physicist introducing him made a joke about all the physicists in the room only knowing freshman chem. :lol
Well, I'm a bit of an aberration I suppose.
Seriously though, you're going to tell me quantum mechanics makes sense and is easy, lol? I think Mr. Feynman would have something to say about that!
Then, no. Now.......maybe :lol Had the pleasure of meeting Feynman just before he passed. I remember being a young college kid. We had the opportunity to ask him questions about "stuff". I was struck by the simple elegant responses he was able to give. Walking away from the meeting, you had the feeling that quantum was as clear as Caribbean water. That is, until you popped open the text for the next exam. :lol
Here you go:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/
:tu
Good stuff here Manny.
MILF!!!! not everyone is maarried to a dentist and can call it in retired :(
masters etc is bullshit if ur thinking of moving in the next tier of salary, when everyone has the same thinking of advancing you be competing with alot of applicants with limited jobs in that pay bracket...
its the same with accounting...get ur bachelors and if ur not successful gettin a good position in a big bank or hedge fund company....then ur stuck with the paper pushing entry role jobs that dont even need any degree but basic trainning...hence when u get ur CPA, you be like the other idiots who ur trying to compete with for that job, theres a reason why pay scales for accounting has gone down...oversupply of applicants and limited jobs, allows the employer to pushed down salary expectations and students will lower their demands and get any job possible...hence you hire monkeys you get monkeys
i think i shouldve done commerce/economics...fkn
hey milf you forgot one thing about pharmacy, that market has slowly declining with the big supermarket chains having their own pharmacy chains and paying shit all for pharmacy jobs....unless you own ur own pharmacy where there is not a supermarket chain next to it that offers the same service, then you be making money....other then that ive seen many supermarket chains are taking out the local small business pharmacy stores....
I know a lot of people who moved up the ladder because they got their Masters. Maybe many were in line already, but employers see the ability to complete something like that while working a regular job as a sign of a focused person, and it's often rewarded, especially if the degree suits the job title. In fact, many companies will reimburse for the degree. You cannot scoff at that.
Agloco
10-20-2011, 07:58 PM
I agree, English is such a varying syntax over time I found it to be a waste to study.
Funny how people respect Engineers and Physicists soo much, but they care less for paying them soo much more.
I have 2 doctorates in Physics and Engineering and I only make about what a lower tier M.D. just out of residency makes.
Salaries are quite varied in Radiologic Science. They were more uniform in nuclear/experimental physics. A chief physicist at a large metropolitan hospital can pull in as much as 400k.
I'll probably take a chief position once I get tired of doing any real physics.
Agloco
10-20-2011, 08:24 PM
http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2011/summer/art02.pdf
My current profession if anyone is interested in it. Salaries range from 80k to around 400k depending on degree, locale and area of expertise.
baseline bum
10-20-2011, 08:41 PM
Then, no. Now.......maybe :lol Had the pleasure of meeting Feynman just before he passed. I remember being a young college kid. We had the opportunity to ask him questions about "stuff". I was struck by the simple elegant responses he was able to give. Walking away from the meeting, you had the feeling that quantum was as clear as Caribbean water. That is, until you popped open the text for the next exam. :lol
That must have been so cool to talk to Feynman; from his books, lectures, and interviews, I can't imagine another person in the history of this nation being more interesting to have a conversation with. Have you ever seen the episode of BBC Horizon called "The Pleasure of Finding Things Out"? He talks about the way his father taught him to be really inquisitive about everything. Check it if you haven't seen this before:
srSbAazoOr8
On a side note, Smalley looked pissed after that joke about freshman chem!
Agloco
10-20-2011, 09:10 PM
That must have been so cool to talk to Feynman; from his books, lectures, and interviews, I can't imagine another person in the history of this nation being more interesting to have a conversation with. Have you ever seen the episode of BBC Horizon called "The Pleasure of Finding Things Out"? He talks about the way his father taught him to be really inquisitive about everything. Check it if you haven't seen this before:
Yes I've caught that a few times actually. I recommend it to any youngster who is contemplating a career in science.
I distinctly remember one student asking him about dimensional analysis. I remember his rather animated response as well. Something along the lines of "horribly abusing" it's spirit. This cartoon reminds me of that:
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/dimensional_analysis.png
On a side note, Smalley looked pissed after that joke about freshman chem!
:lol
Never met Smalley. I'm sure it left a bad taste in his mouth though.
baseline bum
10-20-2011, 09:26 PM
I distinctly remember one student asking him about dimensional analysis. I remember his rather animated response as well. Something along the lines of "horribly abusing" it's spirit. This cartoon reminds me of that:
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/dimensional_analysis.png
:lol
I got pi = 0.0135 meter^3 per gallon. I don't care; I'm still going to use 22/7.
MannyIsGod
10-20-2011, 10:10 PM
:lmao That cartoon is bad ass.
MannyIsGod
10-20-2011, 10:11 PM
"The Pleasure of Finding Things Out" is an amazing title. So well put.
Agloco
10-20-2011, 10:21 PM
:lol
I got pi = 0.0135 meter^3 per gallon. I don't care; I'm still going to use 22/7.
:tu
Your kung-fu is better than mine sir.
xellos88330
10-21-2011, 12:24 AM
Rocks are hard.... so shouldn't Geology be somewhere?
baseline bum
10-21-2011, 08:17 AM
:tu
Your kung-fu is better than mine sir.
Ooops, apparently not that strong since I forgot to convert gallons to cubic meters. Our Prius must be improving already, since it comes out to pi = 3.57. :lol
LnGrrrR
10-21-2011, 07:48 PM
IT/security can be a bit of a pain in the ass, when you get to the "Engineering a network from the ground up" level.
Halberto
10-21-2011, 09:37 PM
Rocks are hard.... so shouldn't Geology be somewhere?
I know you're joking, but geology is so fucking easy. When you get into advanced classes it becomes hard to fail for one simple reason: as long as you provide a reasonable explanation, nobody can tell you that you're wrong.
xellos88330
10-21-2011, 10:53 PM
I know you're joking, but geology is so fucking easy. When you get into advanced classes it becomes hard to fail for one simple reason: as long as you provide a reasonable explanation, nobody can tell you that you're wrong.
:toast
TDMVPDPOY
10-21-2011, 11:03 PM
imo do at arts degree and be part of the 99% hahahahah bunch of hippies
Amarelooms
10-22-2011, 10:06 PM
Electrical engineering and Physics are the hardest no contest. My undergrad degree in Biomedical Engineering was tough but not the toughest
:elephant
Halberto
10-23-2011, 12:04 AM
Electrical engineering and Physics are the hardest no contest. My undergrad degree in Biomedical Engineering was tough but not the toughest
:elephant
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M6fZrpZBIn4/S9KZEXLBX8I/AAAAAAAAABI/mF8zBrsjjPs/s1600/chocolate_chip_cookie.jpg
For engineering disciplines...consensus is that electrical is the hardest ?
Halberto
10-23-2011, 05:13 PM
Aerospace is 3x harder than electrical. Also heard chemical is harder
Electrical engineering had it's hard classes.
A friend is in the UT Aerospace engineering program, it's pretty tough as well. He's a sharp dude but he says it's a full time job.
But "harder" is subjective in terms of difficulty. What some might not grasp easily, some will waltz right through.
Physics was not hard for me, it makes sense. Math makes sense if you understand the relationships between numbers and physics. Each is easier if you understand the other.
Memorizing things is hard, but understanding things is easy because it either happens or it doesn't.
It's hard trying to have a conversation with someone who doesn't know or understand physics however. It's a constant teaching session and strange looks.
Agloco
10-24-2011, 09:42 AM
But "harder" is subjective in terms of difficulty. What some might not grasp easily, some will waltz right through.
It's hard trying to have a conversation with someone who doesn't know or understand physics however. It's a constant teaching session and strange looks.
Yes,
Physics and Chem = Easy imo.
English and syntax? Stay away.
It's interesting because every time I'm asked what I do for a living, I prepare to be tuned out within 5-10 seconds. I've noticed my explanations becoming more abbreviated with each passing year.
Now I just usually say " I work in Radiology and Radiation Oncology."
baseline bum
10-24-2011, 10:17 AM
Now I just usually say " I work in Radiology"...
Like on WOAI?
coyotes_geek
10-24-2011, 11:26 AM
Aerospace is 3x harder than electrical. Also heard chemical is harder
Had an aero buddy tell me that the hardest part about aero wasn't the material you were learning, it was the department trying to weed people out due to the large number of students wanting to major in that field. Granted he was scary smart so I'm sure the material wasn't all that hard for him.......
2Blonde
10-24-2011, 06:05 PM
MILF!!!! not everyone is maarried to a dentist and can call it in retired :(
masters etc is bullshit if ur thinking of moving in the next tier of salary, when everyone has the same thinking of advancing you be competing with alot of applicants with limited jobs in that pay bracket...
its the same with accounting...get ur bachelors and if ur not successful gettin a good position in a big bank or hedge fund company....then ur stuck with the paper pushing entry role jobs that dont even need any degree but basic trainning...hence when u get ur CPA, you be like the other idiots who ur trying to compete with for that job, theres a reason why pay scales for accounting has gone down...oversupply of applicants and limited jobs, allows the employer to pushed down salary expectations and students will lower their demands and get any job possible...hence you hire monkeys you get monkeys
i think i shouldve done commerce/economics...fkn
hey milf you forgot one thing about pharmacy, that market has slowly declining with the big supermarket chains having their own pharmacy chains and paying shit all for pharmacy jobs....unless you own ur own pharmacy where there is not a supermarket chain next to it that offers the same service, then you be making money....other then that ive seen many supermarket chains are taking out the local small business pharmacy stores....
I'm not sure who you're confusing me with, but I'm not married to a dentist. My husband spent 20 years in the Army & retired. Now he is a project manager. :) :toast
baseline bum
10-24-2011, 07:03 PM
Had an aero buddy tell me that the hardest part about aero wasn't the material you were learning, it was the department trying to weed people out due to the large number of students wanting to major in that field. Granted he was scary smart so I'm sure the material wasn't all that hard for him.......
Wow, has the 9-11 aftermath made aerospace the new computer science?
Yes,
Physics and Chem = Easy imo.
English and syntax? Stay away.
It's interesting because every time I'm asked what I do for a living, I prepare to be tuned out within 5-10 seconds. I've noticed my explanations becoming more abbreviated with each passing year.
Now I just usually say " I work in Radiology and Radiation Oncology."
I don't even go into it. I just say I am in engineer. It's too hard to explain wearing the headset AND taking drivethru orders at the same time. They wouldn't understand.
cantthinkofanything
10-24-2011, 11:29 PM
I don't even go into it. I just say I am in engineer. It's too hard to explain wearing the headset AND taking drivethru orders at the same time. They wouldn't understand.
uh huh...(nodding)...that's interesting...
mavs>spurs
10-24-2011, 11:30 PM
engineering major!
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