Computational Astro - Go into 5th year to get Comp Sci deg?
Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:09 pm
EDIT:
Thanks for the responses, they gave me some much appreciated tips and advice. I figured I would give an update:
I talked to my computational astro professor last week about possibly doing research this summer. He said it definitely is a possibility and that he would think about a possible project that would be suitable. Meanwhile I asked him his opinion on getting more of a computer science background. He told me to not worry about it, and that anything I would need to know could probably be picked up by tutorials from a supercomputing group that provides help on our campus.
By the way, I will be working on numerical magnetohydrodynamics with him this summer, and am going to have to learn Fortran and some basic plasma physics in the mean time.
ORIGINAL POST:
_____________________________________
Hi, I am a junior Astrophysics major at the University of Minnesota. I have put a lot of thought into graduate school and the entire application process. I actually just took the General GRE last month, so I consider that the first official step. I am torn between a few different options for how I finish my last year and improve my chances of getting into a good program.
This semester I am taking a class on computational methods in the physical sciences, and it has inspired me to pursue computational astrophysics. I actually only need my senior thesis (which I am doing this summer), and otherwise all that is left are 15 elective credits. So my senior year is looking to be unusually uneventful as far as course load is concerned. This is basically a result of me taking a heavy load my first 3 years because I thought I was going to double major astrophysics and physics, but have recently been questioning that option.
One of my big questions is whether a strong foundation in computer science could be beneficial for me, if I want to dive into computational astrophysics. All I have taken in that regime is an introductory C++ course last fall. My question is whether it would be beneficial for me to complete a 5th year and get a computer science degree to supplement my astro degree (I figured out it could be achieved if I take a heavy load).
It basically is a question as to whether delaying graduate school by one year will help me more than it will hurt me. So far I have no research experience whatsoever, and my senior thesis this summer with my computational professor will be my first exposure to that. If I do stick to the 4 year plan, then I am planning to cram two more separate research projects into this fall with two other professors, so that I can have three letters of recommendation from people who all have observed my qualities on a closer level than in the classroom.
If I went into a fifth year however, I would not have to cram those 3 research experiences into a summer and a fall. I would have more luxury to spread them out. Or is it reasonable for one of my letters to come from pure classroom experience? I am taking a graduate level observational methods class right now. Could that professor suitably vouch for me from my performance in a graduate class alone?
Sorry for all the randomly scattered questions. The main point of this topic though is the dichotomy between 4 years and 5 years in amassing the credentials that will help me with my future. In a nutshell: do I double major in computer science, or stick to just an astrophysics degree and assume that my computational abilities will be developed through use in graduate school?
Thanks for the responses, they gave me some much appreciated tips and advice. I figured I would give an update:
I talked to my computational astro professor last week about possibly doing research this summer. He said it definitely is a possibility and that he would think about a possible project that would be suitable. Meanwhile I asked him his opinion on getting more of a computer science background. He told me to not worry about it, and that anything I would need to know could probably be picked up by tutorials from a supercomputing group that provides help on our campus.
By the way, I will be working on numerical magnetohydrodynamics with him this summer, and am going to have to learn Fortran and some basic plasma physics in the mean time.
ORIGINAL POST:
_____________________________________
Hi, I am a junior Astrophysics major at the University of Minnesota. I have put a lot of thought into graduate school and the entire application process. I actually just took the General GRE last month, so I consider that the first official step. I am torn between a few different options for how I finish my last year and improve my chances of getting into a good program.
This semester I am taking a class on computational methods in the physical sciences, and it has inspired me to pursue computational astrophysics. I actually only need my senior thesis (which I am doing this summer), and otherwise all that is left are 15 elective credits. So my senior year is looking to be unusually uneventful as far as course load is concerned. This is basically a result of me taking a heavy load my first 3 years because I thought I was going to double major astrophysics and physics, but have recently been questioning that option.
One of my big questions is whether a strong foundation in computer science could be beneficial for me, if I want to dive into computational astrophysics. All I have taken in that regime is an introductory C++ course last fall. My question is whether it would be beneficial for me to complete a 5th year and get a computer science degree to supplement my astro degree (I figured out it could be achieved if I take a heavy load).
It basically is a question as to whether delaying graduate school by one year will help me more than it will hurt me. So far I have no research experience whatsoever, and my senior thesis this summer with my computational professor will be my first exposure to that. If I do stick to the 4 year plan, then I am planning to cram two more separate research projects into this fall with two other professors, so that I can have three letters of recommendation from people who all have observed my qualities on a closer level than in the classroom.
If I went into a fifth year however, I would not have to cram those 3 research experiences into a summer and a fall. I would have more luxury to spread them out. Or is it reasonable for one of my letters to come from pure classroom experience? I am taking a graduate level observational methods class right now. Could that professor suitably vouch for me from my performance in a graduate class alone?
Sorry for all the randomly scattered questions. The main point of this topic though is the dichotomy between 4 years and 5 years in amassing the credentials that will help me with my future. In a nutshell: do I double major in computer science, or stick to just an astrophysics degree and assume that my computational abilities will be developed through use in graduate school?