WARNING: Fairly blunt and possibly discouraging advice ahead. Read at your own risk.
First of all, just to make it clear, I’m not a physicist; I entered into university in the physics program, but graduated with an engineering degree and minors in mathematics and physics. My formal physics education took me through introductory modern physics (quantum mechanics through basic quantum field theory, particle physics, Special and General Relativity), which I’ve supplemented by later reading (Feynman’s Lectures, Gravitation, Zee’s Quantum Field Theory in a Nutshell) but I am by know means a professional, much less practicing, physicist, and my knowledge of modern physics, while a couple of magnitudes of order greater than most engineers, is essentially at the level of scientific parlor trickery. I’ve considered and investigated going back to school several times, both in physics and in the biosciences, but a combination of a lack of opportunity, funding, and required life sacrifices has made me shy away. So take what I offer with a grain of your favorite alkali.
The study of physics is, as Anne Neville indicates, very difficult and tedious. Whereas most other technical fields have some kind of concentration, as a physicist you’re expected to have a very broad understanding of all areas of natural science, and the applied tools to model and analyze all manner of phenomena. This is, of course, impossible; you can’t be a master chemist, an expert machinist, a brilliant software coder in half a dozen programming languages, a genius mathematician, and a holistic historian, all in addition to surveying the entire field of physics. What this means is that you’ll end up studying fifty or sixty hours a week and still not really master the entire field. Much of the work isn’t actually all that interesting, either. When you see an article in Discovery or Scientific American, realize that it is both jazzed up for publication and often represents years or even decades of research. Unlike some fields, it doesn’t just take hard work to become notable; it also takes a certain amount of luck to happen onto a field or research that complements your interests and skill set (see above) and that is currently popular and active. M-Theory, for instance, is a hot topic now, but fifteen years ago it was a relatively obscure area of research that was widely considered borderline flaketastic by all but the most visionary of authorities.
Most of the physics Ph.D.s that I know don’t do basic research in fundamental physics; instead, they work in some area of application like thin films, or computational modeling, or even in fields that are not directly related to physics at all. Most of them make pretty good money applying the analytical and technical skills to good use, but it is essentially engineering and materials science work that doesn’t really utilize their entire set of skills or engage them on an intellectual level. Of course, the same can be said of most jobs, but if the stars are in your eyes about having a byline in Scientific American or a paper published in Nature, realize that these are exceptional and unlikely goals, that will require, in addition to hard work and sacrifice, a great deal of good fortune.
One line in the o.p. that concerns me is “I’ll admit that while I feel I’m very strong with theory, I’m a bit weaker with application. I received a ‘C’ in my first calculus-based physics course…” I’m a little unclear about what the poster means about being strong on theory but weak on application, but in the study and practice of physics, “application” is the proof of theory; that is to say, it isn’t enough to be able to parrot back a summary of how a principle works, you have to be able to express it mathematically and show how it works. Even for experimental physicists–the nuts and bolts guys and gals who test theories by experiment–a solid grasp on how the theory works mathematically is a prerequisite. If the o.p. got a C in his first course in mechanics then he probably needs to revisit both that course and selected bits of the calculus sequence, 'cause it only gets more difficult from there. (As calculus is often poorly and obscurely taught, it may not be his own limitations that resulted in a disconnect, but understanding not just the operations of calculus but the basis behind it is crucial to being able to apply the principles to another discipline by anything but rote calculation.)
That being said, while 30 years old will put him in the upper brackets of physics undergraduates, it’s not entirely unheard of. Edward Witten, one of the most notable of high energy physicists working today, graduated with a B.A. in history and emphasis in linguistics from Brandies, worked as a speechwriter for George McGovern’s presidential campaign, and then went back to Princeton as a physics grad student. Of course, Witten is arguably one of the smartest people on the planet (he won the Fields Medal in 1990) and a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, so aspiring to be the next Ed Witten is a pretty lofty goal by anyone’s standard.
A more reasonable goal, however, would be to obtain a degree in some applied technical field like electrical engineering, with a minor in physics, allowing you to experience physics at a more-than-dilettante level without finding yourself wedded to a field that will require more dedication and sacrifice than you are willing to pour in, and will give you a basis for a technical career. In general, if you aren’t utterly obsessive and uncommonly proficient about physics and mathematics, you’re probably going to find yourself in over your head, committed to a goal that just isn’t realistic.
All that being said, I would strongly discourage you from pursuing a degree you don’t want in a field in which you are not interested, just because it is safe and somewhat lucrative. (The echo of half a million lawyers in the background chanting in agreement is merely a figment of your imagination.) If you are going to make some kind of compromise, you are better of at least incorporating your interest into it, like getting a degree in science education, or going into an engineering discipline, thereby at least being able to exercise a portion of your interests, and at the same time afford you the ability to purchase and study physics and science texts to your heart’s content.
Good luck to you in whatever you choose.
Stranger
