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Calculus is just the beginning. It is taught in the first college year for a reason.
Math demands comprehension and memorization. At least the latter is much weaker for older people.
I can't even remember the integral equations for many functions. It is not really important. But they will be tested in class.
You don't start losing your mental facility for quite some time. 50 is young. I know Calc I is the beginning. Derivatives are easy. I don't know. Maybe some people can't do it. But I certainly know some people who could.
I just want to say that dont do online courses unless youre at a REAL university who offers some of their courses online and there are people your age and older in college. I think its great you want to go back to school, but do you have any college credit at all and what makes you want to get a PhD in astrophysics? If you have no college experience then you will be in school for a long time.
I would definitely start by taking refresher courses so that you can get back into "math mode" again.
I wouldn't suggest online courses, though. Go to your local community college or state college first. Take some classes (not just in math and science) and find out what you really want to study. You might be surprised.
I am a 50 year old man. I have been a lot of places and I have probably done more in my life than most (not boasting, just trying to script the path leading to this post), from a tank commander in Desert Storm to 16 years in the architectural industry to now owning and operating a successful Italian Restaurant. So now I want to go to college... Strike that... I would like to get a Ph.D. in Astrophysics. Where do I start? I think some math refresher courses are more than likely the best beginning but which classes should I take? Time, obviously is a commodity I don't have. What is a good online university?
I'm currently attending a large mid-western university and I'm over 50. I have about a 3.5 GPA. If you want it passionate and willing to work your *ss off you can do it. I just got finished taking a physics course and it was tough but I managed a 3.0 in the class.
My suggestion is to prep yourself for the physics and math courses in advance of attending classes.
I don't know about not being able to do math when you are older. I remember when I was in high school my mother would help me with math and would tell me that she couldn't understand why when she was in high school she couldn't understand this stuff and now she could. When my own kid got into high school, I found I was the same way. It seemed easier to re-teach it to myself than when I had to learn it the first time around.
I don't know about not being able to do math when you are older. I remember when I was in high school my mother would help me with math and would tell me that she couldn't understand why when she was in high school she couldn't understand this stuff and now she could. When my own kid got into high school, I found I was the same way. It seemed easier to re-teach it to myself than when I had to learn it the first time around.
It is not about learning just "math" when you are older per se. It is about being able to learn the really advanced, bleeding edge math required for graduate level astrophysics. If you aren't in it all the way through from your 20s it is extremely difficult if not impossible to get to where you need to be.
It is not about learning just "math" when you are older per se. It is about being able to learn the really advanced, bleeding edge math required for graduate level astrophysics. If you aren't in it all the way through from your 20s it is extremely difficult if not impossible to get to where you need to be.
I don't really agree. Honestly, as an Engineering student.. math is probably the easiest part about my degree. Differential Equations, Integration, Differentiation, Matrix Algebra.. all that stuff is simple compared to the concepts you have to apply that stuff to. Passing the math courses is the easiest part about the major.
I think it's more than possible for any person to come in, work their butt off and excel in the classes. It's just a matter of people not realizing just how much more work a major like Engineering or Physics is than the other majors offered in a university.
I don't really agree. Honestly, as an Engineering student.. math is probably the easiest part about my degree. Differential Equations, Integration, Differentiation, Matrix Algebra.. all that stuff is simple compared to the concepts you have to apply that stuff to. Passing the math courses is the easiest part about the major.
I think it's more than possible for any person to come in, work their butt off and excel in the classes. It's just a matter of people not realizing just how much more work a major like Engineering or Physics is than the other majors offered in a university.
Graduate level astrophysics is =/= engineering. While you are kind of doing differential equasions there can be issues related to how much you can rely on Newtonian physics. I did a bunch of math in college for economics, but the fact is Astrophysics math is different. You start hitting stuff that is really abstract and goes beyond anything that is sort of real world intuitive. E.g. when you get to stuff like math for the gravity and its effects on the curvature of space and other stuff that is kind of derived from vectors but crazy. It is not something you can just go in and out of.
I know several people who did that level astrophysics, but stopped to do other things and they all say it is not something you can just get into and out of.
Last edited by Randomstudent; 12-29-2012 at 06:18 PM..
Why astrophysics, OP? Do you have dreams of working at NASA?
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