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re: Astronomy or Geology easier?

Posted on 4/16/17 at 5:32 pm to
Posted by LouisianaLady
Member since Mar 2009
82213 posts
Posted on 4/16/17 at 5:32 pm to
Answers in this thread are interesting. I am godawful at science, but I didn't mind Geology and actually made good grades during the 3 semesters I took it. I think rocks are cool, though.

The life sciences are what kills me.
Posted by MMauler
Primary This RINO Traitor
Member since Jun 2013
22484 posts
Posted on 4/16/17 at 5:34 pm to
Took the first two Geology courses at LSU to fulfill my science requirement for business majors. Two relatively easy A's. Lots of gross memorization cramming the night before tests, but nothing really difficult. However, we didn't have to take a lab.
Posted by Pelican fan99
Lafayette, Louisiana
Member since Jun 2013
37749 posts
Posted on 4/16/17 at 5:36 pm to
The lab was easy as hell. You just stared at rock samples for 3 hours
Posted by jglass3lsu
Member since Jan 2007
884 posts
Posted on 4/16/17 at 5:36 pm to
Geology rocks!
Posted by mikrit54
Robeline
Member since Oct 2013
8664 posts
Posted on 4/16/17 at 5:37 pm to
Posted by CoachChappy
Member since May 2013
33920 posts
Posted on 4/16/17 at 5:52 pm to
Posted by abitabrewed4LSU
Houston, TX
Member since Feb 2009
1078 posts
Posted on 4/16/17 at 6:51 pm to
Posted by Bestbank Tiger
Premium Member
Member since Jan 2005
75580 posts
Posted on 4/16/17 at 6:52 pm to
I took Rocks for Jocks. Wasn't that hard.
Posted by Chiefagain
Member since Nov 2016
1808 posts
Posted on 4/16/17 at 7:07 pm to
Geology degree will bring the income




Posted by foshizzle
Washington DC metro
Member since Mar 2008
40599 posts
Posted on 4/16/17 at 7:27 pm to
quote:

Once you get into astronomy there is tons of math, and astrophysics I would imagine bleeds over into it. I would think that a legit astronomy degree would be very math heavy.


My undergrad major was in Physics and Astronomy and you are absolutely correct. There are plenty of Physics subfields that don't involve Astronomy at all and vice-versa but there's lots of common ground too.

FWIW, geology and planetary astronomy can also overlap.

But the OP sounds like he's just looking for how to deal with an intro class to satisfy a requirement, and neither intro Astro or Geo involves much math. I'd say it mostly depends on the grad student teaching the class - the right instructor can make either one fascinating, the wrong one will be utterly boring.
Posted by TigerintheNO
New Orleans
Member since Jan 2004
42830 posts
Posted on 4/16/17 at 7:43 pm to
quote:

need to take two consecutive semesters of a sequential science with a lab.


astronomy labs are night classes
Posted by RogerTheShrubber
Juneau, AK
Member since Jan 2009
282000 posts
Posted on 4/16/17 at 7:44 pm to
Go with geology
Posted by Marci33
Member since Feb 2018
1 post
Posted on 2/17/18 at 6:07 pm to
Since your post is nearly a year old, I know it's unlikely that you're still seeking information about this, but I wanted to share my own experience because the amount of math in a course was the deciding factor for me when I had to choose which science courses to take to satisfy the core curriculum requirement for a BA (in history) when I was in college during the 1990s. My college was still on the quarter system then, so the core curriculum was different than what's found under the semester system. I've always been good at arithmetic, but any math beyond that, such as algebra, turns my brain into a jumbled mess. In high school, I passed the classes I had to take, but just by the skin of my teeth. My inability wasn't from a lack of trying. I was typically an A student. My quarterly average for Spanish 104 would've been a 100, had I not lost a half point on my final test, and I had a 97 end-of-quarter average in French. I always made As in history, English, psychology, etc., but in the one math course I took in college during my last quarter, I made a D. I was absolutely okay with it. I mention all of this so you'll understand that this info is from someone who seriously sucks in math. I had to take either 3 science courses (2 in a sequence/all 3 had labs) and 1 math, or 2 science/2 math courses. I went with the former. I took the intro astronomy course (105, I think) which had some math that was above my ability. I couldn't solve the equations, nor could I make heads or tails of Einstein's theory of relativity, but I could memorize everything else, so I made a B for the quarter. I didn't take Astronomy 106 because my professor told me it was heavy on the math and was essentially astrophysics. This might not always be the case for Astronomy 102/106 (or whatever comes after the intro class), but I knew I had to find something else because the math in astronomy is just too complex for this dumb-dumb. I decided to take my 2 course sequence in geology, and I loved it. A young, newly-hired professor, who'd just received his PhD, taught my class. He was excited about teaching, and he made geology interesting. He was even able to teach me how to do whatever math was in GEO 105 & 106. I'm sorry this is a book, but I'm willing to risk writing too much in case my experience can help someone else who doesn't care that they'll never know whether Train B catches up to Train A, or what time Train C will arrive in Chicago. I hope you chose the course that was best for you.
This post was edited on 2/17/18 at 6:16 pm
Posted by Bullfrog
Running Through the Wet Grass
Member since Jul 2010
59074 posts
Posted on 2/17/18 at 6:51 pm to
There is more to learn about rocks than you could possibly imagine.

I thought it would be so easy. Jesus, Judith Schibout (sp) geology was stupid hard.

Run!

ETA: Holy Bumped with wall of text, Batman!

WTF with this old bump.
This post was edited on 2/17/18 at 6:53 pm
Posted by TheFonz
Somewhere in Louisiana
Member since Jul 2016
21971 posts
Posted on 2/17/18 at 9:02 pm to
First year of astronomy isn't too bad. First year geology is an insomnia cure. This was at LSU over 20 years ago so I don't remember who the instructors were. Geology was in Howe Russell Hall, which to me for some reason was a creepy place.
This post was edited on 2/17/18 at 9:05 pm
Posted by GeauxDoc
Highland Road
Member since Sep 2010
2666 posts
Posted on 2/17/18 at 9:04 pm to
Entry 1000 level astronomy has little or no math....way more interesting...go with that...
Posted by GusMcRae
Deep in the heart...
Member since Oct 2008
3580 posts
Posted on 2/17/18 at 10:09 pm to
Astrology... Scorpios rule!

Geology... rocks for jocks.
Posted by IllegalPete
Front Range
Member since Oct 2017
7182 posts
Posted on 2/17/18 at 10:19 pm to
quote:

Unless you look forward to memorizing a butt load of rock types and formations, go with astronomy. On the up side, some day in the future you can amaze some girl by naming some star formation. I highly doubt you will get the chance to point out a large buried rock formation to a chick.



I took astronomy and don't remember shite from that class.

I would recommend geology. I have met quite a few geology chicks who were hot and outdoorsy. Plenty of opportunities to point out cool rock formations to a chick while hiking in the great American West.

Plus, if you ended up liking geology, you could get a job in the energy industry and make 10x more cash than something related to astronomy or agronomy.
This post was edited on 2/17/18 at 10:20 pm
Posted by RogerTheShrubber
Juneau, AK
Member since Jan 2009
282000 posts
Posted on 2/17/18 at 10:40 pm to
Both are fascinating
Posted by Napoleon
Kenna
Member since Dec 2007
70929 posts
Posted on 2/17/18 at 11:07 pm to
geology is easier but more boring. Geography is the easiest.
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