I always feel stupid?!
Question: I always feel stupid?
Answers:
Well to be a theoretical physicist, you would need to first get into a pretty good college like the list you gave, so i.e. MIT, Berkley, Princeton, Harvard etc. You will need to get very high grades, in Physics and Math classes. Its great that you're doing other stuff like rocket club. It would also be wise to study a modern foreign language, as these days top science posts are international, so you should try hard at German or French, as well as the fact it's going to help at applying to college, as you will need to be academically rounded to some extent.
After getting a major in Physics / Math / Theoretical Physics / Applied Math (any should do), you would want to get to do an advanced degree i.e. a Masters, before doing a Ph.D.
It might also be good to do a Masters at an international institution. For instance Cambridge Universities 'Part III' course in Mathematics is "THE" course for any research scientist in maths / physics, with leading professors in fields like Michael Green. It is very competitive as it has a very high amount of international students applying (a lot of chinese as you might find out), and you will need to get a first at a good college, with good references. But in any Masters course, you will need to specialise into Theoretical Physics, taking courses in which ever you like best, like in Cosmology, Astrophysics, Relativity, Quantum Information or Particle Physics, which will be the foundations for the PhD...
For the Ph.D, you will need to get it at a world leading institution, and there is loads of competition, so don't be worried to apply to more places abroad (see where being fluent in another language helps). This is the foundation of your career and you would be expected (and would want) to publish as much papers as you can in scientific journals. Getting into a world leading university like MIT, Harvard, Cambridge, Berkley will be very difficult, which is why it is good to get a degree from a good uni with a strong first, if you end up doing Part III at Cambridge and get a distinction (super difficult) you would be almost guaranteed at being let into the Ph.D. programme.
Anyway...
Eventually after your Ph.D. you should try to get a research position at some uni, then after a decade, you might get a professorship, while doing lots of research and getting a damn high h-index (what scientists levels are measured by) and then you might be a great physicist and win a Fields Medal!
Currently a PhD student at MIT specialising in Quantum information Theory (Particle Physics is too hard for me!)
http://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/postgrad/math…
Me to i feel the same way some one answer our question
You have put yourself into competition with this so called friend. The reason he calls you stupid is he doesn't like the competition. Let me say stay focus on you and your grades. So what if you finish first or last your a brain just keep up the good work. Your in tenth grade yes you have a long way to best physicist dream yet you have the intelligence and ability to find your dream. Stay focus on yourself it's important to remember what he accomplishes is no concern to you only what you accomplish. Stay true to yourself and worry less about him. Your doing great keep up the good work.
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