Hey, Google Gang.

For both personal and professional reasons, I'm considering going back
to school to get a physics degree. I would like some help figuring out
what I need to do.

I graduated from Drexel University in 2001 with a BS and MS in
computer science. I only took the minimum required math and science
classes, and for the most part slacked my way through them fairly
easily. (For example, physics II - Attendance: 0, lab work: 0,
homeworks: 0, Midterm: 100, Final exam: 100. Final grade: D, Free
time: priceless...) So, although I'm generally able to understand this
stuff, I don't exactly have a shining academic record. If I do go
back, though, I plan to be much more disciplined in my studies.

Now, since I've already done my BS, I don't want to have to deal with
all that BS again. Mainly since I've already taken the electives that
you need to get a "well-rounded" education, but there's also a little
part of me that just says "Steve! you've got a Masters degree! You
can't go back for another Bachelor's!" Stupid? Maybe... So, a Masters
would seem to be the way to go. The problem is that I've forgotten
most of my math and physics knowledge, so I'm practically starting
from scratch. In particular, I desperately need to bone up on my
calculus, and there's a lot of undergraduate physics that I just don't
know. I guess what I need is undergraduate math and physics without
all of the associated history/literature/etc classes. (Not that they
weren't interesting!)

I have considered taking some calc and introductory physics classes at
Community College of Philadelphia to refresh my memory, but a quick
look at their website gave me the impression that there's very little
offered in that area. I could try taking some undergrad classes at a
regular university, but that sounds pretty expensive. Maybe some good
beginners websites and/or books would be the place to start.

So, google researchers, give me some advice! How to best refresh my
memory, what my best options for a degree are, and anything else you
can think of - anything would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Steve

One thing you might consider is taking the GRE exam in physics.  I
think this might be helpful in two ways:

1) Finding out what areas you need to brush up on for the exam, and

2) getting a good score on the GRE might go a long way to overcoming
problems with a poor transcript/record

This is a few months late, but I would suggest, having taken dozens of
physics classes, that classes are overrated.  Get some books and work
through some problems.  For all-around introductory physics, the
two-volume text by Halliday, Resnick and Krane is excellent.  Also, I
agree with fstokens about the physics GRE.  You don't need a very deep
knowledge of physics to do well on it, only a broad one, and if you do
well, you'll get into grad school.