I want a career in Astronomy or Astrophysics; but I am unsure on a few things. Help please?

I would like a career in Astronomy or Astrophysics.. but I am unsure on the courses I would have to take and the subjects I would have to work the hardest in.





Also; I'm planning to move to Alaska after high school and go to University there, could I have some help with finding the right Uni?|||If you want to be an astronomer or astrophysicist then you will need a Ph.D. Generally, you'd be looking to work at a university or a partially government funded operation. The minimum qualification would be a Ph.D.





Most uni's don't have astronomy or astrophysics as an undergraduate degree. And that's OK because you'll need a physics heavy undergrad degree to be competitive for grad school. So go to the best university that you are accepted to and feel is a good fit for you. Major in physics there. Math would be a good second major or minor.





In terms of universities in AK, off the top of my head there aren't any that scream great physics school to me. The problem with AK is that not many research Ph.D.s want to live there. So a school may not have faculty who have Ph.D.s AND engage in research. To a small extent this matters because when you apply to Ph.D. programs, the admissions committee will look at the name of the letter writer and place a small weight on that (but it's no where near the most important thing in a app).





No don't get me wrong. There are plenty of small schools with good physics/astrophysics programs where research is not the biggest faculty emphasis. I've got a physics degree from one. And ALL of my classmates in that major went on to grad school within a spectrum of related fields. That is an indicator of a good program. If you can find one like this in AK, then that may be a good department.





One thing that you need to do while an undergraduate is to do some sort of research. The National Science Foundation funds these programs called REUs (Research Experiences for Undergraduates). An REU will give you the opportunity to show your interest in research and get a letter of recommendation from someone outside your school. This is an excellent way to bolster your grad school application.