Switching Majors

When I originally applied to the Academy, I was dead set on Electrical Engineering. In high school I took a class called AP Physics: Electricity and Magnetism which opened my mind to a possible career in the world of engineering, specifically with electricity. Without taking too many major specific classes 4/c year, I had no real experience other than high school in this subject so for much of 4/c year I still desired to be an EE. However, when major change request forms came out towards the end of the year, I realized two things: I love math and I love to analyze. With this, I took the brave move to switch to Operations Research and Data Analytics (ORDA). The Operations Research and Data Analytics major is a great opportunity USCGA has to offer. It is heavily math and coding focused with an emphasis on analytical approaches. If you really enjoy math and find yourself analyzing the world around you, this may be the perfect fit.

Currently, I am enrolled in Computer Modeling Languages (CML), Physics II, Linear Algebra, Multivariable Calculus, and Organizational Behavior and Leadership (OB&L). OB&L is a required class by all cadets which teaches us leadership skills and increases self-awareness on our strengths and weaknesses when it comes to personality and behavior traits. CML focuses on coding with python and developing logical, problem-solving abilities through many big coding projects. Physics II is mainly the electricity side to Physics so essentially round 2 of AP Physics: Electricity and Magnetism. Linear Algebra dives into the roots of algebra and really makes you question how complex linear systems can get. Finally, Multivariable Calculus combines the ideas learned in Calc I and Calc II to add more letters than you’ve ever seen in math before. This is just the start of my ORDA journey at the Academy, and I am loving it so far. I really look forward to more major specific classes next year and a brand-new opportunity to dive into the world of data analytics.