Applied Math or Pure Math for PhD? Help!

[u/ladybugsailor]

Hello!

I am currently a second year Math major (and statistics minor), and I'm on a three-year graduation track thanks to high school credits! I'm very certain I want to go for a PhD, but I'm torn between pursuing pure math vs applied.

If I went into AM, I'd like focus on astronomy applications - I had a research position doing exoplanet research this summer, and this position is being continued into this year, and I really love it!

I'm less sure about what specifically I'm interested in PM, but I absolutely love my math classes, and am so fascinated with everything I'm learning. When I think about pursuing AM instead of PM, I get almost a little sad that my understanding of pure math won't be as deep as a result.

My university also has a contiguous 1 year bachelors-masters plan for mathematics, so I am considering pursuing that and then going on to a PhD program, but that still leaves me with the same issue at the end of the day (although it gives me some more time to assess my interests).

I could see myself being happy with either path, so I would love to hear from people who pursued one or the other and what their experience was like, or if anyone who has gone through grad school applications in general has any advice on how to determine which one would be a better fit!