ChemE vs ChemISTRY

[liveforit]

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Okay, so I dont know what to major in for college. But I have to choose now because I can not switch back and forth between the college of arts and sciences and the school of engineering.

I want to do pre-med or pre-dental. I know GPA and MCAT/DAT scores rank above all. My question is....

I LIKE BOTH OF THESE MAJORS because I am good with science and math.

A) BUT IS CHEMICAL ENGINEERING REALLY THAT HARD TO GET A HIGH GPA IN? SHOULD I JUST TAKE THE EASIER (AND MORE SECURE) ROUTE OF STUDYING STRAIGHT UP CHEM AND GETTING A HIGHER GPA?

B) Also, On a side note What about other engineering majors like bioengineering or biomolecular?

could someone with experience please answer questions A and B for me?

Thank you so much 🙂

 

[chman]

Okay, so I dont know what to major in for college. But I have to choose now because I can not switch back and forth between the college of arts and sciences and the school of engineering.

I want to do pre-med or pre-dental. I know GPA and MCAT/DAT scores rank above all. My question is....

I LIKE BOTH OF THESE MAJORS because I am good with science and math.

A) BUT IS CHEMICAL ENGINEERING REALLY THAT HARD TO GET A HIGH GPA IN? SHOULD I JUST TAKE THE EASIER (AND MORE SECURE) ROUTE OF STUDYING STRAIGHT UP CHEM AND GETTING A HIGHER GPA?

B) Also, On a side note What about other engineering majors like bioengineering or biomolecular?

could someone with experience please answer questions A and B for me?

Thank you so much 🙂

At my school Chem E is a killer for GPA, although chem is no cakewalk. Either one will be tough so you should go with which one you are more interested in. Obviously Chem E would be a better backup if you don't get in to med school. I would kind of argue that straight chem is a little "better" if you know for sure med school is what you want to do and you just want to study chem because you like it.

Other engineering majors are just that, other majors. It really depends on your interests and none of us can really tell you what those are. From what I hear chem E is the most difficult...but I'm not an engineering student.

 

[redpanda]

At my school Chem E is a killer for GPA, although chem is no cakewalk. Either one will be tough so you should go with which one you are more interested in. Obviously Chem E would be a better backup if you don't get in to med school.

Other engineering majors are just that, other majors. It really depends on your interests and none of us can really tell you what those are. From what I hear chem E is the most difficult...but I'm not an engineering student.

Seconded. ChemEs have much better job prospects with just a B.S. and they get paid significantly more than chemists at the B.S. level, so chemE is a better contingency plan in case you don't go the med school route or decide to delay a year or two after undergrad.

 

[Salient]

Yeah, I'd say go ChemE if you think you're up to it academically. If it turns out to be harder than you thought, you can always switch to pure chem.

 

[Lunasly]

Keep in mind I am a freshman so my advice may not be as good as others. Either way, I asked myself and others the same question.

Ultimately you want to do something you enjoy regardless of how difficult it may be. In the end, if you study something you enjoy, you are most likely to achieve good grades.

However, the reality is that choosing difficult majors such engineering can set you up for failure. For example: I wanted to major in math. In the end I realised that while I loved math, I don't think I would have been able to succeed in it. When I say that I mean I don't think I'd be able to get that GPA that med schools wanted.

Perhaps try and find a medium. Pick something that you think you can do well in, but at the same time interests you. In the end, your goal is medicine, so you do whatever you have to do to get there.

 

[liveforit]

well i am determined to take the premed/predental route. So I do not want to think of ChemE as a back up because I will be applying to many schools hopefully

and I know that ChemE is challenging and i am up for a challenge but I do not want it to be too late and then I will just have to switch out with a low GPA

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Honestly engineering is the worst thing to major in if your goals is medicine. It will do horrors to your gpa and you will get no benefit as statistically engineers still need the same gpa to be competitive.

Chemistry is while still hard probably a better choice for your grade. While chemistry will have or one or two hard courses such as P-chem and thermodynamics. But for engineering you'll be facing a major of that magnitude.

 

[circulus vitios]

Chemical engineering is a lot different from chemistry just so you know.

Temperature distribution in turbulent flows and non-ideal vapor liquid equilibria vs complex stability constants and Ramberg-Backlund rearrangements.

 

[chman]

well i am determined to take the premed/predental route. So I do not want to think of ChemE as a back up because I will be applying to many schools hopefully

and I know that ChemE is challenging and i am up for a challenge but I do not want it to be too late and then I will just have to switch out with a low GPA

Not to be an ares, but dude we all are "determined to take the premed, predental, pre-professional career X route." The reality is, however, that not only will we not all get in, a significant amount of us, as in most, won't get in. That's just how it is.

With that in mind you need to ask yourself if you have what it takes to maintain a competitive GPA in that major. In the end the sociology major may win with the GPA and get in while you are now a chem engineer. Just something to keep in mind. I'm not trying to discourage you, but having a backup plan is not an admission that you won't make it, it is the smart thing to do.

 

[liveforit]

Haha well then you guys have forced me to ask. Since ChemE is not a good major because it is a GPA killer, What is a really good majorr for PreMEd?

 

[juliedi]

If you really don't think you'll want to be an engineer by profession, then I wouldn't major in it. I'd go for chem. That way, even if you're not particularly thrilled by chem, you can switch to another major in the college of arts and sciences (since it sounds like you can't switch into engineering). Just my two cents.

 

[iniquus]

Major in what you're interested in. The great thing about engineering courses is that you can use them to your advantage in calculating your BPCM (leaving out bad grades and including good ones)...within the guidelines of AMCAS of course. 😎

 

[surftheiop]

ChemE is a lot harder to keep a good GPA in than chemistry.

In general engineers will have to take something like the following freshman year, its a tough way to adjust to college and kills many folks GPA :

Computer science
Intro to ChemE
2 Physics w/labs
2 Chemistry w/labs
2 Calculus (or 1 Calc and 1 Differential eqns if you have AP)
1 Biology if ChemE
Then some "normal" writing/liberal arts to meet breadth requirements

Then ChemE's have to take quantum, organic and pchem like chem majors, and then on top of that go on to take separate classes for thermo, kinetics, fluid mechanics (Tensor calculus😱) and heat/mass transfer. Then senior year they get killed by design and unit operations. (At our school design is a 4 credit class and the professor teaching it says you won't pass without a minimum of 40 hours a week devoted to it as they have to give huge presentations once a week and show all their schematics/etc)


Thank goodness I quit ChemE after sophomore year!!!

 

[chman]

Haha well then you guys have forced me to ask. Since ChemE is not a good major because it is a GPA killer, What is a really good majorr for PreMEd?

The one that you really like and can do really well in. What do you really like? Is it chem, or did you just think that chem is what pre-meds majored in? It's alright if you thought that, many go through their college career thinking that...

 

[liveforit]

Haha ^^ I told you, I like both Chemistry AND ChemE. However, I feel like normal chemistry is just a more LOGICAL choice if I want to go to medschool, no?

 

[surftheiop]

Haha ^^ I told you, I like both Chemistry AND ChemE. However, I feel like normal chemistry is just a more LOGICAL choice if I want to go to medschool, no?

If you like Chemistry, then don't do ChemE.

ChemE is really more about engineering/design/physics/math than what people think of when they think "chemistry"

 

[liveforit]

^^ haha OMGSH. I LIKE BOTH! I LOVE SCIENCE. AND I LOVE MATH. I JUST WANT THE MOST LOGICAL WAY TO GET INTO MED SCHOOL?

IS IT CHEMISTRY?
IS IT CHEM ENGINEERING (or is that just way too hard?) ( i am not a top student perhaps top 5% but not top 1% in my hs)

or is it another major that Im missing? (NOT BIO CUZ I HATE BIO)

 

[Mithril]

.

 

[MeowMeowCAT]

The two majors kind of have a similar start, especially in terms of math requirements and physics, so you can actually give ChemE a try, and just switch to Chemistry early on and you should be right on track towards the Chemistry major.

Difficult but it's doable.

 

[PreMedder]

^^ haha OMGSH. I LIKE BOTH! I LOVE SCIENCE. AND I LOVE MATH. I JUST WANT THE MOST LOGICAL WAY TO GET INTO MED SCHOOL?

IS IT CHEMISTRY?
IS IT CHEM ENGINEERING (or is that just way too hard?) ( i am not a top student perhaps top 5% but not top 1% in my hs)

or is it another major that Im missing? (NOT BIO CUZ I HATE BIO)

... major in pre-med. duh..

 

[Quaero]

ChemE = harder but way more job offers. Do it!

 

[circulus vitios]

^^ haha OMGSH. I LIKE BOTH! I LOVE SCIENCE. AND I LOVE MATH. I JUST WANT THE MOST LOGICAL WAY TO GET INTO MED SCHOOL?

IS IT CHEMISTRY?
IS IT CHEM ENGINEERING (or is that just way too hard?) ( i am not a top student perhaps top 5% but not top 1% in my hs)

or is it another major that Im missing? (NOT BIO CUZ I HATE BIO)

The most logical way into medical school is to major in something that you like and that will give you a good GPA.

You like science and you like math. Great. Pick something you actually know. Have you looked at the topics covered in chemical engineering? It's boring and hard as hell. Chemistry is mostly boring as well. I was a chem major because it knocked out all the pre-requisites. That was great until I actually started taking chemistry classes. Gen chem wasn't bad. Organic was a mess of curved arrows and memorizing reagents. Quantitative analysis was obsessing about errors and statistic analysis of results. I didn't take p-chem but it looked like the worst of parts of gen chem in excruciating detail (thermo and kinetics), biochem was memorizing obscure enzymes, blah blah blah. In the end I switched to something I liked more and knew more about: applied math.

 

[MeowMeowCAT]

Actually, isn't ChemE a pretty big thing to major in if all you want to go is to a Medical School? I mean, most of the people try to major in some Chemistry or Biological Science field as their premed. Chemical Engineering sounds a lot like something you would actually continue towards a PhD, where you are still doing ChemE related stuff.

I am just saying that after ChemE, Medical School actually seems like a step down. Since you don't even need that much high-level physics and math courses to get into med.

I am not sure why, but I imagine that's like going from ChemE and then becoming an RN. 😛

 

[orthomyxo]

ChemE will straight up murder your GPA. Regular chem will likely do the same, on a lesser scale. Personally, I wouldn't major in either of those, especially not chemE if you don't even plan on using the degree.

 

[LoveTheRunner]

you seem like you have a decent enough head on your shoulders. do chemE. SDN makes it seem like engineering is drago looking to take off your head. it really isn't. just know how to do real work every now and then, and be prepared to put up with the time suck that is engineering labs / senior design. biochem / ochem labs are jokes in comparison and you'll actually appreciate them more i think.

plus the ladies love the engineers

 

[scb44f]

you seem like you have a decent enough head on your shoulders. do chemE. SDN makes it seem like engineering is drago looking to take off your head. it really isn't. just know how to do real work every now and then, and be prepared to put up with the time suck that is engineering labs / senior design. biochem / ochem labs are jokes in comparison and you'll actually appreciate them more i think.

plus the ladies love the engineers

👍 Yes, chemical engineering is difficult and a lot of work, but it's only going to eat your GPA if you let it. Generally, if you're good at math (and you enjoy it) and you have a good work ethic you'll be fine, but just like any major, you can't be afraid to ask for help if you need it. It's true that it gets dry, but I'm glad I went through it. It makes me appreciate other classes more (when people complain about writing a 10 page lab report with their group, I think about writing my 50 page lab reports with a group of 3 and how it's just not that big of a deal).

I decided after my first year that I didn't want to work as a cheme but stayed in the department because I love math and physics. Four years later, I'm applying to vet school with a GPA just above my in-state school's average matriculated GPA. I'm happy with my decision to complete the degree, most of the time (just not when my last cheme class is moved to the same time slot as the bio elective I was going to take).

Good luck with your decision!

 

[brewers11]

no one can tell you what to major in. major in something that you would like to do if you don't get into medical or dental school. if you just want to major in chem or chemE to get into medical school then you are making a big mistake. If you can see yourself pursuing a career in either of those fields then major in them, otherwise find something else you are truly passionate about (besides medicine or dental). Medical school is not a guarantee, have a back up plan

 

[gettheleadout]

^^ haha OMGSH. I LIKE BOTH! I LOVE SCIENCE. AND I LOVE MATH. I JUST WANT THE MOST LOGICAL WAY TO GET INTO MED SCHOOL?

IS IT CHEMISTRY?
IS IT CHEM ENGINEERING (or is that just way too hard?) ( i am not a top student perhaps top 5% but not top 1% in my hs)

or is it another major that Im missing? (NOT BIO CUZ I HATE BIO)

You hate biology but you want to go through medical school?

lolwut

 

[liveforit]

no one can tell you what to major in. major in something that you would like to do if you don't get into medical or dental school. if you just want to major in chem or chemE to get into medical school then you are making a big mistake. If you can see yourself pursuing a career in either of those fields then major in them, otherwise find something else you are truly passionate about (besides medicine or dental). Medical school is not a guarantee, have a back up plan

HAHA, what part do u guys not understand? I LIKE SCIENCE AND MATH!

For me I like Chem > Bio

So i decided to major in either Chem

or CHEM ENGINEERING.

WHICH IS THE QUESTION I AM ASKING. IS CHEMISTRY A MORE LOGICAL MAJOR TO CHOOSE FOR PRE-MED? YES OR NO? OR IS THERE ANOTHER MAJOR IM MISSING?

 

[LoveTheRunner]

guy, you've been given a bunch of opinions. there is going to be no consensus agreement. just pick. chemE is fine for premed and you seem to like the material. thread over

 

[Healer of Ills]

Most of the people here have absolutely no clue as to what they are talking about in regards to this specific topic. Let me start off by saying that I am senior chemical engineering major that will be graduating next spring 2011.

Chemical engineering might be one of the best possible majors you can choose if you want to pursue medicine. The reason is precisely because it is so rigorous and demanding.

What do you think will prepare you better taking 2 levels of advanced thermodynamics and 5 levels of calculus just to mention a few, or 4 years of garbage, useless courses that other majors take??

Engineering in general has this level of rigor but chemical engineering is much more suited for medical school.

I can honest to God tell you that after taking my core engineering and math courses, the MCAT was relatively easy. I cannot imagine another major that prepares you in the same way.

Overall Conclusion: ChemE is no doubt one of the best possible majors you can choose BUT, be SURE that you are good at math and chemistry and like those 2 subjects a LOT!

 

[chman]

Most of the people here have absolutely no clue as to what they are talking about in regards to this specific topic. Let me start off by saying that I am senior chemical engineering major that will be graduating next spring 2011.

Chemical engineering might be one of the best possible majors you can choose if you want to pursue medicine. The reason is precisely because it is so rigorous and demanding.

What do you think will prepare you better taking 2 levels of advanced thermodynamics and 5 levels of calculus just to mention a few, or 4 years of garbage, useless courses that other majors take??

Engineering in general has this level of rigor but chemical engineering is much more suited for medical school.

I can honest to God tell you that after taking my core engineering and math courses, the MCAT was relatively easy. I cannot imagine another major that prepares you in the same way.

Overall Conclusion: ChemE is no doubt one of the best possible majors you can choose BUT, be SURE that you are good at math and chemistry and like those 2 subjects a LOT!

Ummm, nobody was arguing that chem E wouldn't prepare one for med school. What people were arguing, and rightfully so, is that chem E often murders people's GPA. What is the use in "being prepared," if you never get in because of your average GPA?

Again, not saying a high GPA is not possible, but I'm sure it's the minority. Also, what is a "useless class," or "garbage," to you, may not be useless to others, and really just makes you sound like a tool.

 

[circulus vitios]

Most of the people here have absolutely no clue as to what they are talking about in regards to this specific topic. Let me start off by saying that I am senior chemical engineering major that will be graduating next spring 2011.

Chemical engineering might be one of the best possible majors you can choose if you want to pursue medicine. The reason is precisely because it is so rigorous and demanding.

What do you think will prepare you better taking 2 levels of advanced thermodynamics and 5 levels of calculus just to mention a few, or 4 years of garbage, useless courses that other majors take??

Engineering in general has this level of rigor but chemical engineering is much more suited for medical school.

I can honest to God tell you that after taking my core engineering and math courses, the MCAT was relatively easy. I cannot imagine another major that prepares you in the same way.

Overall Conclusion: ChemE is no doubt one of the best possible majors you can choose BUT, be SURE that you are good at math and chemistry and like those 2 subjects a LOT!

How do ChemE classes help you on the MCAT? I don't see how reactor design, process control, chemical process simulation, etc. really relate to stuff the MCAT tests on.

 

[liveforit]

IS CHEME really THAAT HARd to get high gpa?

 

[gettheleadout]

IS CHEME really THAAT HARd to get high gpa?

Ask older ChemE majors at your school.

 

[rxlea]

Nice use of Tall Man lettering

 

[KTownGT]

Basket weaving or chicken farming management.

OMGSH

Himmler was a chicken farmer... Are you saying he should be a Nazi?

 

[integralx2]

How do ChemE classes help you on the MCAT? I don't see how reactor design, process control, chemical process simulation, etc. really relate to stuff the MCAT tests on.

It improves your ability to solve problems quicker, and connect multiple topics in a passage. Something that other majors lack.

 

[circulus vitios]

It improves your ability to solve problems quicker, and connect multiple topics in a passage. Something that other majors lack.

In that case physics and math are better choices.

 

[erikreinertsen]

Okay, so I dont know what to major in for college. But I have to choose now because I can not switch back and forth between the college of arts and sciences and the school of engineering.

I want to do pre-med or pre-dental. I know GPA and MCAT/DAT scores rank above all. My question is....

I LIKE BOTH OF THESE MAJORS because I am good with science and math.

A) BUT IS CHEMICAL ENGINEERING REALLY THAT HARD TO GET A HIGH GPA IN? SHOULD I JUST TAKE THE EASIER (AND MORE SECURE) ROUTE OF STUDYING STRAIGHT UP CHEM AND GETTING A HIGHER GPA?

B) Also, On a side note What about other engineering majors like bioengineering or biomolecular?

could someone with experience please answer questions A and B for me?

Thank you so much 🙂

ChE is insanely difficult, but so incredibly useful if you do research in tissue engineering or drug delivery. And yes, BE / BME is awesome and I love it 😀

 

[integralx2]

In that case physics and math are better choices.

Yes I agree to a point. Those are pure science courses. The thing with engineering you need to learn the same topics in physics and math and apply them to a real world problem that is presented infront of you. Physics I would say somewhat does that like engineering. Its a tough cookie to decide what to major in. I would choose what interests you, but also that would most likely provide some decent paying job at the end. Chemical Engineering isnt a bad path, but very time consuming.