I'm going to be a junior in the fall, and I am having problems deciding on whether or not to do a double major.
Majors!
- Thread starter DMBFan
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Don't major in something you don't like. Adcoms won't care. No one else will care. They will care if you take a bunch of classes and do poorly. As for your remaining year, yeah, take some interesting classes. Take classes you wouldn't otherwise have taken. Interesting classes can end up being interesting things to talk about in interviews and in life. Or graduate a year early, if you have enough credits, and work for a year. But definitely don't major in something because you're trying to please someone else. It's not worth it.
- Sep 26, 2002
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Are you kidding me? Hmmm, let's see: Take a bunch of boring classes for a major that doesn't interest you and get nothing useful in return, OR have the option of taking whatever classes strike your interest, or doing multiple internships for credit, or if you have enough credits, even taking fewer classes. Doesn't seem like a hard choice to me.
-SERIOUSLY!!!-
Take interesting classes outside your major. Thats what I did... I took stuff like "Urban Form" - a growth and structure of cities class, Human Adaptation - phys. anthro class, Primate Biology - another phys. anthro class, Foundation of Social Theory, etc. None were required for my major or my liberal arts degree requirements... oh I took a class called Concepts of time - it was writing intensive, a college requirement, but still interesting as anything!
Don't feel confined to double up... no one will reward your efforts if you dont do well, and who the hell can do well in something they dont like...
Go for the variation!
Take interesting classes outside your major. Thats what I did... I took stuff like "Urban Form" - a growth and structure of cities class, Human Adaptation - phys. anthro class, Primate Biology - another phys. anthro class, Foundation of Social Theory, etc. None were required for my major or my liberal arts degree requirements... oh I took a class called Concepts of time - it was writing intensive, a college requirement, but still interesting as anything!
Don't feel confined to double up... no one will reward your efforts if you dont do well, and who the hell can do well in something they dont like...
Go for the variation!
Obviously, touched a nerve with this question...haha..anyways, I am not majoring in econ for the sake of it "looking good" but for the sake of having some sort of direction for the next 2 years..Maybe you're the type of person who can "take classes that strike your interest" but I need some sort of direction...I haven't taken any real econ classes yet, so I really can't figure out if it's interesting or not...i took ap econ for two years in HS and thought it was okay..not the most exciting subject but bearable notheless.....Anyways, sorry to have upset some people
Remember, it's all good ...PS - I have heard it's not a good idea to take 13 hours every semester in college...It looks like you aren't challenging yourself.
would you rather take 23 units and do poorly?
look man, if thats what you need to do to do well in your classes then do it. 13 units a semester doesnt necessarily mean that you arent challenging yourself...you could be occupied with other things such as working, volunteering, research etc...
you are still a full time student with 13 units a semester/quarter so dont worry too much about it.
We aren't allowed to take more than 17 hours at my undergrad institution. Who takes 23 hours? I have never heard of anyone even taking that many. And to be honest, I have done better in the semesters where I have was taking 15 and 16 hours than when I had 13...Just a thought....
- Sep 26, 2002
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Originally posted by DMBFan
Obviously, touched a nerve with this question...haha..anyways, I am not majoring in econ for the sake of it "looking good" but for the sake of having some sort of direction for the next 2 years..Maybe you're the type of person who can "take classes that strike your interest" but I need some sort of direction...I haven't taken any real econ classes yet, so I really can't figure out if it's interesting or not...i took ap econ for two years in HS and thought it was okay..not the most exciting subject but bearable notheless.....Anyways, sorry to have upset some people
PS - I have heard it's not a good idea to take 13 hours every semester in college...It looks like you aren't challenging yourself.
Wow, way to read too much into a post. I wasn't upset. I was giving advice, which is what you asked for. You're welcome.
If you haven't taken college-level econ classes, why not try them, and THEN decide whether to major in econ? As for having a direction, you can make a plan to take like 2 history classes, 2 philosophy classes, etc. within the 2 years. By making your own plan, you're giving yourself direction.
I also never suggested taking 13 credits throughout college. Let me give you an example of what I did.
Freshman year: 16 credits per semester
Sophomore year: 16, then 20
Junior: 16, then 12
Senior year plan: 14/15 (only 8 of which are regular classes. The rest are for research, and senior seminars), then either 12 or 16 second semester.
My major requirements won't be complete until my last semester b/c of scheduling at my school and because there are alot of classes required for my major, but I've taken lots of non-related classes in various disciplines even though I could have added another major or minor. In addition to my biochem classes, I took extra calc, lots of philosophy, extra Italian classes, a history class, sculpture etc. These were some of my favorite classes!
Also, I had 12 AP credits and therefore, could easily afford to take a couple of 12 credit semesters. Senior year, for instance, I may have a lighter class schedule, but I honestly don't think (nor do I care) that adcoms will think this is wimpy b/c I'll simultaneously be doing research, writing a thesis, co-teaching a class, working (as I have throughout school), leading/being involved in various organizations and volunteer activities. You don't have to fill all of your time with classes.
The great thing about taking random classes that interest you is that you can really have fun with it and there's no pressure about what you HAVE to take or SHOULD take.
One of the best choices I feel I have made so far in life is majoring in Psychology. Not because Psychology is better than any other, but because I love it. So, do what you love and you'll find going to school something you look forward to. And then you can take all the Orgo/Bio/Physics B.S. along with your "interesting classes". I do find the Orgo and Bio fascinating as well, but it's a different form from Psych. Bottom line: enjoy your undergrad.