I’m a prospective Comp Sci / engineering major and I was just wondering how the 3-2 program stacks up against a traditional 4 year plan. Would it be better to get a BA in a math or physics, chemistry, etc. field and go for engineering in grad school, to get an undergrad in engineering and then maybe a grad degree in the same field, or to opt for a 3-2 program and arguably get the best of both worlds. I know this question has been asked countless times before, and I’ve done a great deal of research on it, but I was wondering if alumni of the program or people who are familiar with it could offer their personal experience and evaluation of it. Also, I have a few specific questions regarding the program. I did a lot of research on this and I couldn’t find anything out:
There are prerequisites that come with the program, such as a GPA threshold, etc. Are these hard to achieve? Do they require anything extra (such as an essay, additional letters of recommendation, etc)?
When you apply to a LAC, do you state your intention for the dual-degree program or is it something you consider after matriculation?
Finally, if you do have the opportunity to go through with the program, is it worth the extra year of tuition? Do employers in the engineering field view your additional BA with any preference? It seems like a “backdoor” to engineering at places like Duke, Caltech, Dartmouth, Columbia, etc. but it seems like few actually go through with it even if they meet the requirements.
Thanks in advance!