Academic interest change

Applying to College
1

<p>So here's my dilemma. I'm currently a junior. Starting early sophomore year I began to get interested in engineering as a potential profession (I don't love math... like it alright and am fairly good at it but I reaaallly like physics...Don't ask why but science at my school goes chem 9th, physics 10th, and bio 11th grade). This last summer I did an engineering summer program that was fairly competitive. I got an A in the course (it was a college course that offered 3 credits). </p>

<p>However, this year, the more I have researched what an engineer does and how stressful and math intensive engineering school is I have begun to doubt my early "decision" to pursue engineering. On top of this, I really like biology despite there being tons of research involved in our homework, which has begun to bring back childhood ideas of becoming a doctor :).</p>

<p>I'm looking into summer biology/medicine research opportunities for this summer. Will this practically void my engineering program? Do colleges see this change as a wavering academic interest? I've also taken 2 years of a programming class at my school, which seems to point towards the engineering too.</p>

<p>Here is my real question:
Should I...</p>

<p>A) Stick out the engineering thing use it as a "consistent academic interest" to get into a good liberal arts/ivy (those are the two types I'm looking at)</p>

<p>B) Change my "academic interest" to biology and possible prospective job as doctor of some sort. In this case I would explain my penchant for science in general rather than being as specific as saying electrical engineering.</p>

<p>******Note I am planning on taking SAT IIs in Bio, US history, and possibly Math I. Our school doesn't cover enough physics in 10th grade so they recommend we stick to either chem or bio. I have seen that some schools (ex: Princeton) have SAT 2 "recommendations" or even requirements for people applying for engineering and these requirements tend to include physics and Math II.</p>

<p>AHHH. Alright thanks for reading this essay :). Opinions appreciated.</p>

2

<p>A high school student is supposed to be exploring career options and potential majors if possible (most students don’t!) so I would strongly advise you to pursue your interests. Colleges want students who are engaged and curious about the world. No way should you feel locked in to a potential career or major at your age.
Keep exploring your options for the future!</p>

3

<p>Totally agree with BeanTownGirl. Consistency is nice for one or two ECs, but when it comes to pushing your intellectual boundaries by exploring various professional options and academic interests, you should be testing lots of options. Sounds like you’re not all that inconsistent anyway - you like the science majors but haven’t figured out exactly which one/how to pursue that interest. No further specifics are needed, since any good school can provide a strong background in these areas. And checking out engineering early makes great sense because 1) a number of schools (small liberal arts colleges for example) don’t offer engineering majors and 2) if you want to do it, you have to start freshman year if you plan to graduate on time. You did the checking and the answer was ‘no’ - that means your college search has been clarified - always a plus.</p>