I’m a rising senior and wanted to know if it’d be possible to follow the BSE Computer Science Concentration route while still being able to take the required courses for premed. I wanna do this so I have computer science to fall back on in case medical school doesn’t work out for me. Is this advised? I’m likely going to be a recruited athlete and it seems like taking the AB route for computer science would maximize my time for athletic practice and social activities. However, the BSE route covers the physics and chemistry requirements for premed. Thank you for any input you provide.
Why don’t you major in a more bio-esque concentration (like History of Science, Biology, or Chemical and Biological Engineering) and pursue a certificate in “Applications of Computing”?
How applicable are bio and chemical engineering in the work fields? I only leaned towards computer science because I’m proficient in two programming languages and computer science is in high demand. I suppose that may work though, its a more ‘medical’ path than computer science is
Well to pursue the BSE, you need to take a computer science course ANYWAY. I can only imagine with the B&C Eng BSE, you’d take the appropriate amount of pre-med courses needed to go to med school. You could also pursue a certificate in Computational Biology! The valedictorian a few years back did and I believe is pursuing a MD/PhD somewhere.
How difficult is chemical engineering in comparison to computer science?
For you, probabky ChemE because you are already fluent in two programming languages. I’d look to see what you could gain from the AB in CS and certificate in CompBio in terms of pre-med. Then, you could focus on sports and your courses wont be dictated by the set curriculum of the BSE.
Princeton students, how hard is it maintaining a high GPA as a chemical engineer? Many say it’s medical school suicide to major in it
My son is a varsity athlete and BSE concentrator (different subject) and also a rising senior at Princeton. He says Chem E is very difficult but the joke among BSE students is that all of the different types of engineering are tough and saying one is ‘more difficult’ is really a statement of small differences. They’re all hard. What you really need to do is to study what you love. I can’t tell you how many Princeton students change majors (drastically for many of them) so you have a strong likelihood of also deciding to make a change along the way. A few of my son’s friends in first year decided to drop the BSE track and switch to a science with a pre-med kind of focus (Princeton does not have a formal pre-med program) because they said it was “easier”. This is also a relative statement, I am sure.
If you don’t choose what you will enjoy, the demands of a heavy course load plus the physical and emotional demands of being a varsity athlete will sap your energy and motivation long before the finish line. Just a thought…I believe you can do computer science on the AB track which is a lighter course load than BSE. So if you started CS as a BSE and decided to switch to AB later on, the transition would be minimal.
In terms of the GPA question, one of the first things you’ll need to adjust to at Princeton is your grades. While grade deflation is a thing of the past, getting an A is still a formidable task in the sciences, but it can be done. My son found this to be the biggest adjustment first year. When he decided to switch to focusing on learning instead of grades, his marks actually improved significantly. In three years he has gone from being academically slightly above average to near the top of his department. However, there were many times (especially that first year) when he was completely frazzled and exhausted. Now he is enjoying it a lot more and actually said he wishes he could “slow it down”.
To do any kind of BSE and a varsity sport, you’ll need to be a great time manager with perseverance to spare. Is it hard to maintain a high GPA? Yes! But in the end, it can be enormously satisfying…especially if it’s what you really want.
Is there a drastic difference between a BSE in computer science and an AB in computer science?
According to Princeton’s website, the answer is no (in terms of employment).
“Our experience is that employers and graduate schools do not care whether you’re an AB or a BSE (and most don’t understand the distinction).”
In the FAQ portion of the “BSE vs. AB” section in the Computer Science undergraduate department.
In terms of courses, what does an AB student need to take that a BSE student doesn’t?
“Students seeking an A.B. degree are not required to take the engineering prerequisite such as physics and chemistry, and also have to take one less math course. However, they still need to take 2 semesters of some science. A.B.'s only need to complete 31 courses rather than 36 over the four years. However, A.B. majors are required to participate in four semesters of independent work (two junior year and a year-long senior thesis) and these do not count towards the 31 required courses. B.S.E. majors are required to perform one semester of independent work, which does count as a course. Both A.B. and B.S.E students must complete 8 computer science departmentals. Thus, the total course load is relatively similar between the two options.”
^ From the same area as my previous post. From my interpretation of this, it sounds like you have a little bit more freedom with the sciences you take and ability to take more liberal arts courses with the A.B. On the other hand, with the BSE your science courses will be mostly physics and chemistry, and the liberal arts courses you would take would be the 2 mandatory policy courses you have to take from Woody Woo. So if you don’t want to pursue the certificate CompBio or major in Bio or ChemE, the A.B. may be the better pick to fulfill pre-med requirements.
Students in the AB track also need a minimum proficiency or number of courses in a foreign language.
BSE trackers dont need to? I thought it was a requirement for everyone @Cantiger
No, it’s only a requirement for AB candidates.
http://path.princeton.edu/content/information-regarding-fulfillment-foreign-language-requirement