<p>I'm an incoming freshman in the McCormick school at NU. However, I can't decide whether to transfer to Weinberg to study chemistry. How do you think my experience would differ with regard to the people I'll meet, the classes I'll take (i.e. class requirements), the difficulty, and the degree I'll end up with (practicality for post-undergrad)?</p>
<p>Any insight would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Thanks so much</p>
<p>My D the ChemE says the answer to the question "What’s the difference between a Chemistry Major and a ChemE - is @ $10,000 - $15,000 a year to start.</p>
<p>BTW - If you have other questions, my son the ChemE Freshman comes home on Saturday. PM me, and I will ask him the question(s). I answered your Physics q on another thread.</p>
<p>Thanks for the response. Unfortunately, I do not have enough posts to PM. So I’ll work on that now.</p>
<p>I didn’t realize there was a bar you had to cross before you can PM… I think I’ve been here too long. So, ask away here, and I’ll try and pass them on to my son later in the week.</p>
<p>I’m also an incoming freshman in Chemical Engineering and I was wondering more about the overall difficulty of the program. How did his first year go?</p>
<p>UCollege - Congratulations to you on your admission - I’m sure you’ll like it and have fun too. My son did ok - He would have made Dean’s list - if he were in Weinberg. But a 3.7 doesn’t get you Deans List in McCormick. :(</p>
<p>The good news is he took Orgo as a freshman - and did ok with it. It’s supposed to be the “weed-out course”, and usually taken by Sophomores, so I warned him not to take it freshman year. Fortunately he didn’t listen to me. </p>
<p>He liked the Engineering First concept, and we got to see him at the big design fair. All first year Engineering majors are required to take a Design course - and it’s an opportunity to help others in need. Great idea, and I was amazed by all the creativity expressed by freshman.</p>
<p>The main thing is that he really enjoyed his first year - and didn’t spend all his time studying. He joined a club team, did work-study went to football and basketball games when he could, and did all the IM Sports that he had time for. </p>
<p>Good luck to you - but just remember - You wouldn’t be at NU if you couldn’t do the work! So have fun, challenge yourself and do stuff outside of class.</p>
<p>ChemE tends to be more demanding than chemistry, especially if you choose the more bio-oriented version of chemistry.</p>
<p>The classes in ChemE are more oriented toward thermo. If you are even considering chemE, try to get an A+ in thermo. The most demanding core classes in ChemE build on thermo. </p>
<p>With a chemE degree, you would also be prepared to go to p-chem grad school. However, if you are really interested in p-chem, you would be better served in double-majoring in physics and chem rather than doing chem E.</p>
<p>Salary comparisons aren’t really fair. Chem E majors get jobs right out of graduation, while chemistry typically requires a PhD to get a top-level job. (You can work in industry with a B.S. or master’s in chemistry, but it’s probably not the type of job you would want if you’re getting into Northwestern.) Also, of course, a chemistry major would be able to get a job in business or consulting, probably, just like any other liberal arts major would.</p>