<p>I'm a prospective engineering major, but don't know what specialty yet, and have a few questions.
First, I got into RPI, Lehigh, Tufts, Clarkson, Lafayette, and Lehigh. I am also interested in science, but am going in as an engineering major. I am trying to decide between lafayette, lehigh and tufts, and was wondering if anyone knew/had any personal experience regarding the flexibility of the engineering programs of these three schools with respect to ease of transfer into a scientific degree program and the ability to explore different fields before settling into one. also, if anyone had any experience or knowledge about the social scenes on these campuses, I would LOVE to hear what you have to say.
Second I have already gotten a 5 in AP chem in junior year and am on my way to getting 5's in BC Calculus and Physics B. Would you recommend taking all of the credit I can get, or take the courses over again in order to truley see if I enjoy chemistry/math/physics more than engineering and would therefore like to switch majors. any advice, experience or help is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>If you're not going into chemE than use the chem. Use calc if you're confident not just because you got a five. It doesn't always mean much depending on the program. Almost never use physics (especially for engineering) because you'll more than likely going to take the uni ones that are more intensive and useful. (If you're EE or CompE and want to skip mechanics maybe you could but still not recommended).</p>
<p>I don't know much else about any of the other colleges.</p>
<p>DEFINITELY try and place out of all the classes. My first semester Calc 1 class was a waste of my time.And i took regular calc in high school. So i can imagine how easy it would be for you(you're taking AP calc).Chemistry 1 was just excruciating(boring and easy)-Place out of it. And physics 1 will be a piece of cake for you(i never took physics in high school and i have an A in the course-currently taking it).You've worked way too hard in high school to re-take those three courses in college.</p>
<p>Take advantage of the AP credit and get an early start on the engineering classes so that changing your major wouldn't mean spending an extra year in college.</p>
<p>I would recommend that you retake at least some of the coursework. College calculus is not the same as high school calculus. Perhaps you could skip one semester, but I would not skip both Calc 1 and 2. And I certainly would not recommend skipping Physics in college. These courses are critical to your understanding of engineering.</p>
<p>Daughter got a 5 on bc Calc AP as a jr and took PSU Math 230 - 4 credits of vector & multivariable calc as a sr. Worked hard, but was able to get through it with an A. This gives her a good jump into engineering major and some flexibility to explore.</p>
<p>the only AP which will help you in Engineering major is AP calc take both of them and skip Calc I and II</p>
<p>Tufts chemistry is notoriously difficult. If you place out, you should have a very, very strong math and physics background as well - p-chem is very difficult and requires mastery of a lot of math & physics. Your options to "place out" will leave you placing into very high-level courses, unless you can take analytical during fall freshman year.</p>
<p>Tufts is extremely flexible with allowing students to switch between engin. and liberal arts. They are also really flexible for taking a second major (which is what I did - one in engin., one in liberal arts - two totally different majors).</p>
<p>No matter what, place out of as much calc at Tufts as possible. The courses that you place into are definitely appropriate for freshman.</p>
<p>I guess I'm trying to say that you should not just consider placing out, but consider what you are placing into. There's a tremendous amount of information in the upper-level chems that just requires better study habits to crunch - it takes a lot of practice to learn how to assimilate everything that you are learning. As you get older, you get much better at organizing information in your head. </p>
<p>Just my $0.02.</p>
<p>PS: Feel free to PM me if you would like more information on Tufts engin. and APs. Also, you should mosey on over to the Tufts boards - the students there would be happy to help you and give you information.</p>
<p>My son was bored in freshman calc, but the honors physics and chem exams were a little difficult. Basically, he only used AP credit in "non-building-block" courses. The good thing is that he is finishing this year with all A's and A+'s (a strategic move on his part, I hope.) </p>
<p>I know several students who placed out of freshman courses at various colleges and didn't do as well as they hoped in higher level courses, although this route would give you more time to explore with electives. This might be good for you because engineering curriculum doesn't have alot of time for electives without taking a really heavy schedule.</p>
<p>Maybe it comes down to whether you could better tolerate a lower grade in a higher level class, or repeating material you already know. You might call the college you plan to attend and speak to a freshman engineering advisor - ask what they recommend and how students who omit the standard freshman curriculum usually do in the upper level courses.</p>
<p>Ariesathena,
Forgive me if you have already answered this question, but what is your opinion on taking a double major vs a double degree? Is the extra time for the double degree worth it?
Thanks!</p>
<p>Depends. I only double-majored - would have had to spend five years there for the second degree, although I had fulfilled the distribution requriements. The double degree requires taking the foreign language, history, math, fine art, etc. that liberal arts students are required to take. I'm not really sure if it's worth the fifth year (at private school rates!) - I think very few people took that route. Perhaps, if you wanted to do something with the second degree instead of just having the major (hard-pressed to figure that out), or, if the second degree has significant overlap with the requirements for that degree (ex. a history major could knock off social science and humanities distribution reqs), it might be worth it to actually have the degree. </p>
<p>For me, it was only a diploma issue - my degree is from the school of engineering and not from there + liberal arts. I don't think anyone has ever cared - at least not that I've noticed.</p>
<p>Thanks again ariesathena. My son finds that even with his AP credits, getting a humanities degree in addition to the engineering degree is a whole bunch of extra classes and certainly an extra year. He can easily finish the second major requirements in four years though. Unless there is some compelling advantage to the second liberal arts degree, it probably is unnecessary. He can apply to graduate school in engineering, professional schools and business schools with the engineering degree. I guess the only thing he couldn't do is to graduate study in the humanities subject. (Is that right?)</p>
<p>Thanks to all who have posted on this board, I greatly appreciate all of the imput. As I am leaning towards Lehigh right now (most money) I was wondering if anyone had attended lehigh and could tell me anything.</p>
<p>I know some graduates of Lehigh engineering and they had a uniformly wonderful experience and currently have good jobs. :)</p>
<p>caa5042, what college are you going to?</p>
<p>Im at Penn State University.</p>
<p>I've taken math up to multivar/vector calc and linear algebra at a local CC and University. In the past year, I've done no math. Should I retake courses if I go to Caltech? Or if I go to UCSD?</p>