<p>Listen to my sad story...
I'm in love with Reed. It is an exact fit, it is everything I want in a college--small, beautiful, Liberal, intense.
There is only one problem. They don't have my major.
I want to go into engineering.
Now I know they have this dual degree program with Caltech or Columbia, but I'm really doubting my ability to get into those places...</p>
<p>Can anyone give me any advice?
Or sympathy, at the very least ;)</p>
<p>I don't have any suggestions, but you have my sympathy. :)</p>
<p>Check the Engineering paragraph at College</a> Catalog - Reed College, in part:</p>
<p>"Admission to Caltech is not automatic upon recommendation, but is subject to review by Caltech and may depend upon factors that cannot be anticipated. Caltech does not guarantee financial aid to otherwise eligible students.</p>
<p>While admission to the other programs is also subject to review by the participating school, admission can usually be expected upon recommendation."</p>
<p>The "other programs" are at Columbia and Rensselaer.</p>
<p>IMHO, you go to a school like Reed or St. Johns (MD) because you want a "classical" education that will hone the mind and intellectual powers into a flexible problem solving tool. Look for professional training later.</p>
<p>and if you look at Reed's website, it has joint degree programs with Oregon State and even the University of Washington for computer science.</p>
<p>A "worse" case scenario would be for you to graduate from Reed with a B.A. in Math and Physics and then just get a master's in engineering. In any case, physics is a more versatile major.</p>
<p>"graduate from Reed with a B.A. in Math and Physics"</p>
<p>Double majoring at Reed is exceedingly difficult in eight semesters (one major is difficult!), requiring two theses.</p>
<p>That's what Mr. Marthers (Dean of Admission) told me, after I said I planned on majoring in Mathematics and Philosophy. I'm ready for a real academic challenge. I've been patiently waiting for years. It's about time to start.</p>
<p>no-
1- you can usually find ways to challenge yourself- before college
there is this new fangled thing called tehweb ;)</p>
<p>2
you have no idea what doublemajoring at Reed will be like-besides doncha wanna save something for grad school?</p>