<p>I'm thinking of applying to swarthmore but I was wondering about the feasibilty of double majoring in Engineering and Economics - would I die? I come from an extremely competitive boarding school so I can and would be willing to work but is this option actually doable? Also, do you think it would be a better decision to go honors in one (and take more courses) and minor in the other? Can I even minor in engineering? Would this dual-major make me more appealing as a job candidate?</p>
<p>The difficulty will be in the course requirements for the Engineering major: 12 Engineering courses, plus 8 more science and math courses. That's 20 out of the standard 32 semesters. The Econ major requires 8 courses plus the recommended math courses (some of which probably overlap with the engineering requirements). Figure that you have to take three semesters of Humanities courses and you can see that your entire college career would be spent taking Engineering and Econ courses -- unless you take five courses some semesters (keep in mind that the Engineering and science courses have labs).</p>
<p>Offsetting the requirements is the possibility that you will cover some of them (two or more semesters of math) with AP credits.</p>
<p>You don't declare a major until spring of sophmore year, so my advice is don't try to get too far ahead of yourself. Start chipping away at the prereqs to preserve your options freshman year and then sort it all out sophmore year. For example, your four courses first semester freshman year would probably be engineering, physics or chemistry, math, and intro Econ.</p>
<p>You can minor in Engineering.</p>
<p>My Swarthmore freshman roomate was a double major - Honors Econ and Engineering. That was 30+ years ago when honors meant 6 "preparations" or seminars instead of the 4 required today. He seemed to do OK. He had time to play ice hockey with the MotherPuckers, go skiing in the winter and hang out during the school year. He went on to get an MS in Engineering-Economic Systems at Stanford.</p>
<p>also, I should have AP's for chem, physics, and through BC Calc, and english. Does that make any difference. They are all 4's or 5's. Would it be easier to minor in economics and do honors engineering or vice versa.</p>
<p>You will have to figure out what you want to major and minor in once/if you get to Swarthmore. Suffice it to say that it is possible to either 1) Double major in Engineering & Economics, 2) Major in one and Minor in the other in the Honors program or 3) Major in one and Minor in the other in the Course program. It may also be possible to Major in Econ and Minor in Engineering in Honors, and then pick up a double Major in Engineering in Course. You will figure it out once/if you get to Swat.</p>
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I should have AP's for chem, physics, and through BC Calc, and english. Does that make any difference.
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<p>Yes. BC Calc will let you skip up to two semesters of the math requirements.</p>
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Would it be easier to minor in economics and do honors engineering or vice versa.
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<p>I hate to talk specifics because, honestly, the time to make those decisions is at the end of your sophmore year when you have actually taken courses in all the departments and gotten a sense of where your interests and talents lie. You may find that you hate Engineering. Or, may be doing back flips about your Econ courses (or vice versa). Heck, you may find that you love Art History. The only sure bet is that you will be in a very different place two years from now than you are today.</p>
<p>The great thing about a school like Swarthmore is that it allows you to sample the departments and make decisions about majors and minors once you have first hand experience.</p>
<p>thanks everybody I appreciate it!
I think I'm going to take the advice and if I go to Swat wait until I'm there and have taken classes to decide, but it is good to know the option is available if I want it.</p>