<p>I’ve seen this before but it seems pretty rare. I have a few questions about this.</p>
<p>Some background: History is more important to me. I plan to go to law school and maybe do IP law or something. I’m thinking that chemistry/chemical engineering will help me (plus I love it and am good at it).</p>
<li><p>Is there much of a difference between a chemistry and and a chemical engineering major? Since I’m primarily looking at LACs, and they generally don’t have chemical engineering majors (correct me if I’m wrong; I just looked at AWS), should I consider other kinds of schools?</p></li>
<li><p>I’m hoping that the major in chemistry/chemical engineering will help me understand my legal clients. Would a major in chemistry be inferior to one in chemical engineering in this regard?</p></li>
<li><p>Is it really true what they saw about how engineering students always have loads of homework? Is the same true with chemistry majors? Is it worth getting a somewhat lower GPA in order to double major?</p></li>
<li><p>How much math is involved in chemistry? In chemical engineering? I’m not totally bad at math, and I don’t despise it, but it’s not my favorite subject.</p></li>
<li><p>Would the fact that there is little/no overlap in the two subjects hurt me? Because it seems like I would have a lot of mandatory classes, right?</p></li>
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<li><p>They are not the same. ChemE is focused towards mass production with emphasis on kinetics, thermodynamics, transport, and control...often on and industrial scale. While chemistry delves more into laboratory scale projects, behavior and synthesis of atoms and molecules, and usually more precise applications. Obviously this is not all the difference...but you can get the gist of it.</p></li>
<li><p>ChemE degree with def. earn you more money than a chem degree...not sure how it would be in law though.</p></li>
<li><p>YES...for both! ChemE is widely regarded as one of the hardest engineering majors, I know many people who have dropped out of the program because their gpa suffered too much. They have a lotttt of work. Chemistry is a lot of work too, but moreso with labs...both degree's require a large offering of chemistry (duh), math, and physics.</p></li>
<li><p>Not sure about ChemE...although I can tell you at my school they must take Calc I, II, III, & differential equations. Chemistry majors have to take up through Calc III but you don't come around too much math except in your physical chemistry classes. ChemE has a lot of physics in it too, which is usually calc-based.</p></li>
<li><p>It would be pretty hard.</p></li>
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<p>Thanks for your prompt and detailed response!</p>
<p>Is there any reason that LACs seem not to have ChemE?</p>
<p>Would a chem major be able to understand enough to do patent law? How would this understanding compare to that of a ChemE major?</p>
<p>Why do ppl choose chem rather than chemE for a major (assuming they aren't doubling up)? Is it just because it's easier? Is it primarily because they want to teach?</p>
<p>Would chem majors generally be better at explaining highly scientific information to a jury or would chemE majors be better?</p>
<p>As far as law goes...you can be anything undergrad, because you don't study law until you actually get to law school. </p>
<p>I chose chemistry because I'm interested in chemistry on a molecular level, and I like working with expensive materials (a big thing is chemE is minimizing cost). The experimentation is different...I believe chemE's actually do engineering :). Chemists don't really design much other than actual molecules. I also believe it depends on what kind of chemist you are/chemE you are. Also a bit more physics/math in chemE.</p>
<p>Both need to be pretty smart to earn an undergrad degree in either. I'd say they're both equal at explaining scientific info.</p>
<p>@ Mr. Bojangles: Thanks for responding! </p>
<p>I know that law doesn't require any specific major (which is why I'm not doing pre-law or justice or something). </p>
<p>I'm conflicted about choosing between chem and chemE because I haven't had enough exposure to chemistry to really decide. When should one declare for chem and chemE? I've heard that engineering majors often have to start their track freshman year!</p>
<p>LSU has a great chemical engineering program.</p>
<p>I liked chemistry- more organic/qualitative/biological leanings eons ago, ended up as a physician instead of grad school. Chem E had NO interest for me, neither did physical chemistry. Both require the starting college chemistry, math and physics. A student in engineering would have some basic intro course for that which may make it easier to decide if you like engineering. Chemistry would require more humanities/social science credits and no engineering classes whereas Chem E would require other engineering classes. I can see taking math, chemistry, the intro engineering class offered by your school plus any courses to meet general requirements (physics after enough calculus) your first semester. You may even decide to do another branch of engineering or something chemistry related based on your likes/dislikes of types of chemistry, math and physics. College catalogs, found online on college websites, often list suggested sequences of courses for various majors. You can compare them for both Chemistry and Chem E to see what the overlap is, especially at the beginning. Choose a school with good engineering and you will probably find good physical science programs as well, including chemistry.</p>
<p>Don’t worry at all about law school until you are in college, once you are there you can attend meetings for prelaw students and find out good preparation for your goals. Keep in mind that you may change your major so choose schools you would like to be at, not just ones with good programs in your proposed major. Check on the web for what chemists and chemical engineers do- eg The American Chemical Society for one. Many chemistry majors go on to get a PhD- leading to work in industry, not just college teaching. The pharmaceutical industry employs both bioorganic and physical chemistry degree holders from my experience with friends.</p>