<p>Princeton only lets you major in one field...thoughts? I'm probably also going to apply to Rice and other universities where they encourage double and even triple majors (I'm not a senior yet), which is pretty important to me. The thing is, I like Princeton so much in other aspects that it kind of overrules that.</p>
<p>When I enrolled this was definitely one of my peeves about the school but then I kinda realized it doesn’t even matter. You’re still free to take classes you’re interested in and if you don’t have a piece of paper to show for it at the end, does it really matter? Grab a couple of certificates if you want (its what I did :P)</p>
<p>Yeah I think double majors are lame now that I’m here. Majors are to show your one passion above all else, and they’re too easily given at most schools. I fulfill like 10/12 requirements for mol bio majors and I’m an econ major - but if I were allowed to double major, I’d probably end up taking 2 classes I wasn’t interested in just for a few more words on my degree that signifies nothing.</p>
<p>It’s also impossible to write 2 full length senior theses.</p>
<p>Do double majors really signify nothing? In terms of getting into grad school, jobs, et cetera?</p>
<p>I don’t think that a single degree from Princeton can really hinder your chances at grad school, Eiffel. But is it true that if you get a double major, say from MIT…you would earn more than one of those majors at Princeton?</p>
<p>Good point, randombetch. =)</p>
<p>I’m totally cool with it. I don’t think people who aren’t in college yet realize that double majoring confers no advantages.</p>
<p>The two reasons most people want to double major are to (1) because they don’t feel one major adequately expresses all their intellectual interests or to (2) signal to grad schools / companies that they have a broader / more rigorous preparation. I’m not sure double majoring at Princeton would achieve either of these goals any more than having a single major.</p>
<p>The first of these is more a problem of student indecision rather than anything else. A major isn’t meant to be your expression of undying love towards one and only one field. It just offers some direction for study. Princeton gives you amazing flexibility to take a broad set of courses and offers many interdisciplinary courses. I find it very hard to believe that over your four years at a place like this, you couldn’t attain an education that satisfies your diverse interests, whatever the interests may be. And if you really, really, really badly want credit for the coursework, just get a certificate.</p>
<p>As for jobs / grad schools, I think people worry that they may not be able to take credit for taking a diverse courseload if they can’t double major. As a college senior going through this process, I can tell you that you’re oversimplifying if you think a double major offers any edge here. Every single grad school and the vast majority of uber-competitive jobs ask for a transcript, so the evaluator has a pretty good sense of what your coursework to date looks like. And don’t forget recommendations. I know of philosophy majors who got into math grad school due to their heavy math course load in math. I know of math majors who got in chemical engineering grad school, because of their heavy chem-e course load. </p>
<p>With jobs, too, you have a resume (where you can put a “courswork includes:” line), a cover letter, and a transcript when you apply. These documents generally give the reader a pretty good idea that you’ve taken, say, finance coursework on top of your art history major. And of course, once you get an interview, you have a chance to make a case there.</p>
<p>In short, I can’t conceive of a case where a person who has a double major really has an edge over someone at Princeton who doesn’t.</p>
<p>Yeah, I’d classify myself under the first criteria. =)</p>
<p>Eiffel: Absolutely nothing. Especially if it isn’t in a language.</p>
<p>^Okay, thanks. That’s good to know. Silly Puddy pretty much clarified everything that was making me doubtful of the uselessness of double majors. Thanks, Silly Puddy! :)</p>