When I was applying I didn’t pay too much attention to major and school so I just ended up selecting biochemistry. All I hear is people talking about Engineering as well as Letters and Sciences. Engineering, letters and sciences, and the college I got into, are all just stem from what I know. I’d like to know the difference between these departments and their prestige levels relative to each other.
Ok, so for the record, Letters and Sciences is not a STEM major. It is general studies (or undecided) and is used as an advising college for students that were not admitted to the LEP they applied to, so they can take the “gateway” courses needed to reapply to their LEP - not just engineering, but business and all other LEP’s.
Biochemistry falls under the school of CMNS (Computer, Math, Natural Sciences). Both CMNS and Clark (engineering) have pretty equally excellent reputations. The main difference is that CMNS offers some majors that are not LEPs whereas all the engineering majors are LEPs.
Is biochemistry an LEP?
@DDOuser - Biochemistry is a LEP
The Clark School of ENGR, College of Computer, Math, & Nat. Science, College of Ag & Natural Resources are all STEM colleges. There are also other STEM majors in other colleges (like Public Health Science). All are great programs-- Maryland is a great STEM school. What matters more is picking a major you’re happy with and leads you to a career you want.
Also, HUGE misconception that the LEP programs are more prestigious than non-LEP. That’s not the case. Yes, LEP majors are “good” majors on campus, but they’re LEP because of SIZE not prestige. If certain majors weren’t LEP, they’d have tons more people in them (though many have a ton in them now).
Here’s an example of a STEM LEP vs. a non-LEP STEM major— Biology vs. Animal Science
BOTH take very STEM heavy, lab based courses and lead to careers in life science. Animal Science is more applied vs. general life science. There are ~1600 biology majors, and ~240 animal science. So each year a graduate from biol is competing with roughly 400 peers from the same program for jobs and an ANSC major is competing with ~60?
Just my thoughts.
Choose something you have an interest in. Not just STEM because “they get jobs” or an LEP because “they’re the most prestigious” (which is false). Make yourself happy and you’ll succeed.