<p>Hi everybody.
Quick background: I'm a senior in high school, and right now I'm weighing Northwestern and Tufts. (Boston College Honors, Cornell, and Columbia are also among considerations but it's looking increasingly like those two for financial/location/other intangible reasons.) </p>
<p>My basic question is pretty simple:
My ideal, long-term career goal is R&D in Alternative Energy, hopefully at a company that's a major player in the industry. I'm well aware of the fact that both these schools have reputable (in terms of number and prestige of employers recruiting from there) arts and science AND engineering programs.
So I'm just looking for general advice and thoughts on what major I should take, which school might be a hair better to get a solid job out of the gates, whether or not I should head to grad immediately, etc.
I'm looking, right now, to major in Chemical Engineering and minor or double major in Political Science and/or International Relations. Thoughts on a superior major for this field? (The second major/minor goals are just personal, i.e. I really want to get some sort of degree in IR/Poli Sci.)</p>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Bump 4 teh lulz :D</p>
<p>I would look at a minor or double major in Physics or Thermodynamics and forget about the Poli-Sci. For that industry they are looking for 100% pure egghead geeks. I’m not trying to be nasty about, because I am one, but that’s the reality in technical research fields.</p>
<p>the IR/Poli Sci could open up the policy side of your industry as an option as well, but as Packers said, will not be relevant to R&D.</p>
<p>Move south.</p>
<p>Schools like Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, UT, Texas A&M, and Rice are pipeline public colleges which will get you into R&D in the energy industry very fast.</p>
<p>I know the schools you have mentioned are GREAT universities and most of them are all probably more ‘prestigious’ but the energy industry is huge in the Oklahoma/Texas area and the economy is great down in this area compared to other parts of the country.</p>
<p>Going to a large public university in this part of the country and having a decent GPA can be the perfect path to R&D in the energy industry.</p>
<p>I know this from many of my friends who have gone to all the various colleges I have listed and talking with professionals and working an internship with a natural gas/natural gas liquids company.</p>
<p>Chemical Engineering, BioChem, and Thermodynamics would all be treasured majors to seek.</p>
<p>IR/Pol Sci is probably not a great idea if your really wanting to get into R&D.
Large companies hire lawyers/policy experts to take care of the policy and legal concerns.</p>
<p>Chemical Engineering & Pol Sci would be good if you wanted to get your PhD and wanted to lobby for grants but I can’t see that combo benefiting a researcher at a large corporation.</p>
<p>Go technical only.</p>