Is this possible? Advice needed.

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
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<p>OK, I'm a high school sophomore and I want to make sure I'm not screwing myself out of being able to attend UNC. I've applied to NCSSM, but whether I get in or not I'll have about the same amount of credit. I want to pursue a B.S. in Math (Honors, Pure) and Philosophy (Honors). Afterward, I'm thinking about a PhD/JD program (I realize this might change, and I'm not sure whether the PhD would be in philosophy or math, it depends on which I like better).</p>

<p>If I attend NCSSM, I'm expecting credit from the following:
AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C (Both), AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP US History, AP European History, 12 transfer credits of college Spanish (Elementary Spanish I-Intermediate Spanish II), exemption from the English requirement, and transfer credit for Multivariable Calculus from NCSU. (59 Credit hours)</p>

<p>If I don't attend NCSSM, I'm expecting credit from the following: AP Calculus BC, AP Physics B, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP US History, AP European History, AP Macro/Micro, AP Environmental Science, 12 transfer credits of college Spanish (Elementary Spanish I-Intermediate Spanish II), exemption from the English requirement, Transfer credit for PE, transfer credit for Multivariable Calculus NCSU, CC Linear Algebra, and CC Differential Equations (I'm not sure if they accept these). (UNC will only accept 60 hours out of this)+MAT 381 online with UNC</p>

<p>In other words, what I'd need to take for a degree would be this:
LFI 108 (If I go to NCSSM),COM 116,MAT 381 (If I go to NCSSM),MAT 383H (If I go to NCSSM),MAT 522, MAT 533, MAT 534, MAT 577, MAT 578, MAT 653, MAT 656, MAT 680, MAT 681, PHIL 160H, PHIL 230H, PHIL 330, PHIL 360, PHIL 450, PHIL 455, PHIL 456, PHIL 462, PHIL 480, PHIL 560, PHIL 691H, PHIL 692H</p>

<p>If I attended summer session before my first full year, I could take LFI 108, COM 116, MAT 381, and MAT 533. That would allow me to complete the rest of the degree in only 2 years. My concern is whether I would be prepared to take only Philosophy/Math courses for 2 years, starting at such a high level, and whether or not I would drive myself crazy doing so. The degree would end up already being 143-144 credits so I'm not sure if it is possible for me to add in any electives. </p>

<p>I'm very interested in NCSSM, and if I get am planning to go. Therefore I think it makes sense for me to call UNC after I learn whether I've been accepted to NCSSM to discuss how a degree would work out for me but I've heard UNC isn't particularly helpful to non-students. I haven't be able to find a lot about UNC graduation policies. </p>

<p>Any advice on what to do?</p>

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<p>Any advice on what to do?</p>

<p>You’re a sophomore, chill the heck out. Seriously, the fact that you’re worried about what specific classes you’re going to take as a senior in college right now is downright unhealthy. </p>

<p>That said, I would point out that I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone doing honors in two subjects, and I don’t think they even allow that. If they do, I’ve definitely not heard of ANYONE ever doing it, and it seems like it would probably be impossible to do two honors theses at the same time.</p>

<p>More generally, double majoring isn’t all that difficult so long as you come in with a decent amount of AP credit to cover general ed requirements. Just take 5 courses a semester and that gives you 40 slots. I only counted 25 or so that you listed as what you need for the degree in both, so it shouldn’t be any problem. Just make sure you plan out your courses carefully ONCE YOU GET TO COLLEGE. (this shouldn’t be a problem for you, haha). In summary, it won’t be a big deal, so relax and start trying to find a prom date or something. </p>

<p>On another note, why would you ever get a JD/PhD in Math? Are you fantasizing about some ridiculously specialized subset of IP law?</p>

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<p>Wow, I’m AT UNC and I don’t even know exactly what I’m going to be taking next semester let alone senior year. Relax, it’ll fall into place.</p>

<p>Remember, college is part exploration. Two years from now, you might decided math and philo aren’t what you really want to do, and that’s completely cool. You might take one class that completely changes your mind. Or you might take a class because it’s something you’ve never studied before and want to give it a shot.</p>

<p>Planning is good, but there are so many variables that you’re not taking into consideration that can and likely will change over the next two years. Figure things out when they come - that way you can enjoy yourself now and not have to redo all this planning later on.</p>

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<p>I agree with both of the above posters. </p>

<p>As for being able to do everything in 2 years, it may be possible to do, but it is highly unlikely. To graduate with honors, you have to do an honors thesis, and it is a year long process. If I remember correctly, you have to be signed up for a class in that as well. Furthermore, the chances of you getting all the classes you need when you want them is pretty slim.</p>

<p>All of that being said, you can try to do what you have planned, but I would not recommend it. College is the last chance that you really have to explore subjects that you have never even thought about studying.</p>

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<p>I don’t think it is as unhealthy as you imply. My Junior/Senior years of college may only be 3-4 years away…I’m just worried that I’ll be screwed when I get there. I should have 29 potential credit hours at UNC by the end of this year (36 at NCSU).</p>

<p>I just don’t see staying 4 years when I have so much credit. I talked to my dad and he said it actually shouldn’t be that crazy to only take math and philosophy courses…</p>

<p>I’m might go into politics after college… I don’t see how one can evoke a change in one’s society without a clear understanding of how it works. Maybe I’m just really interested in both. :)</p>

<p>I don’t believe they have a policy against 2 honors majors, yet. Can’t let them forget the Hinton James line, now can I?</p>

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<p>I didn’t see anything for that in math, but that’s what I understand PHIL 691H and PHIL 692H to be (replacing PHIL 100A and PHIL 100B).</p>

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<p>It’s great that you’re so interested in UNC, but you definitely should relax and concentrate on actually getting in first–an acceptance at NCSSM doesn’t necessarily equate acceptance at Carolina! </p>

<p>Also, you’ve listed a bunch of honors courses, but the honors program is very competitive, so if you’re not accepted you may not be able to take all of those classes. There are also many general requirements for the College of Arts and Sciences that your AP credit (assuming you take all of those classes and pass all of the tests) won’t cover. Finally, your Spanish language credit will at most earn you 6 credit hours (credit for SPAN 203 and 204). If you also gain credit for Spanish literature and composition (SPAN 260), you’ll get an additional 3 hours.</p>

<p>It’s really not very difficult at all to double major as a lot of your requirements may be interdisciplinary, but don’t count on getting every single class you want every semester, especially as a first-year and sophomore as upperclassmen get priority registration. As for two honors theses, I’m fairly certain that when the time comes, you’ll choose just one.</p>

<p>My advice to you is to just concentrate on doing well at your high school (or Science & Math, if that’s where you end up) and plan your degree track once you’re actually accepted; registering is not very difficult & like UNCgal said, everything will fall into place–plus, you don’t want to jinx yourself just yet! ;)</p>

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<p>I don’t need every course I listed, I just listed the ones I’d like to take. There are many other courses I could take in order to meet the degree requirements but I was just particularly interested in the courses I had listed. The UNC site isn’t very straight forward on required courses, but I should have very few requirements left. I can also ask them if I can get credit for my APs at the community college to get automatic exemption from the general education requirements. (Again, this is something I’ll have to talk to them about after this year.)</p>

<p>My understanding according to the site is that UNC will give me transfer credit for my college courses. I know the credit is less for the AP test, but I believe the policy is to grant credit for college courses over AP tests.</p>

<p>I had a chance to meet one of the professors of philosophy at UNC, and she said that she believed that students with AP/Dual enrollment credit retained Freshman standing for 1 semester and then received their real standing (Junior/Senior standing in my case) thereafter. </p>

<p>I plan to apply to many colleges, but I don’t want to end up screwing myself if I end up at UNC (Which is likely with “Top” school’s 5-10% acceptance rates).</p>

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<p>Is it possible? Yes. I know a senior who is doing two honors thesis (thesises? thesisi?) so yeah, definitely possible.</p>

<p>Will it be easy? Hells to the no. Will you be able to take every single specific class you want to at the time you want to? That’s also a hells to the no. Especially as a freshman, you’re going to have difficulty getting into classes that you want. Sometimes classes you’ll want to take will be at the same time as each other.</p>

<p>Please (and I mean PLEASE) don’t try to pick which courses you’re going to take now. They change the curriculum around all the time. It’ll probably be different by the time you get here. It’s great that you have this goal in mind but you might come here and find something completely different that you’re interested in.</p>

<p>Seriously, relax and enjoy high school while you still can!</p>

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<p>

Theses :slight_smile: What subjects?</p>

<p>

I just wanted to kind of have a visual of what I’d probably be taking, I am aware that many of the courses will be completely different.</p>

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<p>I also thought it would be useful to mention that there will be other classes your are required to take as a student in the College of Arts and Sciences. You’ll need a Visual/Performing Arts class, a World beyong the North Atlantic, a Literary Arts class, Experiential Education class, Global Issues class and many others that I know I can’t remember right now. These are requirements that you are going to have to meet that I don’t think you will have credit for based on what you intend to come in with.</p>

<p>I’m intended BS Biology and BS-PH Environmental Health Sciences with a Chemistry minor and I still have to take Theatre (It’s a real joy, believe me). Like I said, it’s about expanding your horizons.</p>

<p>If you are as smart as you seem (and you seem pretty darn smart) then know that since you can do anything, it often makes it that much harder to settle down and chose one or two things to major in.</p>

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<p>Relax…Have fun!! Study hard, plan a little, but please…be a kid!!!</p>

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<p>English is one of them, and I think the other is Political Science or Philosophy. Or Communications? I forget. I only know her as my friend’s housemate so we don’t really talk very often. I’ll try to remember to ask next time.</p>

<p>I’m just saying many people come in here deadset on doing something very specific. I would say an overwhelming majority of those people will change their minds or at least tweak their original plan.</p>

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<p>aigiqinf - </p>

<p>I went to a school where I was able to get two years of college credit before coming to UNC.</p>

<p>When everyone in my class graduated, we all decided to do different things. Some of us, after two years, will graduate from college… I have one friend who graduated from Guilford College after graduating from our high school, and is now getting his doctorate in computer science at Chapel Hill.</p>

<p>I’m a little biased because, well, this is what I’M doing, but I felt like the best way to use my credit was to totally explore what my university has to offer. I placed out of a ton of classes here at Carolina, but rather than try and rush a degree, I’m trying to savor every second of my experience. It’s true, college is about taking those classes to get your degree, but there’s also a fair share of growing up to do here, too - there’s something about the university atmosphere that changes the way you think that no other environment really can.</p>

<p>Also, no matter how much planning you might do, the second you step foot onto a college campus everything changes. You may take an anthropology course that rocks your world, or (especially at Carolina) a math class that doesn’t. If you force yourself into only having two years, this can be really stressful. One of my friends (I’m a sophomore at Carolina) is at William & Mary, trying to wrap things up and get into grad school, but she still feels like she’s making new friends! She’s second guessing her major! And of course she is, she’s still fairly new to this whole “College thing” (I think everyone’s new to it until they graduate).</p>

<p>So maybe you want to save money, or hop onward to grad school, I can understand that… So what I would recommend instead of doing what you’re doing, is aim for a scholarship. You’ll probably get into UNC, so why don’t you try and excel in your interests aside from school? THAT is what gets you money, not a GPA.</p>

<p>I don’t mean to come off as patronizing in any way, but these are some things you might want to consider.</p>

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<p>Oops, double post.</p>

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<p>In response to my post -</p>

<p>I realize that my grammar’s really messed up. I’m sorry! I haven’t spoken English in a few days and I think it’s messing with my head.</p>