Hello there, I have been wondering about this for a while. I have learned how increase my studying rate (or the rate at which I learn) by a vast amount (about 2 to 5 times faster compared to average). I know that may seem like an exaggeration, but from what I’ve seen and experienced, it is every bit true. Anyways relating back to the main question, for a person like me (not to be cocky, or a overestimate my ability’s) would it be possible to take 3 majors, in subjects that deeply interest me? Thanks you everything, best of luck!
Note:
I have no learning disabilities.
I do not have any intentions of partying or doing any drugs
I have good scheduling, skills etc.
I am not a person who has “no life”, though I do study a lot but, I am quite active/hangout and I am social.
Another thing, English is by far my worst subject, (as you may have been able to tell), if you know how I can improve this, that would be awesome. Thanks lads, and ladies, tell next time peace!
Whether it is possible and whether it is a good idea depends on what you want to study, where you go to school, and how organized and motivated you are. Some schools do not allow more than one major; 3 is unusual, though not unheard of at some institutions (Dartmouth, for example). Duke allows 2 majors plus a minor or certificate. It depends to some extent on the number of core requirements, on the amount of synergy or overlap allowed, on the number of courses required for each major, and on how early you can get started. AP/IB placement or credit may also help to eliminate spending time taking foundational classes.
One downside of taking such an approach is that it will limit your ability to explore in other areas, so it’s only something to consider for people that really know what they want to study. I wouldn’t think it’s a good idea for most people, but it can be for some. I did a double major plus a masters’ degree in 4 years, including spending a year overseas, and it worked for me.
If you want to improve your English, just major in it. One more won’t hurt.
You seem to be in high school, which makes this a theoretical question. Once you are in college it will depend in part on the policies of the college you attend, and in part what the requirements of the major are. For example, most physics majors find it easy to get a math minor or double major because physics requires so much math. On the other hand, trying to do majors in physics, English and economics would most likely require more time to graduate simply because you have so many required courses and a limit on how many you can take per semester.
Studying and coursework are enough different in college than high school, especially after you get past intro level classes, that you might wait til you get there before counting on your 2-5x faster than average study habits.
It is a bad idea to waste you time and money even if the school let you do that. You better finish bachelor earlier and aim for a higher degree afterward.
@billscho, why is it a bad idea to “waste” time and money to do a multiple major? Many students at some schools do multiple majors. Duke’s admission website advertises that 83% of students do more than just a single major, and lists permitted combinations of up to 3 programs (majors, minors and certificates):
Dartmouth, Stanford, UChicago and Penn are among other schools with options in these areas (plus the co-terminal/submatriculation option at Stanford and Penn):
Three majors is an extreme case, and I’m not sure that it makes sense for very many people. Minors and certificates may make more sense. My son may be one case where combining 3 subject focuses in some combination makes sense: he wants to be an adventurer/explorer who studies the environment/geography and who uses film and media technology to educate people and influence public policy. So he’s equally divided between environmental/earth science, visual/media studies, and public policy.
I don’t think this kind of thing is an option for most people, but for some people it can work. I don’t think it necessarily entails adding on time or costing more money, and I don’t think that graduating early to go to grad school is a particularly good idea for most people, as the benefit of 4 undergraduate years goes well beyond the time needed to complete a major. I certainly don’t think that doing a double major plus a masters’ in 4 years at Stanford was a waste of either time and money for me, and it didn’t prevent me from later doing 2 graduate degrees.
Depends on your majors. Three different engineering majors simply isn’t feasible. An engineering major + two humanities major would still be really hard. A humanities triple major should be doable if you’re a fast learner. You need to tell what school you’re going to and what you want to study.
