<p>I'm currently enrolled as an incoming freshman in Gen. Eng. I want to do a lot of study abroad and would like to do an internship in South Africa as well (probably an either/or situation, not a both/and). That being said, I'm going to be double majoring with Biblical Studies as my primary major. I want to do some foreign mission work (hence the engineering), however I can't decide as to whether or not I should stay in engineering. I've been told I can't take a year break and still graduate in 4 or 5 years, even with Calc I, Calc II, Lin. Alg, Foundations of Physics I and II out of the way. I'd like to know what some others think about this. Should I change to a different major that might be just as useful (if so, what?) or is it feasible to get an engineering degree in 3 years essentially?</p>
<p>
Why “hence the engineering?” Why are you so adamant for a double major, so much that you would consider a different major than to not double major at all? What makes the engineering major so useful for your foreign mission work?</p>
<p>
Feasible? No; Possible? Possibly. As a double major where neither have anything to do with each other - no.</p>
<p>Because, since apparently you aren’t familiar with foreign missions, the positions in demand more often than most any other are medicine, agriculture, and engineering. That’s just what developing countries need by default. I still think there’s got to be some way to do what I want and still start studying abroad without extending my education too much. I was disappointed after talking to some current students to find that my 60 hours would still put me in the last of the four first year math courses. That’s sort of what spurred this question. You aren’t a current student though are you EngineerHead? At least, I didn’t think so from some of your posts.</p>
<p>Engineerhead is right. Getting an engineering degree in 3 years (no matter how much AP you bring in) is hard to the point that I know no one who has done it. With a double major and study abroad? You’re looking at 5 years minimum. If you don’t take any internships (I DON’T RECOMMEND THIS) and take summer classes you can do it in 5.</p>
<p>Right, and I’ve come to get that prior to that post. What I’m really looking for is a proposal for a different solution. I’m not sold on engineering in the first place, but I do feel as though I would like some sort of “practical” field to take with me into the mission field if that’s where I decide to go. Sorry if that was unclear.</p>
<p>If you aren’t sold on engineering you won’t survive it, and you should absolutely go into something else. I don’t know what else interests you, but don’t waste a couple semesters in engineering if you’re not going to go into it 100%.</p>
<p>“Getting an engineering degree in 3 years (no matter how much AP you bring in) is hard to the point that I know no one who has done it.”</p>
<p>I think it’s definitely doable, but it is highly dependent on what sort of AP credit you’ve brought in and what you’re majoring in. Some majors, like Mechanical Engineering, require such a large amount of credits that you’re realistically not going to be able to cut it short. Something like Computer Science can be done in three if you have the right number and right kind of AP credits (e.g. physics, calculus, most of the CLE stuff, etc.)</p>
<p>That said, you’re not going to be able to realistically double major with any engineering degree and still graduate on time, especially if you’re also taking an additional year off. You may be better off getting an undergraduate degree in engineering and then getting your masters in an ecclesiastical field (or the other way around, but that’s probably tougher).</p>
<p>But CS isn’t exactly engineering. </p>
<p>Another thing I was wondering was why do you want to graduate so fast, 3 years?</p>
<p>I think I’d still be fine in engineering if it is what I decided, but I’m still just looking for whatever will be the most worthwhile application of my math and science abilities as related to the Christian service path (I know it’s a tad rare). And EngineerHead, again I was just being me and not speaking clearly enough :). I didn’t mean I want to graduate in three years. I simply meant it would take getting an engineering degree in three (not necessarily consecutive) years in order to do the internships and missionary work during my college career while not extending my education past 5 years. As of right now, I’m still not thinking engineering is practical (as was reaffirmed by the points you’ve made that I agree with completely), but I still don’t know how else I might use math and science to combine it with that field.</p>
<p>What made you choose engineering as the field of study of your second major, because you liked it or simply because it’s the best looking subject that’s associated with foreign mission work? Because have you considered other subjects such as architecture?</p>
<p>Agriculture or animal care could be good too.</p>
<p>indecisive, have you looked into the Biological Systems Engineering major in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences? Sounds like something you might be interested in. </p>
<p>[Biological</a> Systems Engineering - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Tech](<a href=“http://www.cals.vt.edu/departments/bse.html]Biological”>http://www.cals.vt.edu/departments/bse.html)</p>
<p>Good luck to you. I must add I am very impressed with your strong desire to use what you learn to help those less fortunate and engage in service work abroad. I hope you enjoy your journey and do great things!</p>
<p>Actually, KandK I looked at it less than an hour before you posted I think. I’m fairly sure I’ll be headed that route, but I think sitting down with my advisor at orientation and preceptor in my dorm will help quite a bit in deciding if that’s what I want to end up doing. Thanks for the help everyone.</p>
<p>Don’t count on your advisor at orientation being good for anything. Most of them are absolutely useless. Once you get into a specific engineering major your advisor may be ok, but freshman engineering advisors are terrible and will tell you the wrong thing and make you almost have to go to school an extra year urrrrrggggghhhh.</p>
<p>Ahem. So yeah, don’t believe anything your freshman advisor tells you.</p>
<p>Haha thanks for the tip chuy. I was thinking more so the honors preceptors than the freshman advisor for sure. I’ll be sure to take everything the advisor says with a grain of salt.</p>