<p>I've thought that i wanted to be an engineer for as long as i could have an educated opinion about it...until 2 weeks ago. Everyone in my family are engineers, and even the families of friends of my family. I visited my sister at UMD, she is majoring in computer engineering or something and all her freinds are doing some sort of computer or engineering majors. i was fascinated by these people, and my dad who is a mechanical engineer. </p>
<p>i realized i dont want to be an engineer because i am interested in all sorts of things, philosophy, economics, phychology, computer stuff. and if i did engineering i would not be able to take all sorts of classes.</p>
<p>however i really like engineers. maybe im stereo-typing them, but i think they are really interesting, knowledgable people. </p>
<p>thats why im hesitant to go to a LAC and never see an engineer for the entire experience. </p>
<p>maybe LAC people are cool too? i just cant really imagine making friends with a history or english major.</p>
<p>so if there really is a big difference between the atmosphere and people in a LAC vs. w/e a non-lac is called, then im wondering what colleges have good liberal arts departments, but are also good engineering/business/science colleges.</p>
<p>wow i make no sense. hopefully you will understand, thanks.</p>
<p>have you ever had that feeling that you want to meet everyone and hear everything they have to say, and experience everything there is to experience? maybe there is plenty more than i could possible experience anywhere i go, and im just being stubborn to consciously reject part of the experience at the very beginning.</p>
<p>Perhaps if you can, visit different types of schools and talk to people in various departments. If you do a search on this site you will locate schools that may be smaller and offer a broader course of study as well as a focus on engineering. If you can't visit, then email them, communicate with schools that are in your area. You seem to have explored the "world" of engineers via your sister at a university. Now search for alternatives that may meet your needs.</p>
<p>mouse, I think your choice is not so much between a large university or a samll liberal arts college but rather whether you want to go directly into engineering school or get a general liberal arts bachelors of art or science.There's a lot to be said for both approaches but if you're not 100% sure then maybe you shouldn't get locked into engineering.</p>
<p>At 16/17 years old it's completely understandable that you don't have a clear idea of what you want to do with your life. That is exactly the beauty of a liberal arts education: you will be exposed to disciplines and ideas that you didn't even know existed. </p>
<p>You're at the right point to research your options. As overseas says try to visit a range of schools. Talk to the students and the professors. Try to find the teaching style that best fits you. If eventually you do decide to follow your father and sister and go into engineering remember that there are also LACs that offer engineering programs. </p>
<p>I never thought of college kids making friends exclusively along the lines of their majors. Although you certainly make friends in class, your social group is
usually a diverse group acdemically made up of the kids you're thrown in with in your dorm and that you meet in your extra-curriculars or social events. It's this interaction and exchange of ideas that makes college so exciting.</p>
<p>Good luck and let us know how you do.</p>
<p>Check out Lafayette, Swarthmore, Smith (if female), Bucknell, Gonzaga, Union, Valparaiso, and Trinity (CT)...good LACs with engineering progams. Rice as a LAC-like university. Many LACs offer 3+2 programs in engineering (3 years at LAC, 2 at engineering university), but you should make sure the transfer is guaranteed.</p>
<p>If you're looking at universities, you might check out schools that offer engineering as a major rather than in a separate school of engineering, although some schools (like Penn and Duke) allow a double major between the two.</p>