<p>I'm just confused b/c there are so many subjects that interest me
but I really don't know what I really like or what I really want to do.
I don't know if I'm the only one, but it seems that these days, lot of
ppl know what they want to do . Anyway, I did post a thread like this
before but didn't get a clear reply. Can you guys help me out
by answering few of these questions.</p>
<p>For upperclassman: Has what you thought you would major in
at the fall of freshman year changed since? Or even minor or certificate?</p>
<p>For double majors: Is it too late if you start taking courses from
ur first or second major starting in the Fall of sophomore year?</p>
<p>For incoming freshman: Do anybody not know what you want to major in?
Or have several possibilities?</p>
<p>For any Dukies: What is the most popular combination at Duke?
(regarding major, minor and certificate)</p>
<p>Well, let's see. I came into Duke an Economics and Math major, and pre-med. I was so diehard math it wasn't even funny. I took Intro Econ and Math 103, and those were both busts...C's in both classes and I hated them more than anything. Plus I volunteered at the hospital and quit because it made me sick to my stomach being there.</p>
<p>Somewhere during sophomore year I was a Chemistry major with a minor in Biology,and now as a rising junior I'm a double major in Chemistry and Art History, and that's where I'm staying. Hopefully I'll get my PhD in Chemistry, and I'd like to get certified in Art Conservation and do something with that. A far cry from a pre-med Econ and Math major, and believe me when I say I was die-hard.</p>
<p>Some people think they know exactly what they want to do, and they'll end up doing that. But trust me when I say for every one of them, there are people exactly like you. College is the place to figure out what you're really passionate about. For me, I randomly took an Art History class to fill a T-Req, and who would have known that now I hang out with my friends and all I can talk about is the Avant-Garde. Come into college completely open to taking all sorts of classes, and find what you enjoy. I promise it will happen...so don't worry about it! Enjoy your first year and by the time you have to think about what to major in, you'll have some clear-cut interests.</p>
<p>Double majoring...I didn't start taking Art History classes until fall of my sophomore year. I took 1 in the fall, 1 in the spring ,and I'm up to 2 a semester with 2 overloads scheduled. Of course summer school could take a load off that but I'd rather do an internship/research. Plus, well, I live in a single in Edens 3B so I'm not anticipating much of a social life...more time for work. It's definitely doable, but be prepared to work for it, especially if it's a heavier major (Art History is just 10 solid courses, but Chemistry is like, 20). AND no going abroad for me:(</p>
<p>Finally, some major combinations I see a lot of are Economics and Markets and Management Studies, Biology and another science, Biology and the Global Health certificate, Economics and PPS/Polisciish things.</p>
<p>To loveduke22: Thank you so so much for your reply. It really helped me out a lot. Anyway chemistry and art history sounds like a perfect and unique combination. I kinda wish that my interest would change at Duke.. Or find sth new (like you did w/ art history).</p>
<p>I'm sure you will. The cool thing about T-Reqs is that...if you aren't close-minded (which you definitely sound like you aren't)...you end up taking the most random classes ever that you never though you'd take. And you may end up loving them. My roommate of 2 years was an econ major, and ended up taking a class in Japanese Cinema, and now she's a Japanese/Asian and African Languages double major. And when your parents get mad like mine (why are you taking Art History?!?) you just tell them it's a requirement! It works out well...I promise you'll find something you're truly passionate about at Duke!</p>
<p>Semester 1: Political Science, pre-law.
Semester 2: Biology/Public Policy Double, decided to attend medical school and not to go to law school.
Semester 3: Biology premed, certificate in journalism (I think)
Semester 4: Economics, premed, biology minor.</p>
<p>Semester 7: Added chemistry minor.
Semester 8: Decided to attend law school.</p>
<p>To bluedevilmike: Does that mean you ended up as Economics major with minors in biology and chemistry? I don't know how people do chemistry, it's so difficult. Anyway, is Duke strict on this rule:</p>
<p>"The combined number of majors, minors, and certificates cannot exceed three, and no more than two majors are permitted. "</p>
<p>You are of course permitted to take whatever coursework you like. But Duke will not acknowledge more than three components to your graduation, and telling employers etc. otherwise would technically not be correct.</p>
<p>Most of my friends list their three things and then write "Minor equivalent" or something to explain the others. When asked, they explain that they would hvae gotten a minor had Duke permitted them to.</p>
<p>Thats pretty interesting. I guess then you have to choose three if you happen to have more than 3. Though even combo of 3 sounds impossible to me...</p>
<p>sometimes a combo of three isn't as hard as you'd think if you overlap courses. for example, for a short time i was an english major with certificates in journalism and in markets and management study, and was shocked with how every course i took would fill two of those requirements.</p>
<p>i've changed my mind bunches and am studying things i never expected when applying to college.</p>
<p>i applied to duke in trinity, but strongly considering transferring into pratt to do civil engineering. (i wanted to be an architect). then my freshman year was the presidential election and i got all caught up in taking polsci courses, and became some polisci w/ IR concentration and HATED that. then as i left freshman year i decided to be a PPS major w/ that policy journalism certificate. i took PPS55 my sophomore year and realized i didn't like that either, so by midterms i realized PPS was not for me and decided on english and the journalism certificate and markets and management certficate. note- by this point i had 0 courses in MMS, 1 in journalism, and 2 in english- all three of those classes i was enrolled in that current semester. </p>
<p>now i'm walking into my senior year with a double major in english (with a film concentration) and economics and a certificate in MMS. i had only taken two econ courses before my sophomore year (1 and 55). i'll graduate in may with more classes in both majors than i need (i think-- definitely the case, not sure about econ) and possibly the same for mms. this is so so SO far from what i wanted applying to college, walking into college, and even starting my sophomore year. but i've found a way to do it, love it, be happy with it, and be successful with it. just take classes wisely, don't use your advising sessions merely to get a pin # but to really discuss things and find courses that can count for several things. i haven't taken a "wasted" class that didn't count for SOMETHING since first semester sophomore year - but i love what i'm studying, so i'm cool with it. and another cool thign about switching your mind is that i inadvertently finished my t-reqs really early on in the game without even trying.</p>
<p>My freshman year I took three credits (of nine total) that counted towards my major requirements in engineering, two math and one engineering. I didn't think about physics until further down the line and didn't start my physics second major until the second semester of my sophomore year. If all goes as planned I'll have the spare room in my schedule my senior year to take 4 arbitrary classes in any field I like, for a minor or certificate or anything interesting. I also have the option to dump both engineering and physics for a polisci major as late as the beginning of my senior year. It's not too late to figure out what you want to do by the end of your sophomore year, but it takes some extra work and lots of APs to have the flexibility to start things really late in the game.</p>
<p>I didn't realize the importance of AP's until the pre-registration. I just wish that I would have taken AP Economics and AP Chemistry and didn't take AP's such as American, English, and Biology. I feel like I completely wasted few years of my high school. Oh well nth I can do now.</p>
<p>I've been an Econ major throughout...when in doubt, take Econ in my opinion, its a really strong major and the most popular, so it seems to attract a lot of people who aren't sure what they want.</p>
<p>The thing with Econ is that its a good combination between lighter subjects such as Polisci, Pub Pol, and History with harder, more quantitative classes such as Math Stat and science classes. The courses offered range from economic history to hardcore mathematical finance, so its really easy to work within your strengths in the department. Also, lots of kids want to do finance so they just major in Econ, since it offers a finance concentration and is the most similar thing (Duke doesn't have a finance major).</p>
<p>but intro econ really, really boring at first... lol... if you can get yourself through 51, 55, 105, 110... then you get into some interesting topics and specialized things... provided you are still sane.</p>
<p>I’m just wondering.I have taken Organic Chem 1 and Bio 201 and 202. I want to do consulting, but have not taken Econ, but will take 201 next semester. I’m just wondering if there is any benefit to having Econ Major and chem/bio minor if i want to maybe do biotech/pharma/healthcare consulting?</p>