<p>I have had a hard time deciding between majoring in science or engineering. I thought I liked Physics best, but now that I have been in AP Chemistry and realize I really want to go that route. Whether I go the chemical engineering route vs the chemistry route really affects where I go to school.</p>
<p>Honestly, I love the humanities too. I am considering an LAC so I can still study music and languages on the side. If I want to go this route, then clearly, going with Chemistry would be best. But I worry I won't be able to find employment after graduation. I am fine and happy with going to grad school. I really wanted to go for materials engineering, but that is a graduate degree.</p>
<p>I should mention that the colleges on my list right now are Baylor University, Texas A&M, UT Dallas (great scholarship here so this is very workable, financially, best choice), Austin College (also a current top choice with good scholarship), and Trinity University. Only one of these schools has chemical engineering, Texas A&M. But, UT Dallas has materials engineering which I can work toward. The scholarship makes UT Dallas very tempting. I am worried it doesn't have much for student life and I will spend my time there a bit lonely. Austin College will allow me to study chemistry and keep up with languages and music without taking longer to graduate.</p>
<p>While for some disciplines starting off college as “undecided” works for most students, engineering requires an early commitment. There are several foundation math and science courses that engineering majors must take before they have the necessary background for the domain specific engineering courses. This is also the case for pure science majors, and indeed some of the required foundation courses for engineering and pure science are the same.</p>
<p>Should you choose to delay the decision of engineering major or not you may find that you’ll need an extra year to graduate.</p>
<p>My sense is that if you’re reasonably serious about a chemical engineering career then pick Texas A&M. You’ll find it easier to shift from an engineering major to a non-engineering major then the other way around.</p>
<p>Science is the study of how things in the universe act.</p>
<p>Engineering is solving design problems using scientific principles.</p>
<p>If job and career prospects matter to you, engineering usually does somewhat better at the bachelor’s degree level.</p>
<p>If you intend on going to grad school, chemistry will be fine “as is” and you’ll be able to continue with music and languages (the engineering degree has very prescribed courses and paths so you wouldn’t be able to.) Add a math or CS major or minor or advanced math courses and you should be fine career-wise. I assume that at UTDallas you’d be in the Honors college: call and see whether someone with a chemistry major + honors college can get into materials engineering, and if not what major they admit. If Austin is a favorite, it’s possible TAMU wouldn’t be a good fit, major aside (and remember that after taking their first semester classes, many freshmen change their minds.) If you go for engineering, TAMU is excellent. If you’re undecided, you shouldn’t pick TAMU since they require you pick a major right away (and you may not get the one you want).
Have you spent an overnight at these schools? If not, try to visit. Things will be clearer after you spend some time on campus, listen in on conversations, sit in on a typical freshman class, etc.</p>
<p>S1 majored in a science and music at a very selective LAC and is now attending a top engineering grad program for a Masters of Engineering. He only had to take a few extra classes. I think the engineering grad school liked the double major. He also took an engineering class at a local university in the summer when he was an undergraduate to ‘test the waters’ and see if he liked engineering. So there is more than one route to becoming an engineer. Definitely visit the colleges, read the catalogs and see what is best for you. </p>