<p>Hello,
I'm a current junior and I'm making decisions about what to do over the summer.
I want to be a SEAS chemical engineering major or a Biochemistry major. </p>
<p>I was accepted to Carnegie Mellon's AP/EA Program, and I was also offered a spot to volunteer as a lab researcher at a local hospital's cancer center in Philly.</p>
<p>I would LOVE to do both activities over the summer, but this is not possible. So it all comes down to my question:
Which would look the best on my college application for Columbia? </p>
<p>I definitely know that CMU's summer program is competitive (at least the free one is), and if I chose this program, I would take college-credit calc and chemistry courses; but I also know that lab experience could really enhance my application when I apply as a science major. </p>
<p>You should do some research on chem.e. before you go saying you want to do it. Most people go into the major thinking it’s something it’s not and by the time you learn enough about it, it’s usually too late to switch majors.</p>
<p>to Skraylor: What do you mean? Now I’m confused. </p>
<p>to omoseda: I guess I just searched online for free programs that were not too far from where I live. (I’m sorry, that’s not really helpful. You just have to have connections and good google searching skills.)</p>
<p>Why do you want to be a chem.e? Like I said, most people have misconceptions about what exactly the major is and since you mentioned it in the same sentence about biochem, that sends up some red flags in my head. Chem.E. is NOT about designing chemicals. It is about how to produce them in large quantities. Granted, the skill set that you learn by going thru the curriculum can open up many, many paths but don’t hold misconceptions about what chem.e’s have to go thru as undergrads. </p>
<p>Due to the nature of the major, your class schedule is explicitly laid out. You don’t really take any chem.e courses until junior year and by the end of fall semester it becomes REALLY hard to switch into another major. So try and learn as much as you can about the major BEFORE setting your mind to doing it. Otherwise you will end up hating your life jr and sr year.</p>