triple major

<p>I'm trying to decide if I should triple major in psychology, cognitive science, and music. I'm not sure if this would hurt me or be beneficial. I know triple majors are strenuous but I am genuinely in psychology and cognitive science and although they do overlap each offers me a little something different. And on top of this I love music and I enjoy learning about it and joining various ensembles and such. Also I have a scholarship for private lessons and the only way to maintain this scholarship is to continue on the path to be a music major. I want to study neuroscience in graduate school and all the programs that I've looked into want strong backgrounds in psychology and cognitive science if you come from a social science background. Any thoughts?</p>

<p>How long would it take you to finish the triple major? I would be surprised if you could do it in 4 years. It may be much cheaper to pay for private lessons than for a few additional semesters of tuition.</p>

<p>Most college students in your shoes would probably choose a more pragmatic route: pick one of psychology or cognitive science as your major. Take relevant classes in the other, but don’t worry about completing all of the major requirements. If you are interested in neuroscience, consider throwing a few biology and biochemistry classes into the mix. Continue music as a hobby on the side.</p>

<p>I would be able to finish in four years if I took a few summers and the reason I’m keeping the music major is because it pays for half of my tuition and rooming costs.</p>

<p>Is the music pursuit a BA or BM? A BA may provide more time and schedule flexibilty than a BM, but may also limit accessibility to specific classes or ensembles. Do not underestimate the time commitment involved in a BM pursuit. BM majors have large time blocks for ensemble, performance and rehearsal/practice obligations that oft conflict with trying to schedule lab courses. Summer courses in music are few and far between. Spend some time here [Music</a> Major - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/]Music”>Music Major - College Confidential Forums) and do some advanced searches on “double majors”, “music and”. Expect five plus years for a triple, and that’s being optimistic.</p>

<p>What’s the point of a triple major?</p>

<p>I want to do behavioral neuroscience which is a combination of psychology and cognitive science but some upper divisions are only available to people who have actually declared the major. And music is also something important to me and I look at the classes and ensembles as pleasure rather than work. </p>

<p>@violadad Berkeley does not offer a BM in music so I have to pursue a BA.</p>

<p>I say you should go for a 4th major.</p>

<p>I’d rather have constructive advice thanks.</p>

<p>What sort of advice are you looking for?</p>

<p>I think cogsci’s a discipline under/closely related to psychology so it might make more sense to do psychology major with maybe a concentration or minor in cogsci and add the music major. if you can keep up with the academic rigor, triple majoring is great…i know one guy who’s thinking about triple major with math, compsci and something else</p>

<p>I’m interested in triple majoring as well. All I can tell you is to go for it and to pursue your dreams.</p>

<p>Shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.</p>

<p>I don’t understand about the music scholarship. Does it just cover the cost of private lessons or cover half the cost of tuition and room? Even a BA in Music will require many hours of out-of-class engagement each year, and run the necessary time of completion to ten or more semesters, whether those semesters happen during the major semester or during the summer. It may not be financially worth the value of the scholarship to incur the extra cost required to complete the Music degree.</p>

<p>Jan - technically, if you shot for the stars and came up short you’d land among the moons, but somehow it just sounds much better the way you phrased it. :)</p>