Is it Possible to Triple Major and Have 2 Minors in College?

[jsreader]

Hello

I am currently a dual enrolled high school student. I have a history of overloading myself with credits during high school before I started taking college credits. However my latest plan for after finishing my senior year in 2012 has reached new levels of insanity.

I am very interested in chemistry and physics. I don't have much experience with these two disciplines but what I have learned has caught my interest. Right now I am taking Calc 2 at a local univ and I am maintaining a 4.0 easily. The one thing I suck at is writing papers. I am on track to finish high school with a A.S. with focus on Chem, Math, and Physics.

Here is my question: is it possible to complete a B.S. triple major in Chem, Math and Physics with maybe a couple minors in Computer Science and Music just because? If so, how long could it take? Also, how much writing will I have to do? I am also considering going into an honors program? Does this make my major impossible?

I really don't mind missing out on "college life". I never was one for social activities. I just need to know if my plan is feasible.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[revnaknuma]

possible but can have some effects on your mental health.

 

[kramer733]

It's possible but... very very rare that it has ever been done to completion. Don't fret yourself if you can't finish a triple major.

 

[Ryker]

So why do you want to spread yourself thin instead of focussing on a single discipline or two?

 

[Dembadon]

I don't see a reason for a triple major. Start with physics and go from there. You'll get some programming classes (CompSci), plenty of mathematics, and some chemistry. After you've taken a few chemistry and computer science courses, you'll have a better idea about the area of science or mathematics in which you're most interested.

I would also suggest that you work on improving upon your weak areas. You mentioned that you don't write papers very well; good writing skills are a requirement for any undergraduate program. If you need to take a composition course, do it. Your goal should be to graduate as a well-rounded, educated person. Exceptional writing skills will also pay huge dividends in your lab reports for either chemistry or physics.

 

[Newtime]

So why do you want to spread yourself thin instead of focussing on a single discipline or two?

This. I have friends who are even *just* double majors and they will graduate taking much fewer math courses than I will. I look at the bare minimum requirements to graduate with a B.S. in math and it's mind blowing. Myself and most of my friends here completed them in our first two years and not one of us would have considered it a full undergraduate education.

A triple major is possible, but I've always felt if you want to study X, then study X. Take a few classes in Y and Z to see if you like it but don't be so set on this sort of plan this early.

 

[Ryker]

This. I have friends who are even *just* double majors and they will graduate taking much fewer math courses than I will. I look at the bare minimum requirements to graduate with a B.S. in math and it's mind blowing. Myself and most of my friends here completed them in our first two years and not one of us would have considered it a full undergraduate education.

Yeah, I fully agree. I mean, if you look at the US and Canadian undergraduate education, it's watered down as compared to the rest of the world as it is. Which isn't to say those two countries produce graduates that are worse off, it's just that you have to plan better to get to the same level of knowledge of the field you're studying than someone elsewhere would. I'm not sure someone who merely satisfies the requirements of, say, Physics or Maths major takes even half the courses people in other parts of the world do. In such cases, at least in my opinion, their knowledge is questionable, which makes me even more confused as to why US universities would make PhD applicants with a Masters degree from, say, a country in Europe, redo some of the courses. But I digress, and the point is that instead of making sure you do actually get enough field-specific courses, you seem to want to go in the other direction, making matters even worse. It's cool that you like a lot of stuff, but you get general education in high school, not in university. I know it's hard, but you have to make a decision what direction you want to go into.

Just my two cents, though.

 

[jsreader]

So why do you want to spread yourself thin instead of focussing on a single discipline or two?

Well, here is my reasoning behind it. From what I learned and read about Chemistry and Physics, they are kind of two sides of the same question and are linked by Mathematics. I am really interested in Quantum Mechanics and how it relates to Chemical reactions, so by studying the three disciplines fully I could better understand this topic. I was also looking into a concentration in Chemical Physics though on a Master's level. Granted I may find another concentration more interesting once I get futher into Chemistry and Physics. However I definitely like theoretical science better than experimental.

The reasons for the minors were that computer science would help because I would most likely end up working with computers quite often and by understanding them would make the work a little easier. The music minor was just because I enjoy music and it would keep me from losing my mind entirely.

 

[Pengwuino]

Well, here is my reasoning behind it. From what I learned and read about Chemistry and Physics, they are kind of two sides of the same question and are linked by Mathematics. I am really interested in Quantum Mechanics and how it relates to Chemical reactions, so by studying the three disciplines fully I could better understand this topic. I was also looking into a concentration in Chemical Physics though on a Master's level. Granted I may find another concentration more interesting once I get futher into Chemistry and Physics. However I definitely like theoretical science better than experimental.

The reasons for the minors were that computer science would help because I would most likely end up working with computers quite often and by understanding them would make the work a little easier. The music minor was just because I enjoy music and it would keep me from losing my mind entirely.

Don't waste your time with the minor. You can learn what you need for the programming side on your own.

I personally would make mathematics a minor. Fully majoring in mathematics is going to teach you a bunch of stuff that will be useless. Unless you plan on going into theoretical physics at the PhD level, you'll have everything you need by minoring in mathematics and simply taking a couple extra math classes that you feel are helpful (you'll figure out which when the time comes).

Double majoring in Chemistry might be fun but it will tack on a few years most likely because chemistry courses have hours and hours of lab and I can imagine there will be plenty of conflicts between courses that would force you to stay at least an extra year.

 

[Oriako]

Yeah, I fully agree. I mean, if you look at the US and Canadian undergraduate education, it's watered down as compared to the rest of the world as it is. Which isn't to say those two countries produce graduates that are worse off, it's just that you have to plan better to get to the same level of knowledge of the field you're studying than someone elsewhere would. I'm not sure someone who merely satisfies the requirements of, say, Physics or Maths major takes even half the courses people in other parts of the world do. In such cases, at least in my opinion, their knowledge is questionable, which makes me even more confused as to why US universities would make PhD applicants with a Masters degree from, say, a country in Europe, redo some of the courses. But I digress, and the point is that instead of making sure you do actually get enough field-specific courses, you seem to want to go in the other direction, making matters even worse. It's cool that you like a lot of stuff, but you get general education in high school, not in university. I know it's hard, but you have to make a decision what direction you want to go into.

Are you serious? Give me one shred of evidence that Canadian institutions are not the absolute cream of the crop for Physics education.

http://www.physics.ubc.ca/undergrad/
http://phas.ucalgary.ca/undergraduate/programs/physics
http://www.artsandscience.utoronto.ca/ofr/calendar/prg_phy.htm

You're telling that these schools have sub-par and watered down education? Have you been to a university of Canada? In a lot of cases, the curriculum is a semester or a full year ahead of British and American institutions.

 

[Pengwuino]

You're telling that these schools have sub-par and watered down education? Have you been to a university of Canada? In a lot of cases, the curriculum is a semester or a full year ahead of British and American institutions.

American/Canadian universities are a lot different structurally than universities in other countries. For example, from what I know, the idea of "GE requirements" are a purely North American concept. That's why you might feel that UK universities, for example, are a "year behind". They simply go straight into the material whereas, at least in America, half your curriculum is completely out of your field. Also, you can't really gauge the quality of education based on a universities course listings. You need something more than that.

 

[Ryker]

Are you serious? Give me one shred of evidence that Canadian institutions are not the absolute cream of the crop for Physics education.

http://www.physics.ubc.ca/undergrad/
http://phas.ucalgary.ca/undergraduate/programs/physics
http://www.artsandscience.utoronto.ca/ofr/calendar/prg_phy.htm

You're telling that these schools have sub-par and watered down education? Have you been to a university of Canada? In a lot of cases, the curriculum is a semester or a full year ahead of British and American institutions.

I'm currently studying in Canada, and a professor here that did his B.Sc. (not the MPhys!) in the UK told me they take in their last year what here would be considered graduate level courses. Since I originally come from Europe, this is also exactly what I could gather looking at different curricula over there, and comparing it to the one I have here and the ones US schools usually offer. The professor did say you get a better grounding in Maths in Canada, though, because in Europe you usually take a general Maths course that covers techniques and stuff applicable to Physics, whereas here you take normal Maths courses that aren't tailored to Physics majors. Also, as Pengwuino mentioned, there aren't any general education requirements, so there's more space for courses from the field you chose to study.

 

[DrummingAtom]

American/Canadian universities are a lot different structurally than universities in other countries. For example, from what I know, the idea of "GE requirements" are a purely North American concept. That's why you might feel that UK universities, for example, are a "year behind". They simply go straight into the material whereas, at least in America, half your curriculum is completely out of your field. Also, you can't really gauge the quality of education based on a universities course listings. You need something more than that.

Wow.. That is depressing. I'm working on a 2nd bachelor's after a degree in communications years ago. I thought since I completed all the GE classes for my first degree this next degree would be only math/science/engineering classes. Wrong. Even though I had a liberals arts degree, which are usually the classes that make up the GE courses for a science/engineering degree, my adviser told me I still have to complete 4 classes toward my new degree. No questions asked. Two of these classes have to be a foreign language which takes up a lot of time.

The first time I went through these type of classes I was fairly excited because some of those classes had the best professors I've ever had but now these classes seem like such a joke. I can't believe other countries don't do this, I feel so ripped off.

 

[Goalie33]

Hi,
I am currently about to finish college with two majors and a minor (Physics, Mat. Sci. and Math; respectively) and it took 5 very hectic years. I can't imagine doing 3 majors in less than 6 years, especially if you want to do research (summer research means no summer classes, if you do it full time or at another university). Most schools have a cap on the number of credits you can do, usually around 19 or 20 per semester. Also, minors, in general, tend to be useless- I got mine kind of by accident because all of my engineering and physics required so much math that it was kind of a bonus. I would seriously reconsider what you want to do for the rest of your life and focus on that.

 

[gb7nash]

One person at my college got a triple major. I question his sanity.

But serious, try to hone down what you want to do. Getting a double/triple major is more stressful, depending on how much overlap is between the majors. You could easily get burnt out doing this. If you do plan on going for it, be prepared to take longer to graduate and less free time.

 

[General_Sax]

pfff, I got a quadruple major and a trigonal planar minor in life. And yes, I do have that written on a piece of paper.

 

[thegreenlaser]

You're really probably better off doing at MOST a double major and then learning other stuff that interests you on the side. I mean, having 3 majors and two minors won't put you really that much further ahead than someone with one degree, except that you'll have spent almost twice as long in school as them.

Based on what you said, I would do Physics with a Chem minor. I mean, with that major you're still probably going to learn more math than you've ever learned in your life, and it will actually be applicable to what you want to do. A lot of your math major will be proofs, and stuff that feels pointless to someone interested in application. Also, I would bet that you could easily get one or two programming courses in with your Physics major, and programming is pretty easy to learn on your own once you have a bit of experience. Don't even bother with the music minor. Practice on your own, and keep it as a stress-reliever instead of a stress-inducer. As for why I say Chem minor instead of major, it really sounds like you're more interested in one area of chemistry than chemistry in general, and unless you're really interested in something, there's no point wasting your time on a major in it.

 

[med17k]

Personally , I think One major will be Perfect . If you are interested in other stuff , you can learn it on your own without majoring in it