Attempting a Triple or Quadruple Major: Real Stories

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility and implications of pursuing multiple majors in college, specifically triple or quadruple majors. Participants share personal anecdotes and perspectives on the challenges, benefits, and potential drawbacks of such academic paths.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants recount personal experiences or know of individuals who have successfully completed multiple majors, with varying numbers cited, including up to five or four majors in specific fields.
  • Concerns are raised about the logistical challenges of managing multiple majors, including course load and overlapping requirements.
  • One participant argues that the value of a degree lies in specialized knowledge, suggesting that multiple majors may dilute this expertise.
  • Another viewpoint emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary studies and the potential benefits of pursuing diverse interests.
  • Some participants discuss the idea of overlapping general education requirements with major requirements as a strategy for managing multiple majors.
  • There is a suggestion that focusing on higher-level courses within a single major may be more beneficial for graduate school applications than pursuing multiple majors.
  • Participants express differing opinions on the necessity and value of pursuing multiple majors, with some advocating for a more focused approach while others support the exploration of various fields.
  • One participant mentions a specific case of a quad major in related scientific fields, highlighting the overlap in coursework.
  • Discussions also touch on the potential for burnout and the long-term career implications of pursuing multiple majors.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the value or practicality of pursuing multiple majors. There are competing views on whether it is beneficial or detrimental to academic and career prospects.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note the importance of individual university policies regarding overlapping courses and requirements, which can significantly impact the feasibility of multiple majors.

Who May Find This Useful

Students considering multiple majors, academic advisors, and individuals interested in interdisciplinary studies may find this discussion relevant.

  • #31
Great points, Choppy. I'm reminded of someone (possibly on these forums) mentioning one of the strongest math students at MIT not getting an internship while other less-qualified (but definitely still qualified) student(s) got the internship because of their ability to interview well and communicate more effectively. Don't underestimate the skills you learn outside of the classroom: that's where you'll be spending most of your life, after all (unless you go into academia :wink:).

@ bomba: From what I've seen of schools (and I'm only a rising freshman in college), quarter-system schools typically recommend 3-4 courses per quarter while semester schools seem to recommend 4-5. A lot of schools use "credit hours" and suggest ~15 credit hours per semester (it's usually 120 credit hours to graduate). Most classes are 3 or 4 credits, especially 3, so most semesters are about 5 courses for those on a 4-year no-summer-courses-or-APs track. At my school (semester system) it's expected to take 4 courses most semesters, 5 courses a couple of semesters, and 3 courses each semester during the senior year to focus on the senior thesis (at least 31 courses to graduate).
 
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  • #32
I did physics, math, and philosophy.

A degree is supposed to say that you have somewhat specialist knowledge in a subject, but if you take many subjects then your knowledge will surely be diluted. I find this especially strange if one plans on graduate studies: there is way too much, say, physics to learn during a degree anyway, so why try and learn more than one subject?

I didn't have this problem, reading my textbooks was so easy that I would have been bored with anything less.
 
  • #33
will.c said:
This is silly. There's no such thing as a "better" dream. Just the one you prefer to follow. Plenty of people will gladly think you're a fool for idling away for academic wages on some obscure bit of knowledge that, as happens to the great majority of "leading experts," will be later proven to be an ill-founded dead end.

Moral superiority is such an odd trait for so many people in science to share.
You really should reread my post...
 

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