Tufts Freshman Choosing Between Engineering and Liberal Arts Degrees

[hundredwatt]

I will be a freshman at Tufts University, enrolled in the Liberal Arts school, during the upcoming school year. I have the option of transferring into the engineering school.

I have always been extremely strong in math and science. I have had an Amateur Radio Extra Class license since I was 13, have taken AP Physics C: Mech and E&M, AP Calculus BC, Calculus 3, Chemistry Honors, and Biology Honors in high school. These and my other courses have given me about a years worth of college credit. I also wrote a research paper on the use of chaos theory in radio antenna design during my senior year.

I am currently torn between majoring in Electrical Engineering or Math and/or Physics. I definitely want to have the chance to study specific topics of interest in Math and Physics (e.g. Chaos Theory, Abstract Algebra, and Quantum Mechanics), but feel that an Engineering degree would be more useful in the long run, as I would almost certainly have to go to grad school immediately after college if I received a liberal arts degree.

Any advice on what I should choose or how I should make this decision? Thanks

 

[G01]

Make the decision based on what you like to do. An engineering degree may get you more money right out of getting your B.S. and it may have more jobs in the field for B.S. holders, but how does this help if you don't like these jobs, or wish you were doing something else.

If you are truly interested in engineering then go into it. Going into engineering just because you believe it to be more lucrative is not the right attitude. Just like science and math, you'll only excel in engineering if you really love it.

In conclusion, do what you love to do and are interested in. That's my advice. Good luck to you in your decisions.

 

[^_^physicist]

From what your interests sound like, I would consister either EE or an applied math major. Although physics is a great major, your genuine interest in chaos and abstract algebra leads me to believe that your would do very well in an applied math program that has a section of dynamics or systems theory research. However, if your interest in these topics has an ends to it, such as the development of new apparatus, or you just tend to like working on problems in general, EE or CEE (computer electrical engineering) might be the better choice.

Like I said eariler, physics is a great major; however, at least at the university I go to, your interests would not be touch on frequently in my physics classes.

If you still can't decide see if there is a duel major program at your school for EE and Physics together, sure you lose out on some of the math but you might get to fufill your other interests.