S is interested in Computer Science, International Relations, Business and Chemistry. Larger universities require you apply to specific college (i.e. Engineering) yet business classes are in Business school and international relations in Arts and Sciences School. How do you explore majors? Mid size college may have more options than small college. SAT superscore is 1300, GPA weighted is 3.94, manager at computer shop, student ambassador to Mexico 2 summers ago. We live in AZ and S would like to experience seasons, particularly snow with skiing. We visited U of Denver; any other college recommendations? Thank you for any suggestions.
It doesn’t fit the seasons requirement, but once a student is accepted to Tulane, s/he is admitted to all five of Tulane’s schools. It’s easy to switch majors and double or triple major.
No skiing but Purdue offers an exploratory studies major.
The student should look for colleges where all of his possible majors are not competitive entry for students who have enrolled as undeclared. He may have to search “change major [target major] [school name]” for each combination of major and school to check.
However, note that each major may have prerequisite sequences that start from the first semester, so that the student needs to plan the first few semesters carefully to avoid falling behind in course sequencing for all of his possible majors.
However, many of the majors at Purdue, including computer science, have capacity limitations and may have high GPA requirements or be competitive admission to declare.
https://www.purdue.edu/advisors/codo/requirements-201819/index.html
I don’t really think majoring in business as an undergrad is that good an idea. Many school have CS options in the Arts and Sciences instead of the engineering school - though in some universities CS is such a popular major slots are limited. Most of the private universities (midsized research universities) that my kids applied to could provide what you are looking for and don’t require you to declare a major right away.
Brandeis is a bit of a reach for him, but it has all the majors listed. You don’t have to declare a major until your 4th semester.
Look for school that have an exploratory system. Indiana for example has a university division where you spend time figuring out what you want to do. It’s like a giant buffet. I would think many schools have similar programs.
University of Rochester. Open curriculum; many students graduate with dual majors and one or two minors.
@Chedva 1300 score may be too low for Rochester.
How about
Syracuse
Ithaca
Muhlenberg
Susquehanna
Simmons University – wonderful school in Boston and striking distance of snow in VT and NH and Maine.
We were amazed by the number of students at UPitt that had 2,3 and even 4 majors.
I will look into those aforementioned colleges. Thank you. S is unclear about future career so wants to take classes to determine interest in pursuing that major. Any other college suggestions?
Rochester is not open curriculum. It requires at least a cluster of three courses in each division (humanities, social studies, science).
https://www.rochester.edu/college/ccas/handbook/degree-requirements.html
Another thought - consider schools that are on a quarter system. It makes it much easier to minor and double minor.
The College of Arts and Sciences https://artsandsciences.osu.edu/academics/future-students at Ohio State has an exploratory program. They also offer a Personalized Study Program (design your own major). https://artsandsciences.osu.edu/academics/current-students/advising-academics/declare-your-major
Two of Ohio State’s CS majors are from the College of Arts and Sciences - Computer and Information Science (BA or BS) The third CS degree is offered through the College of Engineering - Computer Science and Engineering (BS) The CS classes are run by the CoE, the general education requirements vary between the two colleges. For example, there is a foreign language requirement in the College of Arts and Sciences. CS majors regardless of college can use either colleges career services. “All Computer Science positions are available to both CSE and CIS majors whether they are registered with Engineering Career Services or Arts and Sciences Career Services.” https://cse.osu.edu/current-students/undergraduate/co-opsinternshipsjobs
Moving into CoE is fairly straight forward if your student decides to pursue CSE. "If you are a current undergraduate student at Ohio State, you will need to meet the following admission criteria to officially enroll in the College of Engineering:
C- or higher in Math 1151 (or equivalent); or EM or transfer credit for Math 1151 (or equivalent)
Credit for one of the following science courses: Physics 1250, Chemistry 1210, Chemistry 1250, Biology 2100
OSU cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
1 term of full-time undergraduate enrollment at Ohio State (excluding terms of enrollment through post-secondary enrollment programs, such as Academy)
Once you meet the criteria above, you can request to officially enroll in the College of Engineering by contacting an academic advisor in your pre-major of interest. " https://advising.engineering.osu.edu/current-students/major-changers
Moving into Business otoh is competitive - https://fisher.osu.edu/undergraduate/switch-major-business
However, there are plenty of classes open to all undergraduates, I’ve only seen ‘restricted to major’ for upper level courses. So the ability to explore is available. I don’t think there is any subject a minor couldn’t easily be scheduled to complete. There are more bureaucratic procedures at these large schools that are very focused on getting students out in four years, a process helped by identifying a major early. The big schools are mostly interested in getting the right academic advice to students to complete a major. Switching colleges means switching the general education requirements along with specific major requirements.
Have you looked into the actual policies of the big schools he is interested in? Just because business classes are in the College of Business or engineering classes are in the College of Engineering doesn’t necessarily mean students in other colleges can’t take them. Engineering students take science, math and general education classes in the College of Arts and Sciences all the time.
You need better SAT but Michigan or most big ten schools. At Michigan they let you take just about any class you want even if it’s not your major. Some you are limited but an engineering kid can take business classes. A psychology major can take engineering classes and so on… It seems like they actually encourage you to do this . Once your in their system it seems like business is really the only very hard major to get into but you can still take business classes to complement any degree.
Look for colleges that have undeclared major, there are quite a few. I work at a small private LAC in the Northeast and we allow students to come in undeclared or undeclared science (if they are leaning towards a STEM major). They can follow the first year track of various majors or “try out” classes in various majors, as long as they meet requirements such as math placement scores.
St. Lawrence University in very upstate New York. Big 10 schools such as Indiana & Iowa. While I think that St. Lawrence offers everything that you are looking for, also consider the University of Vermont in Burlington.
At Case Western they have a single door admissions policy so you don’t have to apply to the business school or the engineering school. However, if engineering is one of your options, you would need to start on the pre-reqs like Calculus 1-4, Chem, Physics etc. Or you could start with the Chemistry freshman options and add a business class as an elective.
There are majors that might combine CS and Business, or CS and Chem (or what about chemical engineering).
Or maybe you major in CS, minor in a language, and get a job for an international company.
Depends on your definition of “open”. If you don’t want to take a foreign language, you don’t have to. If you don’t want to take a lab science, OK. There are so many classes in each division that it’s hard not to find something you’re interested in, and one of those three courses can apply to your major (so that leaves only two). If you’re double-majoring in two of the divisions, you only need 3 other courses.
And for the OP’s son, interested in so many things, completing the clusters should be no issue.
Dickinson, although not near skiing.