<p>My son excels equally in Math and English but his real interest is the latter. He has excellent chance of getting into Wash U which is his first choice. But my DH thinks he does not need to go to Wash U if he is just taking English. He thinks he is just wasting money. Would love to hear opinions from both sides.</p>
<p>What is your son’s career goal?</p>
<p>Would he consider a double major?</p>
<p>At Wash U he’ll have to take some math/ science to fulfill distribution requirements. Wash U also makes it easy to double major, and he will not have to commit to any major till at least sophomore year.</p>
<p>Wash U is the perfect school to go to for kids with different interests. It is incredibly easy there to switch between schools and to take classes across schools. My son is a sophomore at Wash U and couldn’t decide between anthropology and business. He was accepted into the College of Arts & Sciences and decided he wanted to switch to business over the summer before his freshman year. All he did was send one e-mail and he got an immediate response and a written confirmation in the mail a few days later and he was switched! He’s still managed to take quite a few anthropology classes. It’s a slightly different process once you’ve matriculated, but also quite easy to accomplish.</p>
<p>Most students end up switching majors. He might as well go to a school that will make it easy.</p>
<p>As an aside, he LOVES Wash U. The thing he likes best about it are the other students – on the whole, one of the nicest, most genuine, supportive, down-to-earth bunch of kids you’d ever find.</p>
<p>Your son is going to college…your husband isn’t. Wash U is an excellent school. Your son is leaning towards English now but the reality is that most college students change majors multiple times. For all anyone knows, he could end up being a physics major.</p>
<p>If your family is willing to let this student attend Wash U as a science major, they should also be willing to let him attend as an English major. Just my humble opinion (we didn’t say ANYTHING about the college major choices to either of our kids…their college years, and their choices).</p>
<p>WashU has long had a superb English Department. I don’t know what the Math Dept. is like but if it’s reasonably good, then the school sounds like an excellent fit academically for your son.</p>
<p>Just because your son is good at both math and English doesn’t mean that he’ll necessarily end up majoring in one or the other; it just means he has a versatile intellect. Many students discover subjects in college that they didn’t even know existed in high school, and many change direction in midstream either because they find out about new areas, or because attending a rigorous college helps them clarify what they’re really good at. Others double major. One of my friends graduated with highest honors in both math and English from Yale; he’s now a law professor specializing in the complexities of pensions and annuities.</p>
<p>Your S should choose a school that offers strong academics across the board, and doesn’t force him to specialize too soon. Washington University, or similar colleges of arts and sciences that insist upon a broad range of distribution requirements, will fit that bill. Then he can take a variety of courses and make up his mind once he has more information.</p>
<p>I assume Wash U is WUSTL.</p>
<p>Obviously, this is a topic on which people have different opinions. My own is that it is MORE important to attend a top college when you are interested in a “default” major like English. You will find very few slackers majoring in engineering or physics at any college. So, a degree in one of those subjects will be respected no matter where you go to college (at least if the program is accredited). You won’t be spending time in your classes with kids who only want to party–at least after first semester. </p>
<p>When you major in a subject like English, which at many schools tends to be a major for kids who aren’t sure what they want to do and/or who really don’t have a clear first choice major, the name of the college issuing your diploma is more important. </p>
<p>The quality of the education you receive at different colleges will probably vary more for English majors than for engineering majors. At some schools, as an English major, you WILL find yourself in class with kids who aren’t focusing on academics. It’s hard for some students to stay focused when the MAJORITY of the students in the classes in their major fail to graduate. </p>
<p>While I can’t say anything specific about WUSTL, I also think that the quality of the career services department matters much more for English majors than for engineering or physics majors. </p>
<p>Remember, though, that there’s a very good chance your son will change his major. MOST students do. IMO, it’s a wise idea to go to a college where your S can get a good education no matter which subject he chooses as his major.</p>
<p>The real question and the only question (or questions) in my opinion are this:</p>
<p>Can your family afford sending him to Wash U? Is there something inherently more appealing about Wash U than a “cheaper” school that would make it worth the extra cost?</p>
<p>If the answer is yes to both questions, then sending him there seems like a logical choice. If it is no to either, then it does not.</p>
<p>80% of students change majors before graduation. There is at least a 60% he won’t major in either.</p>
<p>Wash U is not especially known for English ranking 30th. There are many much less expensive higher ranked schools including many of the top State Us in the top 20 (UCB, UCLA, UVa, UM, UNC, UWis). Don’t know if you are from any of these states but then the $$$ would be pretty attractive. And I don’t think many slacker students take refuge in English. Too much reading and writing of long papers.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all your opinions! I was disheartened by my DH’s tone when he found out my son was interested in English. I am for supporting my son’s choice as I know what it is like to be steered by parents to a particular choice you are not really enthusiastic about. </p>
<p>To answer a question posted about whether we could afford it or not, we already did the EFC calculator and we could manage it. I am hoping my son would also be able to get merit scholarships and I promised myself I’ll do all I can to help him search high and low for scholarships just so I can help him get to his dream school.</p>
<p>If your son is NMF, he’ll get $2000/year scholarship from WUSTL ($2,500/year if he gets the NMC scholarship)
Look into Robert Byrd honors scholarship. Application procedures vary by state, but in some states it is the easiest scholarship to apply for (based solely on ACT & GPA, 1 page form to feel out)</p>
<p>I am not sure if someone already said this, above, but could he minor in math? A recent college grad told me potential employers LOVE seeing a math minor (if student majors in something else!) he might be perfect for this!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This made me chuckle. There are about 3000 colleges in this country. I guess a rank of 30 isn’t very good 
EVERY college has an English department and my guess is most if not all have an English major.</p>
<p>What ranking would make this a good program?</p>
<p>I guess anything above 30 would be better. When you are looking at that kind of cost you might as well get a top program. With Wash U level stats there are at least 15 match/safety schools that are better for English. It’s all relative. If you onlyhave $5000 to spend on a car you are not so picky. If you have $50,000 (or $200,000 more accurately) you are going to want more than a Camry.</p>
<p>I’m going to guess why your DH would prefer your son to major in math…math majors end up making more $$$ in a career choice than most English majors.</p>
<p>Agree with all the other posters here. My son loves WashU (WUSTL). He’s a freshman, and he couldn’t be happier.</p>
<p>Individual major ratings are based upon graduate programs, not undergraduate programs. </p>
<p>My S just started at WashU. I think WashU would be a great place to study for a student with varied interests. It is easy to double major and/or minor there. It also has good need-based aid, as well as merit aid available.</p>
<p>Wash U is a very good, well-rounded school, and #30 in English is very good. I also wouldn’t base too much on the ranking of a single department as MOST college students change majors (or intended majors) at least once. That’s why you’re better off being at a school that has strengths across the board, and Wash U certainly is that. He’ll also get smaller classes and more interaction with profs at a place like Wash U than at a big public flagship, especially in a field like English which tends to be an enormously popular major almost everywhere.</p>
<p>(I have to say, though, I’ve never really understood the argument that graduate program rankings are irrelevant to undergrad education. The grad program rankings are based almost entirely on assessments of the strength of the faculty, or at least the strength of the faculty’s reputation among their peers at other institutions. It’s the same faculty teaching graduate and undergraduate students. If my kid wanted to study a given subject and a university she was considering had a poorly rated graduate program in that field, I’d say in a heartbeat that school wasn’t a good fit for her. True, she might change majors, but there’s no point in choosing a school that you know is weak in your intended major, because you might just stick with that major. Number 30 is far from weak, however. And obviously, schools that don’t have graduate programs can’t be evaluated this way).</p>
<p>Seems to me the Dad’s real issue here is not Wash U v. somewhere else, but English v. math (or something else). I say if the kid wants to study English and the parents can afford to pay for it, let him study English. Call me old-fashioned, but I still believe in a liberal arts education not only for the skills it hones that may ultimately prove valuable in job settings, but for the intrinsic value of the education itself. Besides, a kid who really wants to study English is not likely to be as happy in college if he’s cajoled into studying something he really doesn’t want to study; and if that’s the case, he’s probably not as likely to do well, and his job prospects may not be enhanced by the experience even with a seemingly more marketable major. </p>
<p>That said, some sober talk about career options for English majors may be in order. Has he thought about law school?</p>
<p>I think as long as your son is educated about the career options, and their financial implications, in a thorough way and is comfortable with the outcome then he should be able to choose his major. Some math majors choose to teach math (not a high paying profession) some English majors become successful in academia or publishing or go on to law school (decently profitable fields). The better odds may tip in favor of math as a money making major but that is not a certainty.</p>
<p>I understand the concern about money, particularly given the economy, but if you’ve already answered yes to the question of affordability, do you really want to pay that sum to make your son unhappy? Just because he’s good at math doesn’t mean that he enjoys studying the subject.</p>
<p>IMO, for top students (such as any student who can be competitive for admission to Wash U), an undergraduate degree is primarily about formulating an identity, building intellectual skills, and preparing for a life, and only secondarily about career preparation. Most successful careers today are built on graduate degrees, which become accessible and affordable for students who do well as undergrads. Doing well as an undergrad is very strongly facilitated by pursuing a major that appeals to you and ignites your intellectual passion. I believe this so strongly that I encouraged my D’s enthusiasm about declaring a major in Gender Studies at Harvard. :)</p>
<p>Gender Studies . . . not what I’d have chosen, but she can talk animatedly for hours about what they’re discussing in her classes. Her study skills, reasoning fluency and facility in combining information from different sources to create new understandings has flourished as a result of that enthusiasm. Those will serve her well in grad school and in her eventual career(s).</p>