Recently discovered engineering as possible major, should I apply to LAC's still??

[sakky]

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I am not sure why LACs bother with 3/2 programs. Maybe you can keep your FA throughout those 5 years? If you are a student at LAC, you can finish with a BA in science/math and apply to one of the 1-yr master programs (e.g Stanford/Berkeley). If you major in history, then double-major it with science/math. It’s that simple. The end result is you get a BA/MS in 5 years instead of BA/BS; you graduate with your classmates at the same time and you won’t be doing your engineering as a transfer, which can be hard socially in a college environment.

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<p>I can think of two reasons why they might bother with 3/2 programs. Firstly, there is clearly no guarantee that you will get into a 1-year engineering master’s program, especially at a school such as Berkeley or Stanford. I know many who did not. This is especially true if you didn’t even major in engineering at an undergrad, as while a science/math degree obviously doesn’t bar you from an engineering grad program, it does place you at an admissions disadvantage. A 3/2 program may therefore be easier to get into and complete. </p>

<p>Secondly, let’s face it, many, sometimes most, undergrad engineering students take 5 years (or sometimes more) to complete their degrees anyway. The 4-year schedule of an engineering undergrad degree presumes that everything goes right, and that you have an sterling work ethic from the very beginning. Not everybody is so fortunate. A 3-2 program therefore may not entail any more of a loss of time than would have happened anyway.</p>