Second Bachelor's?

College Search & Lists
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Hi! Speaking as a current undergrad at a LAC here, I was wondering how one would go about pursuing a second Bachelor’s degree in a completely unrelated field than their first–I’d like to know how to know if a school accepts students seeking this option, if it’s possible to skip prerequisites fulfilled by your first time at college, and (if anyone here knows of any) some decent schools that have experience with/accept such students.

For some background, I’m autistic and that entails having a few very intense interests–for me, these were various social justice topics and physics/astronomy. Going into college, although I felt like I was leaving part of myself behind, I chose to focus more on the former, because my high school’s science and math programs were arguably the worst in our state (and my school as a whole was often ranked the worst in my state) and I feared I would be behind or at a disadvantage in math-heavy courses. Despite the fact that I took every advanced math and science class my school offered and taught myself two additional math courses (Algebra II in 9th grade and AP Calc in 11th–neither of which were offered at my school) and was consistently our best math student, I decided that I would move on and go into something I’d be better at.

I’m currently in my sophomore year (second semester) and I’m majoring in Race and Ethnicity Studies, with possible minors or dual-majors in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies or Spanish and Latin American Cultures. I realize these aren’t the most lucrative pathways but I don’t much care about money. I’ve learned a lot in my time at college, and I am studying/have studied four different foreign languages with the intentions of working at a human rights nonprofit or as a translator–maybe even a writer. However, it’s been two years since I made the decision to take this path and although I love what I study I still feel as if a big part of me is unfulfilled. Since physics, astrophysics, and astronomy are STEM paths and thus have a lot of prerequisites, it’s really too late for me to pursue any of these at this time. The physics department says that for any of these majors one should have completed the entire Calculus track (four courses–two years) by the end of their sophomore year; I have not taken a single math class since I started here.

I realize this is definitely superfluous and probably not a good idea, but I love both of these areas intensely and to give up one in favor of the other feels like a crime against myself. I would ideally like to finish the degree that I’m already halfway through, and then pursue one in physics, astronomy, or astrophysics elsewhere. I’ve always been into the sciences, especially physics, astronomy, and biology, and I can’t imagine a life in which they are only a secondary interest. Please don’t try to change my mind, I’m only asking for help and guidance.

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realize these aren't the most lucrative pathways but I don't much care about money. I'v

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Who is paying for your education at Barnard now? Financial aid? Your parents? a mix of FA and parents?

Who will pay ALL the costs of a second bachelors? The schools won’t. Will your parents?

Often when people say, I don’t care much about money, it’s because they’ve never really been paying all the bills. When someone else is paying, it’s easy to “not care about money.” When you’re faced with paying rent, food, electricity, cable, wifi, clothing, health insurance, car, gas, and all the rest of living expenses and maybe student loans, suddenly you’re going to want an income that will keep a roof over your head and food in your fridge.

3

You will have to check with each school to see if they offer a second bachelors degree.

4

If you are at Barnard as mom2collegekids says, I would speak to the head of the Astrophysics or Physics department at Columbia and ask them for advice. They are very helpful and informative and might surprise you with possibilities other than a second undergraduate degree. Good luck!

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@mom2collegekids I’m a low-income student and I have been my entire life. I am the one footing every single one of my bills and supporting myself on my own. When I say I don’t care about money what I mean is I do not prioritize my happiness and fulfillment over a paycheck, and the cost of additional schooling will not dissuade me if I ultimately decide that that is the avenue I want to pursue. I already know how to live on the bare minimum and that’s comfortable for me, and I already am used to working and being a full-time student. Even if I have to work a minimum wage job to support myself, that would still be comfortable in relation to my experience in a household of 6 that gets by on a $30,000 yearly income.

Thank you @amtc for your advice! I hadn’t actually considered that before I wrote this post because I was so discouraged at how behind I would be in the requirements. I’m looking into maybe taking summer classes to catch up and I’ll definitely ask people in the dept if that would be feasible and if pursuing a physics major now would mean putting my other interests on a back burner.

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My sister earned a BSN at JHU about ten years after graduating with an English degree from Penn State. I believe she completed the second degree in about three years, but it was VERY expensive. She ended up getting a loan from the V.A. to help pay for it, and then she owed them several years of service.

IF you go this route, try to figure out ways to pay for it that won’t leave you massively in debt.

The fact that you haven’t taken any math classes in a couple of years would give me pause too. I would take one as an elective and see how you do. College level calculus, when you haven’t taken a math class in three years, can be pretty intimidating!

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Can you get FA for that second bachelors? I think that may be what Mom2 is getting at. If you are getting generous aid now, that may only be a 4 year thing?

I would minor in the STEM and see if you still love it.

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<<<
I’m a low-income student and I have been my entire life. I am the one footing every single one of my bills and supporting myself on my own.
<<<

really?

You’re paying for Barnard? or is Barnard paying for Barnard?

And you’ll be paying the $40k-60k per year for the second bachelors?

Ok…if you’ll be paying the $240k for the second bachelors (no one will lend you that or give you aid for that), then go for it.

9

Could you minor in physics or astronomy, or take extra classes and even major in one of them?

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I sent you a PM.

11

If you are serious about those other majors, the time to start them (or as much of them as is possible) is right now. You may be able to get a math class this spring semester, and more math classes this summer. You might be able to fit in at least some of the courses during your junior and senior year, and scrape together some kind of minor. So go meet with the departments and get help with a plan of studies.

I know people who have returned to college to complete a second major, who have enrolled at a different college for a second bachelors degree, or who simply enrolled for enough classes to change fields of study before attending grad school in the new field. There is no financial aid for that kind of thing other than student loans. So it makes good sense to get as much done as possible while finishing your first degree in whatever field of study that happens to be. For the “re-treading” you will want to consider cheap options like community colleges and home-state public universities. Another option would be to get a job at a college or university where you can take classes for free as an employee benefit.

12

To answer your questions, OP

-Many colleges - perhaps most - do not admit students for a second bachelor’s. Certainly not most of the most reputable schools. You likely won’t go to the equivalent of Barnard to get a second bachelor’s. Usually the schools that allow you to do this are public regional universities. For example, City College and Hunter College (both CUNY colleges) both admit students for a second bachelor’s.

One notable exception is that the School of General Studies at Columbia will admit you for a second bachelor’s if you want one. Most of your classes will be the same classes that Columbia College or SEAS students would take.

-Whether a college will let you skip classes depends on the school. All colleges have certain requirements that have to be fulfilled; some colleges may let you fulfill some of those classes by transferring in a substitute class but others may require you to take them on campus. For example, one college may require all majors to take Physics 101 and 102 at their college and nowhere else, so even if you have the prerequisites you may have to retake it. Other colleges have a required course sequence - like maybe a university writing course, a special first-year writing seminar, or something like Columbia’s Core - that have to be taken there because there really is no substitute. (GS does let you substitute some of the Core courses but not all of them.) And all colleges have a certain number of credits you have to take “in residence” to get a degree there. That means the credits have to be completed there. That number is usually somewhere between 30 and 60.

So it’s usually not as simple as just racking up 40 credits in physics and collecting another bachelor’s.

-Funding for second bachelor’s degrees is not the same as funding for first ones. Most colleges won’t offer you the same sort of merit or financial need-based aid as you would get the first time around, and the same level of federal funding won’t be there, either.

-Earning a bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN) as a second degree is very different. The second BSN is one exception that some schools, including some top schools, have for second degree options - it’s a very popular option because many career-switchers are trying to get a BSN. A lot of these are accelerated programs that you can complete in 14-18 months, although some of them are more traditional 2-year programs. Johns Hopkins doesn’t normally take students who already have a bachelor’s degree from another institution; the accelerated BSN is the exception to that rule.

-There are lots of ways to explore your interests and scratch that itch without getting a second bachelor’s degree (which is very expensive). You can occasionally take some classes as a non-degree student; you can sit in on lectures and other events on campus that have to do with physics; or you can use your alumni library privileges and check out books and read articles on physics.

Also, just as a note…most adults have to choose between multiple interests in choosing what to pursue academically or professionally. I really love history, but I decided instead to study psychology. I scratch the itch in other ways. It’s not a crime against yourself - everyone is a varied creature with lots of different interests and passions. Sometimes you just have to pick something.

13

You mention you are autistic and that you have intense interests. Sounds like you can direct those interests into productive avenues. This may be a time when you may want to evaluate the utility of simply allowing your strong interest to direct you for another 4 years. Is that adaptive? Is it purposeful? Will it enhance your life or provide you with opportunities you would not otherwise have? I’ve know people with autism to spend enormous amounts of money and time on their “interests”, sometimes pulling their entire family into debt.You might want to consider whether pursuing another degree would be maladaptive and dysfunctional for you. I am not saying it would be. I am suggesting you explore that possibility.