pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

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fh2000
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pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by fh2000 »

My daughter is going on sophomore in September in a California public university. She has enough funds from her UTMA account for all of the 4 years. Our income level disqualifies her for any aids.

She has enough AP credits and also waived 2nd language requirement so she could graduate in 3 years. She is thinking of picking up double major or a minor so that would take total 4 years for college since money is there.

She is also thinking of just finishing one major in 3 years, and going on to graduate school for the rest of the money. She will only need to come up with 2nd year cost that way. We do not have plans for her graduate school cost for the moment.

What would be the pros and cons?
Random Poster
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by Random Poster »

What is the current major, and what would the second major be?

Being able to say that you got through college in 3 years is more impressive, in my view, than saying that you have 2 majors. But that could be because I can, and I don't. :D
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cheese_breath
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by cheese_breath »

What are her career aspirations? Shouldn't her college plans be directed towards whatever best prepares her for that?
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by jmg229 »

Random Poster wrote:What is the current major, and what would the second major be?

Being able to say that you got through college in 3 years is more impressive, in my view, than saying that you have 2 majors. But that could be because I can, and I don't. :D
I'll put in one vote for the opposite due to my own personal experiences. A second major can be helpful if you don't have a clear picture of how you want to attain a certain career path and may open up more entry-level or graduate school possibilities. There is also something to be said for the social value of staying on track with your peers and having another year to experiment with or establish certain relationships or activities.

That being said, if it is an engineer looking to pick up an art history major just for the fun of it, it's probably not a great use of resources.
Day9
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by Day9 »

I majored in Computer Science (for a job) and minored in Philosophy (for the fulfillment) and did not graduate early. I never regretted my choice.

A friend graduated in 3 years but she regrets not having the full "college experience".
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by MGBGTV8 »

I started my Master's Degree as an undergrad, since I had time in my schedule, but couldn't graduate early due to the sequence of classes necessary for my engineering degree. Study abroad my also be a good use of the time/resource, since international experience is valuable in business today.

My vote would be to look into a Master's Degree. That's what will get you hired or more salary. A second major is just "nice," but also worth taking advantage of if the resources are available.
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momar
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by momar »

If she is going on to graduate school, there is no reason for a double major.
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LifeLearner
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by LifeLearner »

Don't double major and finish in 4 is my recommendation.

Double majoring is next to useless. It's not going to impress anyone unless you manage to do two very difficult majors like CS and Engineering.
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fh2000
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by fh2000 »

Day9 wrote:I majored in Computer Science (for a job) and minored in Philosophy (for the fulfillment) and did not graduate early. I never regretted my choice.

A friend graduated in 3 years but she regrets not having the full "college experience".
My daughter's current major (you see she has already changed her mind 2 times) is Economics. He 2nd major would be Music. She plays piano and passed 10th level Certificate of Merit in California.

Her current thinking is to go on Economics or other business graduate school (since DW has MBA) earning money by tutoring piano. So, she wouldn't be finishing college experience in just 3 years.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by ThatGuy »

A graduate degree would be a vastly superior use of the dollars, if return on investment is what you are asking. Two or more bachelor degrees don't really mean much unless very specifically paired. Many universities offer dual tracks for common pairings, such as electrical engineering and computer science (EE/CS degree), which waters down the cachet of an extra degree.

On the otherhand, I would snap up an engineering/english literature double major in a heart beat. Any monkey can be taught to do basic technical stuff by rote memorization, but very few monkeys can properly communicate their thought process to another monkey. I fully recognize my own inadequacies with the written word, for instance.

That said, many major companies give compensation based on pay rates from HR, which commonly give a ~$10,000 bump for a masters degree to a new hire (engineering).
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by stan1 »

I don't think graduating from college in 3 years is going to impress very many people (especially when the circumstances are explained that its becaues of AP credits carried over from high school). A strong summer job/internship will add more value to her resume. Keep in mind that many business schools actually prefer students to have several years of work experience after an undergraduate degree prior to enrollment. I'd suggest graduating in 4 years with the double major, taking an internship, getting a job, and then after a few years going on for an MBA at a top tier school if she's still interested.

It's not just about collecting diplomas. A well rounded, emotionally mature individual with good critical thinking skills will succeed in anything she chooses.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by JupiterJones »

fh2000 wrote: Her 2nd major would be Music.
If I were her, I'd go for the double major without a moment's hesitation.

This, in fact, is the ideal double-major situation. One major in a subject that you (presumably) don't hate, which will give you good job prospects. Another major in a subject you have a talent and passion for, but that will likely not lead to the most lucrative career in the world.

You'll graduate with options. Continue to pursue music (performing, teaching, etc.) and have the econ degree to fall back on. Or follow the econ path for a career and maintain music as an avocation--being glad that you snapped up the learning opportunities when you could. Or combine the two somehow (for example, go into non-profit performing arts consulting/fund raising, or play wedding gigs to support yourself while you go to grad school for econ).
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by harrychan »

If her 2nd major is going to be music, don't do it. Music is not going to complement her economics degree and as a person who has hired numerous people in the past, I wouldn't give a hoot. Graduate early and the one year she starts income is going to make a BIG different down the road in terms of starting her retirement accounts. Save the funds for graduate school later.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by barnaclebob »

If I knew I was going to grad school and it came down to using the money for a 4th year of college or the 1st year of grad school, I'd choose grad school any day of the week. However she might be able to get grad school paid for by an employer...
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by gkaplan »

harrychan wrote:If her 2nd major is going to be music, don't do it. Music is not going to complement her economics degree and as a person who has hired numerous people in the past, I wouldn't give a hoot. Graduate early and the one year she starts income is going to make a BIG different down the road in terms of starting her retirement accounts. Save the funds for graduate school later.

How about complementing her as an interesting person, meeting new people, opening new vistas?
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Watty
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by Watty »

Even with all the changes music is still a huge industry and there are lots of people other than the performers who make very good livings working in the music and entertainment industry.

There are no doubt all sorts of different music degrees and so she might be able to find one that prepares her to work in the industry in the business side of it instead of the performing or history side of it.
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ScarletIris
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by ScarletIris »

I can tell you what I did in the same situation: I went to grad school early. I've never regretted it. Saved a year's tuition and a year of my life.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by epilnk »

harrychan wrote:If her 2nd major is going to be music, don't do it. Music is not going to complement her economics degree and as a person who has hired numerous people in the past, I wouldn't give a hoot. Graduate early and the one year she starts income is going to make a BIG different down the road in terms of starting her retirement accounts. Save the funds for graduate school later.
You'd turn her down, but I'd have snapped her up - I always went for the "above and beyond" types and never regretted it. I had plenty of plain vanilla candidates to choose from, so something that added more breadth and depth always moved candidates to the top of the pile. Of course I was hiring entry level scientists, so maybe not the most relevant example.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by harrychan »

gkaplan wrote:
harrychan wrote:If her 2nd major is going to be music, don't do it. Music is not going to complement her economics degree and as a person who has hired numerous people in the past, I wouldn't give a hoot. Graduate early and the one year she starts income is going to make a BIG different down the road in terms of starting her retirement accounts. Save the funds for graduate school later.

How about complementing her as an interesting person, meeting new people, opening new vistas?
She already accomplished that with her 10 level certificate of merit. OP never mentioned the daughter wants to get into the music industry. I highly doubt any business is going to put her advantage over another candidate simply because she has a minor in music.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by Moranall »

The music minor is only helpful to her only if she has plans of joining a renowned orchestra/symphony or is unable to practice/perform independently. Music is like art: you don't need a piece of paper to show off your talent and I largely think going to college for music isn't very valuable. She certainly doesn't need to be a music major/minor (pun intended) in order to tutor on the side.

It's hard to be a business major (including economics) and go to grad school immediately for an MBA - many MBA programs require job experience anymore. If she's going to grad school for another subject, that's a different story.

My recommendation is to aim to graduate in 3 years. Apply for jobs and grad school in her final year and make her decision then. It's much easier to aim for 3 years and slow down to 4 than it is to aim for 4 years and speed up to 3 or 3 and a half. She's only completed one year of college so it's likely her mind will change as it is.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by Frobie »

Does she like being in college? Would she enjoy taking a year to study music?

There are obviously advantages to not “wasting” a year. But if the goal is to start gathering a heap of money so that later in life she can have the financial ability to do things like, oh, I dunno, take music classes at a local university, I’d consider spending the year now doing something she enjoys anything but wasting it.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by RobInCT »

I would let the choice be entirely hers. How does she feel about college? If she likes it, is having a good social experience, is friends with a lot of people in her class, she may want to stay 4 years for the "college experience." If she's mixed, mostly hanging out with friends from home, bored, then graduating in 3 might be a good option.

Personally, I do a lot of hiring and am very impressed when I see people with double-majors in disparate fields. If someone majored in literature and physics, I know that person has strong math skills but is also a good writer and doesn't have tunnel-vision about the scientific world. I also think that person is quite likely to be an interesting colleague with wide exposure to lots of areas of interest. Physics/math tells me the person works hard and is good at math.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by YttriumNitrate »

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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by cheese_breath »

Since college is not an inexpensive proposition I normally consider the dollars spent there to be an investment in preparing the student to enter his chosen career field and don’t have much use for self-realization courses that have little or no practical application after college. But your daughter has already demonstrated that music is not trivial to her and most likely will continue to play an important part in her life even if she doesn’t pursue a musical career. I try to think ahead some years and wonder if she might regret taking an extra year to get her masters and maybe even having to pay part of the expense herself. And I think probably not. Then I wonder if she might regret not getting a music degree when she had the chance. And I think probably yes. So in this case, because music will most likely continue to have an important place in her life regardless of her occupation, I vote for the double major.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by frugaltype »

Random Poster wrote:What is the current major, and what would the second major be?

Being able to say that you got through college in 3 years is more impressive, in my view, than saying that you have 2 majors. But that could be because I can, and I don't. :D
I'm a three yearer, and I can't remember that ever coming up in a job interview. I don't know how you'd put it on a resume. I went to grad school at the same place I was an undergrad.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by Spirit Rider »

Put me in the minority with a contrary view.

I would prefer someone with a second major in Music or Philosophy over anyone with a Masters.

I have seen over and over again people with a Music education having far greater critical thinking and creative thinking skills than any thing else. We are not talking a few anecdotal cases here, we are talking significant numbers.

Give me a bright bulb with half a clue who can really think and get things done and I will show you someone who will do great things for your organization.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by mlipps »

MGBGTV8 wrote:Study abroad my also be a good use of the time/resource, since international experience is valuable in business today.
This gets my vote as well, especially with an econ degree.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by Random Poster »

frugaltype wrote:I'm a three yearer, and I can't remember that ever coming up in a job interview. I don't know how you'd put it on a resume. I went to grad school at the same place I was an undergrad.
Stating "completed college in 3 years" in the description of your collegiate achievements is one way. There are other ways to do so. It came up in several of my early career interviews. Who knows if it helped get a job offer--it certainly didn't seem to hurt.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by livesoft »

Spirit Rider wrote:Give me a bright bulb with half a clue who can really think and get things done and I will show you someone who will do great things for your organization.
Yes, but those folks can still have graduated in 3 years. :)
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by kramer »

stan1 wrote:I don't think graduating from college in 3 years is going to impress very many people (especially when the circumstances are explained that its becaues of AP credits carried over from high school). A strong summer job/internship will add more value to her resume. Keep in mind that many business schools actually prefer students to have several years of work experience after an undergraduate degree prior to enrollment. I'd suggest graduating in 4 years with the double major, taking an internship, getting a job, and then after a few years going on for an MBA at a top tier school if she's still interested.

It's not just about collecting diplomas. A well rounded, emotionally mature individual with good critical thinking skills will succeed in anything she chooses.
The above is a very good post worth rereading.

That would be strange (to me) that she goes straight to MBA school after her undergraduate -- this is almost always done after several years of work experience, at least for any top tier school.

The key to getting hired and starting your career well is having good internships and work experience and the skills and connections those bring. It also helps one to realize more about what they really want to do. All of that in a well-rounded and emotionally mature individual and that is a great mix.

I am less knowledgeable about graduate school for economics, but in science and engineering many times there is little money for the student to pay. They earn their way via TA-ships or research internships or have scholarships. Obviously, this varies all over the map.

Also, applying for graduate schools AND scholarships AND going to visit some of those schools in the spring AND applying for your summer job is a huge time sync. That is tough to fit into a 3 year undergrad schedule.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by livesoft »

kramer wrote:The key to getting hired and starting your career well is having good internships and work experience and the skills and connections those bring. It also helps one to realize more about what they really want to do. All of that in a well-rounded and emotionally mature individual and that is a great mix.
Good advice, but it has little to do with the 3 year or 4 year question.

I graduated in 3 years. I also worked about 20 hours a week every semester and full-time every summer including a paid internship in my career field the summer after my second year.

I don't see any reason to sandbag and spend a 4th year in college.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by winglessangel31 »

Double-majoring in a non-related field is a plus, as described earlier. It also helps you think from very many perspectives. This is a plus. Unless she actually doesn't want to do it... in which case she should totally just graduate and start the next phase of her life. :)
Finishing college in 3 years is no big deal, and stating that in one's resume shouldn't really make someone who knows better bat an eyelid. Lots of other colleges and universities in other countries graduate their graduates in 3 years; American colleges actually spend more time than others (the stereotype is that American college students spend less time on academics than their foreign counterparts). This, to me, is a "so what?"
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by Dumbo »

I double majored in Psychology and Communications. Then went on to grad school in Engineering. The best financial decision was getting that Engineering masters because of the money but I really loved what I learned in Psych and even though Mass Comm was a silly field I really enjoyed it a lot. I learned quite a bit about our media, history of media, etc and overall it was a pleasant experience. I'd highly recommend minoring in Music, especially as a compliment to her Engineering degree. I can't count number of times people have asked me "So Psych and Communications?" during interviews. It's always a pleasant thing to talk about since it was near and dear to me.

For future job prospects and income, getting an internship or co-op is absolutely critical. I can't say that enough times. All her energy should go into getting at least 1 if not 2 internships no matter the cost. In my area those pay between low 23-35 an hour. Those two internships will either lead to a job offer in the end or will make her a top candidate later on elsewhere.

On Masters degree. In my subset of the field it's also been a key differentiator and a huge asset. If she's doing Computer Science then a masters is worthless basically because they're hurting so much for good CS people that MS is not that necessary to land a good paying job.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by SnapShots »

My recommendation would be DD finish in 3 years. Move away from home, out of state, somewhere she thinks she wants to be. Get a job, any job and work for a year or two to figure out what she wants to do. DD will figure out pretty quick she needs a skill, to make enough $$$$ to take care of herself. Then, she should go back and get a GRADUATE degree. Forget a double major.

She's wants to get a double major and spend another year in school, because DD doesn't know what she wants to do. DD needs some real life experience in the work world and taking care of herself. All kids do. :beer
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by donall »

I had this same decision when I was in undergrad. I went for three years, since I had to pay. Hiring managers notice this and assume you are hard-working and can manage your time, giving you an edge. Plus you are earning money an extra year.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by Coinsinthefountain »

Well-meaning advice aside, she needs to listen to her heart and do what it says. We all have small regrets but some of us are nursing big regrets. I wish I’d…What if I’d… It’s been shown that people who pursue their dream and fail end up happier than people who never chase their dream.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by JMacDonald »

Getting a college degree for a career is important. But also getting an education is important also. I see no reason to rush and finish in three years. You daughter will have a lifetime to work. She will only have this opportunity to do something she must love doing: playing the piano. She should go for the double major if that is her desire.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by livesoft »

@Joe, did you really just write that she wouldn't play the piano ever again if she didn't get a music degree? ;)

One would hope that she would have plenty of opportunities to play piano the rest of her life.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by mbenz1997 »

Here's an alternative perspective - if she decides to go to medical school, admissions committees will eat up a candidate with a double major in non-science fields (assuming she has the prereqs or goes back and does them later).

I think the double major in 4 years will do her much more good than harm. Sure you'll save a few bucks, but you have a chance to expand your network, meet different types of people in different classes, learn to think in different ways, and enjoy another year of college. It's the last time you'll have that kind of "freedom" surrounded by so many people your age. I would say go for it.

I studied chemistry and minored in biology. *yawn*. I would have told my younger self to study history and econ.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by William4u »

mbenz1997 wrote:Here's an alternative perspective - if she decides to go to medical school, admissions committees will eat up a candidate with a double major in non-science fields (assuming she has the prereqs or goes back and does them later).
This is true. A double major in a STEM major + a humanity major historically has been accepted to Med School at DOUBLE the rate of students who are all STEM. It is a huge advantage to have that second humanities major if she wants Med School.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by MathWizard »

Finish in 3 years, and either get a job or go to grad school.

Alternatively, get an internship for a summer and a semester so she can try out a
company and they can try out her.

What she loses is not one year's tuition, but either the last year of income, or
one year of her life.
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dziuniek
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by dziuniek »

Maybe this is a wild idea, but how about finishing college in 3 years and then studying music in France or anywhere in the world for a year?
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by Kosmo »

Finish early. Save the money for grad school. Play the piano for fun.

I went to college with 2 guys who double majored. One was engineering and physics, the other was engineering and music. The guy who was in the music program even had his music advisor tell him to give it up. A degree is music may be fun and interesting, but not at all practical or useful. If she's already an accomplished pianist, why bother spending an extra year in college and all that money to get a piece of paper saying so?
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Phineas J. Whoopee
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by Phineas J. Whoopee »

What is her purpose for higher education? Is her purpose to get a sheepskin to screw the man out of his money; or is it to learn something and learn how to learn more things?

Notice I didn't ask what is the purpose. I asked what is her purpose.

If her purpose is to get a leg up on an entry-level position in industry I'd go with grad school.

If her purpose is to find a way to live with herself during what may well be a soul-crushing career, the calculus might be different.

How likely does she think it is that she can garner support for grad school? In-demand students for in-demand subjects are often given grants to cover tuition, plus teaching- or research-assistantships for stipends. Graduate programs may look kindly on people with multiple skill sets. What are the specifics? I mean, from her point of view?

Why not create a way to do both?

Notice I didn't say find. I said create.

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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by VictoriaF »

LifeLearner wrote:Don't double major and finish in 4 is my recommendation.
That's my recommendation, too.

She can take the lowest allowable number of courses each semester to get all A's. She can do research work with professors. She can study abroad. She can start a Master's-level program. All these options would provide her with better credentials than a double major or an early graduation.

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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by swaption »

I'll put it slightly different. What if she was finishing in four years, had the money available, and was deciding whether to stay a fifth year to complete a double major? How is that any different? I personally think this is an easy choice, but obviously a personal decision. Finish in 3 years and then graduate school, either right away, or after taking some time to do other things. I graduated as an electrical engineer in less tha 4 years, used the extra time to gain work experience, which led me to the conclusion that I didn't want to be an engineer. The fact that I finished in less than 4 years was absolutely beneficial in terms of those looking at my background.
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Phineas J. Whoopee
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by Phineas J. Whoopee »

VictoriaF wrote:...
All these options would provide her with better credentials than a double major or an early graduation.
Victoria
Therein, Victoria, lies, I believe, the heart of our contention.

Is the primary purpose of education to obtain credentials; or is it to learn - to learn to think critically, and to learn to learn on one's own, and to learn to do so both rapidly and well?

I'm aware of the straw-man response. Yes, there exist individuals who can do and have done all of those things without going to college at all. Ray Croc. Harry Truman. Abraham Lincoln. Most of our modern economic heroes did go to college, even if they didn't finish; but they left because their minds raced ahead of even the most challenging educational experiences our society can place on offer. I say without rancor: bully for them!

The idea one can work out a person's potential from their results is very much in line with a Calvinist point of view. I detect it often on the forum. I didn't say it's incorrect; nor did I say it's right. I only said I detect it.

You and I can agree to disagree.

But only if you disagree.

PJW
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VictoriaF
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by VictoriaF »

Phineas J. Whoopee wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:...
All these options would provide her with better credentials than a double major or an early graduation.
Victoria
Therein, Victoria, lies, I believe, the heart of our contention.

Is the primary purpose of education to obtain credentials; or is it to learn - to learn to think critically, and to learn to learn on one's own, and to learn to do so both rapidly and well?

I'm aware of the straw-man response. Yes, there exist individuals who can do and have done all of those things without going to college at all. Ray Croc. Harry Truman. Abraham Lincoln. Most of our modern economic heroes did go to college, even if they didn't finish; but they left because their minds raced ahead of even the most challenging educational experiences our society can place on offer. I say without rancor: bully for them!

The idea one can work out a person's potential from their results is very much in line with a Calvinist point of view. I detect it often on the forum. I didn't say it's incorrect; nor did I say it's right. I only said I detect it.

You and I can agree to disagree.

But only if you disagree.

PJW
Phineas,

I responded in the context of credentials, because that seemed to be the OP's interest. I agree that the ability to think critically and learning to learn on one's own are of great importance. I don't think that the development of these abilities is at odds with the acquisition of credentials. None of the options I have outlined (fewer classes, research, study abroad, MS-level work) would preclude a talented student from thinking critically.

Victroria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
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BolderBoy
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by BolderBoy »

ThatGuy wrote:A graduate degree would be a vastly superior use of the dollars, if return on investment is what you are asking.
+1, without a doubt, IMO.
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Re: pick up double major or finish college in 3 years?

Post by 168gr »

mbenz1997 wrote:Here's an alternative perspective - if she decides to go to medical school, admissions committees will eat up a candidate with a double major in non-science fields (assuming she has the prereqs or goes back and does them later).
Not to derail the thread too much (I didn't see the OP say his daughter had any interest in med school) but I'm going to throw out two contrary opinions to that.

1) Med school admission is a numbers game. Adcoms won't care one bit about the 2nd major or extracurricular anything if the applicant doesn't have the gpa and MCAT numbers to be competitive. A lot of premeds dilute their efforts with extracurricular work or nonacademic passions they think will make them "interesting" to adcoms, only to get lower grades and then lose out to one-dimensional applicants with top numbers. Sucks, but it's the cold hard truth.

2) Educational debt is becoming an astounding weight on new doctors. Huge unsubsidized loans sit and compound during long years of poorly paid internship and residency. I'd think twice about blowing a year of tuition (and lost prime-of-life earnings) on an extra undergrad year.

I was a physiology major with minors in computer science and literature, then went on to medical school. The only reason I did enough classes for the minor credit was because an injury delayed my med school application for a year. (College was cheap back then so I hung out an extra year, tacked on some extra classes, drank beer, and goofed off.) The adcoms weren't really impressed that I could write well in English and a couple of programming languages, but you better believe they wanted a solid explanation for why an injury and surgery and missed classes torpedoed my gpa for a whole academic quarter. Med school admissions are about numbers. Everything else is fluff.


All that said, a double major in a scientific discipline and a humanity sure has potential to make a terrific employee, and a great human being too.
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