Q: (Initially posted May 10, 2004) FROM STUDENT MEMBER JANIS L. IN IL
In my high school years, what should I do to prepare for the engineering field in college? Would I be able to double major in Electrical Engineering and Chemical Engineering? If so, how long would it take me to finish?

May 12, 2004
A: FROM MENTOR KYRIAKI PAPADARATSAKIS IN NJ
Janis,
The best way to prepare for an engneering career field is by taking as many math classess as possible (including calculus) and physics. Although you will take these again in college to fulfill your prerequisites, it helped me in the first two years to have a fundamental understanding of these subjects. If your high school offers them, try to take the advanced placement courses.
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A: FROM MENTOR CHARLENE CASSIDY IN SC
Janis, there are a number of important things you can do in high school to prepare for studying engineering in college. High on that list is to develop good study habits! Learning (and practicing) how take clear, concise notes, reading lessons prior to lecture, doing homework on time, and outlining to prepare for exams will help ease your "study burden". Keep a notebook with homework problems and solutions (for things like calculus, chemistry, physics...) When it comes time to prepare for exams, you'll be organized and not scrambling. Also try to take a calculus course while still in high school -- having an introduction to it will help when you take it in college (14 years ago it was optional in my high school -- things may have changed now). I'm sure your schools college prep curriculum requires physics and chemistry, if you are able to take advanced chemistry or a second chemistry course, that might not be a bad idea, since you are interest in chemical engineering, but not a must.

As far as a dual major in EE and ChE, I don't see why you couldn't obtain a dual major, some of the initial credit requirements (math, physics, arts/humanities, etc) will be the same, but once you "declare" a specific major (sometime in your sophomore year) you will have to fulfill the credit requirements for each major. Most single-major students usually take 4.5 to 5 years to graduate these days. I would think that a double major of this type would require an additional 2 to 2.5 years. These are two of the toughest engineering curricula, in my opinion, both requiring a significant amount of lecture and lab time, not to mention prep time outside of class (I had a roommate in college who was a ChE major, and she spent a lot of time in the lab). I'm not sure why you want or need a dual major in ChE and EE. Have you considered a minor in one of these areas? I'm not trying to discourage you, but you should really think about what your goals are and if a major/minor combination would better fit your goals.
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A: FROM MENTOR DEBORAH GRUBBE IN DE
You can major in both Electrical Engineering and Chemical Engineering! It
has been done, and many classes are the same the first year, and a few
classes are the same after that! If you work hard, you should be able to
finish the double major in 6 years! Good luck! Pick a section of
electrical engineering that is related to chemical engineering for an
easier time of it. For example, biomedical fits into both the electrical
and chemical engineering fields!