I'm ultimately shooting for engineering, but for some reason, I'm wanting to pursue math also. I'm too much of a coward to do both ( though it doesn't sound too crazy, right?)

I don't know where I read it, but I some time ago I read that the majority of engineering students drop their major because of either A) the math involved and it alongside the engineering courses and/or B) the realize that it's not something they really want to do.

So I decided to take down Math first, and then if I wanted to, continue with Engineering. I thought in this manner because, to me, if I get a degree in Math, and later decide not to work in a math-dominated field, then I can pretty much do whatever ( in terms of building from it). Whereas if I get a degree in some field of Engineering, and decide that I don't like it, I'm more or less stuck with it. Having read what I just typed, it doesn't quite make as much sense anymore.....

I guess my reasoning is to make a degree in Math my fall back plan in the event I suddenly decide that I don't like engineering. But as I am, I'm really looking forward to studying engineering, you know? So I ask... does any of this make sense at all?
Should I just go for engineering, or keep on the same track? Or should I man up and double major?


Anyone familiar with either field, please tell me your thoughts. Thanks.

Being an engineering major, I say go for engineering! I personally know I wanted to be an engineer, however I couldn't really tell you what field of engineering so I picked mechanical. We's everywhere.

Eh, applied math isn't bad if you want to keep your options varied. And you don't necessarily need to work in a field that's math dominated persay. FYI: One of my friends just took her first test of several on her way to becoming an actuary. Currently she's like OMG yay! if that's of any help.

In either case if you're planning on heading off to grad school, it's entirely possible to switch from either one to the other. From what I've heard from friends grad schools don't look so closely at your undergrad degree as long as its at least semi-related.

I was in the same boat as you about two ago, but I decided to take the plunge and do the double major, math and chemical engineering. If you think your pretty adept at math, then I think this route can be worth it, especially if you're planning to go to graduate school and do the whole research thing, since the more math you know the better if you're talking serious research, like Ph.D. and beyond(at least in chem. eng, I can't attest to other types of engineering but most likely its the same throughout)

Doing the double major is definitely a lot of work though, but in my opinion once you get to the more advanced math classes like analysis and abstract algebra, the work isn't that bad because most of your time is spent just thinking of how to prove one particular problem, then your done, and I spend more of my time doing engineering work and studying for engineering classes than I do for math. Plus, engineering alone is a lot of work, and if you're pretty good at math I don't think it really adds that much more work.

If you don't decide to do a double major though, I would recommend going for engineering, and maybe do a math minor or something, unless you're ready to go fully into math. I say that because there's not really that many opportunities for someone with a bachelors in math, not nearly as many as a bachelors in engineering, especially if you're not into statistics or don't want to teach in high school or elementary school. However, there are many more opportunities if you get your masters and especially your PhD in math, but of course that requires a serious commitment, and also a lot talent in math.

I guess my suggestion is to take classes in both fields to see if you really prefer one over another, and even if you don't want to do a double major, you can always minor in math, so at least you get exposed to some more math than most other engineers would.

If you're really interested in math, I would recommend doing the double major. If you decide to drop the math later, no one will bite your head off, and you will at least have learned something in the process.

I'm a math/physics double major btw.

I suggest engineering because I'm in my 3rd year of electrical engineering which is suppose to have the most math of all the other engineerings. If your really good in math then engineering will be a breeze. I finished all the math that was needed (calculus, advanced calculus,numerical analysis,vector and power series, complex functions most fourier analysis, and probability stats). I still have to specialize which is the hard part.

The down side about being an engineering is that you're always learning and technology is always changing, so you have to adapt. It's not like accounting whereas once you graduate you're pretty much finished learning.

Thanks for at least reading, and responding to my question(s).

I'm not quit sure if I'm good per say with math.
I don't hate it. I wouldn't go out of my way to do it, but I enjoy the challenge, you know? I think my only problem is knowing how to study it out of class. Up until about Calculus I, the concepts where kind of easy to come about without studying. But as soon as I land Cal II, when I got a 30% on the first test, I'm like "what's this thing called study? ...maybe I should try it". I suppose I began to question my intentions based on the notion ( be it absurd or not) that a major chosen should be an area where someone already excels. And seeing as I had trouble with that test, it threw me off. I think I see now that I picked this major because I want to learn more, not because I already know. But I find studying difficult to do. :)

Back on topic, so to speak, I'm going for the double major. I'd sooner try both, than finish one, and start over. The math minor does sound interesting, but for some reason not all appealing to me. In all honesty, I had hoped to study engineering overseas in Japan or perhaps elsewhere. I think that's primarily why I wanted to separate the math and engineering. Meh, I'll just have to think through it all.

Thanks for the responses, as they really helped.

To calm your fears somewhat, in my experience even if you don't breeze through a calculus class, especially calc 2,3 or 4, doesn't mean you won't be good in the higher level math classes(of course it doesn't necessarily mean you will be good either).

These classes require a fair amount of memorization and not much problem solving in my opinion, and this goes away in the higher math classes, for the most part. Of course it doesn't mean the higher math classes are easy, they just require more creativity and especially an ability to understand purely abstract concepts without much reference to concrete notions.

I hardly ever study for the higher math classes, because the tests aren't a bunch of problems requiring you to spit out what you learned before, but a couple proofs you have to do that test if you can figure out a problem on your own using stuff you learned previously. For some people, like myself, this is a preferable over earlier math classes, but then again a lot of people seem to struggle with learning to rigorously prove things.

If you do the double major though, and it doesn't work out and you have to drop the math, at the very least you will have been exposed to more math than you would have which is always good, and you may be able to get a minor out of it, so I think its worth it.