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E-PrinceWhen anyone asks me if I know which classes I’m taking next semester, I tell them that I’ve known since last year. As soon as I decided on my major and certificate programs, my schedule was basically set ...(back to the article)
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I really disagree with the idea that B.S.E. students are "bolder in their pursuit of innovation and academic advancement in their independent work", and I think it's offensive to insinuate that A.B. students write JPs with "perfunctory knowledge of a few different subjects and a brief overview of what their major entails".
Some majors have more regimented requirements, others do not. Some students enjoy being told exactly what classes to take, and others do not. I'm glad you like being an engineer! But there's no need to feel superior about it.
I'm not I agree with you, Sophia--as a BSE, I never felt like I had nearly the freedom that my AB friends had, even as a senior. That being said, being an engineer on the job market essentially qualifies you for just about any job in just about any field--consulting, banking, whatever. Though I'd suggest sticking with engineering, it's more fun...
I'M B.S.E.!
Compared to engineers from other schools, I think I have had much more freedom to take non-engineering classes, and I'm grateful for that. It's wonderful that engineers at Princeton who want to can dabble in certificates completely unrelated to their majors, which isn't necessarily the case for engineers at other schools.
As a BSE, I agree that the rigidity of the curriculum is inverted for us. I felt confined by my first two years as an engineer, but have had much more freedom of curriculum in my junior/senior year. Unfortunately, now that I get to explore, I've been questioning whether I want to be an engineer...too late.
@ sociology
I think that you somewhat missed the point of what Sophia was trying to say here. She wasn't making a blanket statement that all A.B. juniors have a superficial knowledge of their concentration. Rather, she was saying that those who didn't really have any idea what they wanted to do until the very end of their sophomore year are at a informational disadvantage compared with someone who had spent three to four previous semesters involved with their major.
This article is so boring. Please find something better to write about.
This article is not boring! It points out something that many upperclassmen experience here. Tons of my friends wished they had specialized earlier or had a more complete background in their respective fields before having to produce independent work.
I'm an AB student studying abroad right now at an institution that treats my major the way Princeton does BSE--you enter with a concentration and take nearly 100% of your classes in it. In a way, I'm experiencing half AB and half BSE.
I've been surprised how often I've had to rely on the phrase "I only declared last semester" to explain how the local students around me seem to have so many more tricks up their sleeve when it comes to independent work. As someone who'd like to come back to Princeton 2 or 3 more times to pursue other majors, I'm a huge fan of the liberal arts ideal, but this article reinforced my recent realization that there's depth, joy and considerable freedom in total immersion. Thanks, Sophia!