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@Thunderlord587
0 answers, 11 votes
 • 4 years ago •
Admissions Advice

What course looks better to colleges?

Hi, I am currently a rising senior and I am planning my courses out for the school year. I plan to go into Chemical Engineering in college as my major so which course will look better to colleges: A business course that is unrelated to my major but it's AP weighted and gets me college credits from my local community college or a non-weighted Engineering Course that is on par with my major and covers in-depth the topics that will be covered in an Engineering Class to prepare prospective Engineering students? Please let me know which course will look better to colleges so I can pick the better option. Thanks so much and I look forward to hearing some useful information!

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3 answers

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@matchakombucha
50 answers, 219 votes
 • 4 years ago

For sure the Engineering course because it shows you are genuinely interested in your major and if you do well in it (A), it shows you passionate about learning about engineering. Since engineering majors are more competitive than humanities or other majors, it's better to stack your deck with cards that have something to do with your interests. Just my opinion of course. Best of luck.

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@DebaterMAX
899 answers, 740 votes
 • 4 years ago

Match’s answer was very simplistic so here’s my more in-depth thoughts as it’s a lot more complicated then x over y.

Personally I say it’s six half dozen the other assuming the business course has a significant math component. Otherwise I’d lean towards the engineering course but this also depends on A: what type of engineering course it is B: how sure you want to be an engineer and C: what schools you are looking at and D: your extracurriculars.

You may just be looking at non selective state schools like Iowa Oregon St Ole Miss UNLV Tennessee UMass-Lowell (all have around an 80% admit rate) then I’d say the engineering program becuase it gives you an understanding of engineering.

While at Stanford Rice Wash U ivies you may want the college course as that shows rigor. But if you have minimal STEM ECs you may want the engineering class to show that you really are interested in STEM.

Hope this helps and please comment if you need clarification as I’d be happy to help clarify!

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[🎤 AUTHOR]@Thunderlord5874 years ago

Thanks so much for your input! I have taken a lot of AP Courses throughout high school so I feel like I have demonstrated course rigor already. I have taken a total of 8 AP Courses and 6 Honors Courses. The business course is absolutely random in my opinion as it teaches us how to use Microsoft programs and other stuff. it's not even technically related to business but it is in the business category of my scholl's course listings.

[🎤 AUTHOR]@Thunderlord5874 years ago

I do really want to be an Engineer however and I am looking at schools like UIUC and Purdue and these are schools I really do want to get into. I feel like my ECS are good enough as I have done research in Chemical Engineering at NJIT and I am part of my school's robotics and science olympiad teams. Finally, with regard to the Engineering course itself, let me post the course description below.

[🎤 AUTHOR]@Thunderlord5874 years ago

If you think you want to be an engineer this course is for you! Engineering Technology is designed to be a pre-engineering experience. In a fun, hands-on, interactive environment, students will explore multiple engineering disciplines. Students will actively participate in this lab-based course to solve problems in Civil, Mechanical, and Aeronautical Engineering while using the design loop. Students will be challenged to utilize multiple engineering tools spanning from the Internet for research

@DebaterMAX4 years ago

Based on what you said it’s six half dozen the other as your schools are moderately selective. I’d say your rigor is good but not great and your STEM based ECs are very good for those schools. The only thing I can say is you seem to want to be a Chem Engineer and the class doesn’t cover it. Also due to the lack of stuff you learn in the “buisness” class I’d tilt towards the engineering class but ultimately it’s your own preference. Hope this helps.

0
@Jusbache23
5 answers, 0 votes
 • 2 years ago[edited]

hello

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