Deciding on what to study

[Milesd5]

Hello, I am currently going to be a Junior in high school and about now is the usual time for college talk. I have been doing a little research on my own, and it may be a little early, but thats just how i am. Anyways, the reason i am posting is because i can't decide yet on what i want to study. now i know... its a little early, but still, i want to get a head start so i can change my mind in time if need be. I love chemistry. its what i love. but i also love doing things, changing peoples creations, and problem solving. and that is why i am stuck between studying chemistry, or chemical engineering. please if you could give me some advice that would be very nice, ie what would a job out of college be for both majors, where are good colleges for them, or what i really should think about when deciding. thank you!

[Ghaz]

if you love chemistry then gop for it..............engineering you can do at home because you are interested in it but do something u love so go for chemistry:)

Hello, I am currently going to be a Junior in high school and about now is the usual time for college talk. I have been doing a little research on my own, and it may be a little early, but thats just how i am. Anyways, the reason i am posting is because i can't decide yet on what i want to study. now i know... its a little early, but still, i want to get a head start so i can change my mind in time if need be. I love chemistry. its what i love. but i also love doing things, changing peoples creations, and problem solving. and that is why i am stuck between studying chemistry, or chemical engineering. please if you could give me some advice that would be very nice, ie what would a job out of college be for both majors, where are good colleges for them, or what i really should think about when deciding. thank you!

[DrRocket]

Hello, I am currently going to be a Junior in high school and about now is the usual time for college talk. I have been doing a little research on my own, and it may be a little early, but thats just how i am. Anyways, the reason i am posting is because i can't decide yet on what i want to study. now i know... its a little early, but still, i want to get a head start so i can change my mind in time if need be. I love chemistry. its what i love. but i also love doing things, changing peoples creations, and problem solving. and that is why i am stuck between studying chemistry, or chemical engineering. please if you could give me some advice that would be very nice, ie what would a job out of college be for both majors, where are good colleges for them, or what i really should think about when deciding. thank you!

 

Chemistry is science. It is basically the study of how atoms combine to form molecules and the resulting properties of those molecules. As with all sciences the primary objective is the discovery and understanding of the fundamental principles involved. Chemists very commonly deal with small scale reactions under very well controlled laboratory conditions.

 

Chemical engineering is not science. It is engineering. The objective of engineering is the development of useful and beneficial products, coomonly involving complex and incompletely characterization of real-world systems, often resulting in the face of incomplete understanding of the underlying science, and nearly always withy schedule and economic constraints. Chemical engineers make extensive use of chemistry, but are not chemists. Chemical engineers commonly deal with large scale industrial chemical reactions, and control of those reactions so as to produce consistent product in large quantity.

 

In industry there is much interplay between chemists and chemical engineers, and people educated in one discipline may find themselves doing work that might be seen as being associated with the other.

 

It should be quite easy at the undergraduate college level to switch between the two disciplines, so you have a lot of time to make up your mind. There is much overlap in the first couple of years of study.

 

University colleges often hold open houses for prospectivev freshmen. You might attend one or more and talk to both some chemists and chemical engineers. Most state universities have adequate departments in both disciplines. You can also seek information from engineering societies and the American Chemical Society.

[Milesd5]

Are there any Universities that are good for both degrees? I live in California so the UC's are definitely in my sights. I do have moderately good grades, could be better, but not bad, above a 3.5 gpa. Also what are jobs like out of college? and which are there more job opportunities for? Thanks for your help.

[DrRocket]

Are there any Universities that are good for both degrees? I live in California so the UC's are definitely in my sights. I do have moderately good grades, could be better, but not bad, above a 3.5 gpa. Also what are jobs like out of college? and which are there more job opportunities for? Thanks for your help.

 

Any good university will have adequate or better programs in chemistry and chemical engineering. The various UC campuses are excellent.

 

Job experience will depend on what you wind up doing. A chemist developing new molecules for the pharmacy industry will see different things from a chemical engineer working in an oil refinery, which is different from a propellant chemist compounding new rocket fuel, or a chemical engineer working on combustion processes for a power generation company.

 

Eugene Wigner, the Nobel Laureate noted for introducing group theory methods to quantum mechanics, was educated as a chemical engineer. You are not confined narrowly by any degree.

Edited July 26, 2011 by DrRocket

[Milesd5]

Any good university will have adequate or better programs in chemistry and chemical engineering. The various UC campuses are excellent.

 

Job experience will depend on what you wind up doing. A chemist developing new molecules for the pharmacy industry will see different things from a chemical engineer working in an oil refinery, which is different from a propellant chemist compounding new rocket fuel, or a chemical engineer working on combustion processes for a power generation company.

 

Eugene Wigner, the Nobel Laureate noted for introducing group theory methods to quantum mechanics, was educated as a chemical engineer. You are not confined narrowly by any degree.

 

Ok thank you very much. Currently i am looking at UC Davis' Chemical Engineering program. I would love to end up working more in the environmental section of chemical engineering. Currently i go to Midland School in southern california (midland-school.org) which has influenced my focus on more environmental aspects of the future.