Ta-Tyonna, Stockbridge AddedTuesday, October 20, 2015 at 2:25 PM I would like to do research on diseases Hi there, I'm in a tough place right now. I'm a freshman majoring in chemical engineering and i'm in the RETP (Regents Engineering Transfer Program), which would allow me to transfer over to Georgia Tech, the only school in my state that has chemical engineering. My #1 goal is to end up in disease research for diseases such as ALS and Huntington's disease; however, I have been contemplating leaving the RETP program, due to the change in tuition I would have to pay when/if I transfer and the rigorous nature of the program. If I opt out of the program, I will have to change my major since my school does not offer chemical engineering. I feel like I could major in chemistry and go to graduate school for a degree in chemical engineering, but would that still allow for me to end up doing disease research? Related to Chemical, Choosing a Degree, Unique Challenges Reset Sort By Default Paulette Clancy , Cornell University Answered Tuesday, October 20, 2015 at 2:25 PM Staying at your current university because of the cheaper tuition is quite understandable. Student loans can be onerous. However, I would first check what kind of financial aid you might get at Ga. Tech. – a good financial aid package might make it affordable. You are correct that Ga. Tech.’s engineering college is certainly prestigious and the level of competition there will be intense, no doubt. However, I would encourage you to test yourself and not necessarily shy away from the rigor of whichever program you choose. You have to find a place where you are challenged and working at a higher level than you thought possible, without being too far in over your head. That’s the difficult balance to achieve in an undergraduate program. One other point, getting a degree from a university like Georgia Tech can really open doors for its graduates. If your end goal is research into human diseases, there are quite a few majors that you might consider. Probably the most obvious one is a biology degree (or microbiology or biochemistry or immunology or molecular medicine). A chemistry or a chemical engineering degree can also be good conduits to a research program that is focused on human disease. Chemical engineering degrees are notoriously challenging as you have to be good at both chemistry and math. One final comment, if you want to go into an MS/PhD program you will need a very good GPA in your undergraduate major and you will need some undergraduate research experience. So you will need to work hard and find at least one good research faculty mentor along the way to help guide your career towards grad school. But it’s a wonderful goal to have and I hope you succeed. All the best in the next three years of your undergraduate program.