I am not so sure if I can get a degree in my dream major anymore

Dear Sorour:

I am glad to hear that you are interested in an engineering degree; it’s a pre-professional degree program that will enhance your employment options for a lifetime. Chemical engineering is a particularly broadly applicable degree in that you can move into many quite different industries after graduation (from consumer products to electronic devices to chemicals to agriculture to medicine).

A chemical engineering education sits squarely where chemistry and mathematics intersect. So the best preparation for getting into this major is to have the right background in these two subjects. Be sure to have a firm foundation in an introductory calculus class and have taken at least one (and preferably two) introductory chemistry courses, the so-called “gen chem” (general chemistry variety).  Taking AP Chemistry, for instance, would be good preparation. Having good skills in these two areas are the biggest markers for someone who will do well in chemical engineering. All engineers need to be good at math. So if math is not your strong point, for example, then a program like chemistry or pharmacy which are less math-focused might be a better fit.  Your GPA is not the only determiner for admission, so keep at your schoolwork and do your best.

I hope this helps and good luck with your studies.

Paulette Clancy