Undergraduate Major choice at ISU

[sleestakCy]

My son will be a frosh at ISU this fall starting out in Design. I know that he is not entirely sold on a design major and is keeping his options open. He will also be taking Econ 101 and Calc 1 this fall. He is also thinking of a major in Econ, math, or geology but is really open to a lot of possibilities except engineering.

What majors at ISU are known to have really good undergraduate teaching? Anyone with experience in the math, econ, or geology departments?

I am excited to have son at ISU this fall as opposed to U Iowa where I teach as I grew up an ISU fan.

 

[MNclone]

I would look at it in terms of the job opportunities after graduation.
Math
Econ
Design
Geology (unless it is related to oil, which would move this to #1.)

 

[Trainer]

My son will be a frosh at ISU this fall starting out in Design. I know that he is not entirely sold on a design major and is keeping his options open. He will also be taking Econ 101 and Calc 1 this fall. He is also thinking of a major in Econ, math, or geology but is really open to a lot of possibilities except engineering.

What majors at ISU are known to have really good undergraduate teaching? Anyone with experience in the math, econ, or geology departments?

I am excited to have son at ISU this fall as opposed to U Iowa where I teach as I grew up an ISU fan.

Let me preface my comment by saying I was not a design major, but lived with a number of them. The design program at ISU is pretty intense just from what I could see as an outsider. There really is no getting your feet wet in it. You are all in on the first week of class.

 

[cyclonedave25]

Let me preface my comment by saying I was not a design major, but lived with a number of them. The design program at ISU is pretty intense just from what I could see as an outsider. There really is no getting your feet wet in it. You are all in on the first week of class.

This.
Out of all the people I knew at ISU, I would say design students put in the most work outside of class and are always busy with projects.

 

[CycloneErik]

Let me preface my comment by saying I was not a design major, but lived with a number of them. The design program at ISU is pretty intense just from what I could see as an outsider. There really is no getting your feet wet in it. You are all in on the first week of class.

By mid-semester, sleep is over. See that each fall.
If he's not all in, he won't do design in the spring.

 

[Luth4Cy]

Let me preface my comment by saying I was not a design major, but lived with a number of them. The design program at ISU is pretty intense just from what I could see as an outsider. There really is no getting your feet wet in it. You are all in on the first week of class.

Agree with this. My roommate was a lazy student in design and didn't make it into the architecture program. To have any shot at it a student has to be all in.

 

[TXCyclones]

Design is very very project based and sadly if you don't make the "cut" the classes don't transfer to other majors. Design is very weed-out oriented. BUT I can tell you that several firms have commented that ISU Design grads are far ahead of many of their counterparts!

 

[Judoka]

By mid-semester, sleep is over. See that each fall.
If he's not all in, he won't do design in the spring.

Yeah, as an engineering student the only other majors rivaled us in all nighters/weekends spent on projects were design students. We did our all nighters in labs, they did theirs in the Armory.

 

[uro cy]

Just keep taking math classes whatever you do....once you think you are done, it is hard to pick up again. And the fact that it keeps so many doors open.

 

[CycloneErik]

Yeah, as an engineering student the only other majors rivaled us in all nighters/weekends spent on projects were design students. We did our all nighters in labs, they did theirs in the Armory.

From what I've observed over the years, engineering students know what their pillows look like.
Design people sleep every few weeks. It's disturbing to me.

 

[Wesley]

Of the four, Econ is the easy one.

 

[sleestakCy]

Son and I know full well the challenges and late nights of the design major. We know several grads and kids in the program now and have talked with them at length about the program. Son says that he is 'all in' but I have my doubts. I (the Dad) am just interested in identifying some other strong programs with good undergraduate teaching in case it comes to that and he asks me for advice. He will be taking DSN S 102: Design Studio I this fall in the design core. After that class, he will either be all in or out I suspect. He plans on taking Calc 2 second semester to keep the math going.

 

[Daserop]

Son and I know full well the challenges and late nights of the design major. We know several grads and kids in the program now and have talked with them at length about the program. Son says that he is 'all in' but I have my doubts. I (the Dad) am just interested in identifying some other strong programs with good undergraduate teaching in case it comes to that and he asks me for advice. He will be taking DSN S 102: Design Studio I this fall in the design core. After that class, he will either be all in or out I suspect. He plans on taking Calc 2 second semester to keep the math going.

It is really tough and extremely hard to get into some specific majors, however, if you don't get in, there are other alternatives.

My wife went for Interior Design, worked her butt off and didn't get in. She decided to switch majors to "Community and Regional Planning" which is still a part of the College of Design. The switch ended up working out really well for her and us in the long run.

 

[Daserop]

Son and I know full well the challenges and late nights of the design major. We know several grads and kids in the program now and have talked with them at length about the program. Son says that he is 'all in' but I have my doubts. I (the Dad) am just interested in identifying some other strong programs with good undergraduate teaching in case it comes to that and he asks me for advice. He will be taking DSN S 102: Design Studio I this fall in the design core. After that class, he will either be all in or out I suspect. He plans on taking Calc 2 second semester to keep the math going.

Most design students take the same initial design classes DSN S 102 is one of them to develop a "portfolio" which is kind of like a resume and then present it to the the various heads of the specific major they are tying to get into i.e. Interior Design. If you don't get in you can try again the following year, but it delays your graduation date

 

[cyinne]

My son will be a frosh at ISU this fall starting out in Design. I know that he is not entirely sold on a design major and is keeping his options open. He will also be taking Econ 101 and Calc 1 this fall. He is also thinking of a major in Econ, math, or geology but is really open to a lot of possibilities except engineering.

What majors at ISU are known to have really good undergraduate teaching? Anyone with experience in the math, econ, or geology departments?

I am excited to have son at ISU this fall as opposed to U Iowa where I teach as I grew up an ISU fan.

Have him try to stick out the Design major and then get into designing and building golf courses. Wish I could have gone into something like that...

 

[acoustimac]

The design school is very good. Journalism is well respected. The School of Education is outstanding and nationally recognized.

 

[CarlHungus]

Econ would be the one I go with. I have a business degree, and the return on investment is pretty good compared to the work you have to put in

 

[sleestakCy]

It is really tough and extremely hard to get into some specific majors, however, if you don't get in, there are other alternatives.

My wife went for Interior Design, worked her butt off and didn't get in. She decided to switch majors to "Community and Regional Planning" which is still a part of the College of Design. The switch ended up working out really well for her and us in the long run.

I have a grad degree in CRP and did historical preservation work for a year. Ended up not really enjoying it so switched careers and went back to grad school. Much of the 'fun' reading I do now relates to CRP though. They covered the whole core and portfolio thing at orientation. It is quite the process.

 

[everyyard]

Let me preface my comment by saying I was not a design major, but lived with a number of them. The design program at ISU is pretty intense just from what I could see as an outsider. There really is no getting your feet wet in it. You are all in on the first week of class.

true. and calc 1 is no joke either as it is the major engineer weed-out course.

 

[CYme]

Great math teachers when I was there, but I can't imagine telling someone to go into a core like that for a profession. If those choices are what is on the table, I would have to say econ. If he is outgoing and a people person, I would plan for MIS or Business Management. Those are some of the better ROIs out there.