Is double majoring recommended in college?

Hi Megan,
Sure a double major is a lot, but passion is key. What one person may call being swallowed by schoolwork, another person may call a lot of amazing opportunities that she can't get enough of.
I can only speak for the music part. Being a music major requires doing homework, but also requires that you be in bands, orchestras, or choirs, depending on what your instrument is. In addition you take private lessons on your instrument as a music course, and you have to practice. Of course all this is necessary to be a good musician. When everyone else from your dorm is out at clubs or hanging out, you will be in the practice room, or rehearsing. To me that was the greatest, being in all those ensembles, and practicing to get better. And it worked-I have been a professional musician since I was a junior in college--in 1977. I have only had a career as a musician, no side jobs. For the past 20 years I have worked as a composer for TV, commercials, records, etc. Before that I was a touring musician, and studio player.

The thing is, when the lucky opportunity arises, you have to be ready by having practiced your instrument.

Math is very close to music, in some weird and wonderful way. As a double major, I don't know. It will definitely be a lot of work, but at the same time, it could be a blast.

Another possibility is to major in math and have a ball playing music as a hobby. Music can be a great career, but is rarely a 9-5 job. You may have to work holidays, and the hours can be crazy. You also must deliver at a high level every time you go to work. Some people see that as stressful, I do not. I love it!

I hope this helps-Good luck to you!

Double majors are okay if you're driving them toward a specific outcome. So if you're good as music and math, why not focus on a computer science and programming double major since most of music is digital and comes from software and that software has a ton of math behind it.

Math as a degree isn't as actionable as any form of computer sciences unless you're going to get a graduate degree in something very specific like statistics. Still you'll need a PhD in statistics to earn the same as someone with a BS in computer sciences or programming with only a few years work experience.

So do the math...$50K for your double major in a career that will actually employ you or $190K to go be a student for the next decade with the same amount of pay. The smart bunny say's I'll do the $50K degree track and earn a professional income for the following six years and get on with my life instead of wasting 10 years of my life getting into deeper and deeper debt chasing a degree which isn't really worth too much to the world.

Example: my cousin got his BS in computer engineering and in his first five years on the job was offered a free PhD because he proved himself by keeping networks secure for companies such as Goodyear tires and Coca-Cola. The next 5 years, he controlled the entire computer system for a major aerospace company and got to help launch rockets into space for industry and the military. Now he controls everything digital for a major US bank. Mind you he passed on the free PhD and started this whole thing as a first semester math major to be a teacher. No teacher in America could possibly hope to earn what he earns now. No college debt, no regrets, still lots of pay...owns his own house, car, motorcycle, boat, lives in a super nice part of a major US city, has his pick of cute people to date etc... There's nothing sexier than money, power, control and influence!

On the other hand I have a friend with a PhD in Psychology and she is miserable and poor. They graduated about the same time, but society actually values one of them. Lesson learned.

Slap any of your friends who want to major in something completely useless such as english, history, recreation, theater, social work, education, music etc... Friends don't let friends become education industry suckers! Be something useful to the world!