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No, we're not talking about James Bond, we're talking students who decide to take on a mission more difficult than drop-kicking bad guys--the  

Double major

 . Deciding whether to double major may seem like the mission impossible of College: Will you graduate on time? Is it worth the extra effort and fewer elective choices? What does a dual major convey to a future boss? Our mission, which we happily chose to accept, was to do the investigating for you and uncover top-secret strategies from students and college advisors on leading a double life.

Agent Amanda Pritzker
University of Massachusetts (UMass, Amherst, MA) 2004 grad
Amanda is quite the stealthy double agent. She completed her majors in English and communications while serving as president of her sorority and studying abroad in London for a semester. And she still managed to graduate on time. "I'm a person who needs to be busy," Amanda says. "For me, it wasn't too great of a challenge."

When she started college, Amanda had yet to decide on a major. She knew she was interested in communications, and always enjoyed reading and writing. She stumbled upon the English major in her core classes, and thought that instead of deciding between her two passions, why not pursue both?

By sophomore year, Amanda declared the two majors and began to lead her "double life." What's the secret to her dual-purpose success? "Organization is key," says the 23-year-old, who now works at a Brighton, MA-based book publicity firm, utilizing skills learned in both communications and English classes. "You have to be on top of your stuff at all times."

And in Amanda's case, staying on top of things meant pulling off some heavy-duty scholastic strategies. Amanda started UMass with some AP credits, which helped knock off some college requirements. She met with her college advisor about her schedule each semester, and even managed to avoid Friday classes. Along the way, she discovered a trick that ensured she would graduate on time: "Try to find classes that overlap," Amanda advises. "I know the policies are different at every school, but at UMass, you can take up to two classes that qualify for different majors."

Amanda admits double majoring didn't leave much time for fun electives. "Every class I took counted, that's for sure," she says. "There were classes I felt like I missed out on." Even so, Amanda takes comfort knowing it takes a special kind of student to lead the life of a double agent. "Kids who double major tend to be the overachievers of the bunch," she says.

Agent David Koerner
Pennsylvania State University (State College, PA) senior
Amanda knows what she's talking about, because David Koerner is your classic overachiever. The 21-year-old is double majoring in marketing and public relations and minoring in Business law. He's also a member of Penn State's marketing association and he spent last summer interning at CarryOn Communications in Los Angeles, a PR firm that's worked with Starbucks, NBC, and HBO.

Unlike Amanda, David had a few failed missions along the way. He started college as a marketing major, but quickly realized he wanted something more to stand apart from his classmates. While most students decide to double major in marketing and advertising, David felt public relations would prove a better fit. "More than the degree, I want to be able to say in an interview that I have experience in all these areas," he says.

David's enthusiasm wasn't shared by everyone. Counselors told him it would be tough to double major, and professors were often confused by his decision to integrate courses from the business and liberal arts schools. "It's tough," he says. "In my PR class, I explained that I'd like to do a feature story on a sports team, [and] they said it wasn't creative enough. Then I prepared a marketing report [for a business class], and when I included a PR campaign, the professor called me aside and said, 'I'm interested in this, but this isn't what we're learning.'"

But David's instincts proved right when he vied for his internship at CarryOn Communications. "When I went to them, the first thing they said was, 'You're a marketing major; why do you want to do PR?'" he says. "They like having a business student doing PR. It's a new perspective for them, and double majors will always provide that."

Agent Director Nancy Heiss
Assistant director at the Academic Center for Excellence at Hartwick College (Oneonta, NY)
Heiss, who's been helping students make major decisions for the last two years, says there are two reasons why most students decide to double major: to satisfy their many interests (like Amanda), or to gain a competitive edge in the Job market (like David). According to Heiss, students who pursue dual majors tend to be driven, organized, and good planners. "It helps to plan ahead," she says. "With some majors, you need to start [planning] during your freshman year."

Maintaining a dual major is hard work, but it will pay off when it comes to the all-important mission of landing your first job. "It shows you're determined and a hard worker," she says, "but also that you value multiple viewpoints. You can come at a problem from different angles."

However, Heiss cautions prospective double agents about one minor detail--finding out if your second major will even appear on your diploma. Many schools allow students to double major, but come Graduation day, they hand you one diploma. On the other hand, some schools offer a double degree, which requires you to complete the requirements of the college as well as the individual school. Even then, some colleges ask for additional academic credit before you're able to hang two degrees on your wall.

"For example," Heiss explains, "if students regularly need 120 credits to graduate, double degree candidates may need 150. The best advice in this situation is to make sure you have a good advisor who can explain all these confusing requirements."

With this in mind, Heiss recommends taking time to weigh your options. "You should really think about why [you want to double major]," she says. "If it's just interest, my advice is to save your money. Instead, considering minoring or creating your own major."

Agents: Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make the decision that's best for you. Take a college advisor "hostage" and grill him/her with questions, or put a phone tap on someone you know who is double majoring. The sleuthing will guarantee you the answers you need, as well as prep you for a future guest spot with 007 himself.

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