Is electrical engineering a good major?

Double major in physics and electrical engineering getting into prestigious grad school....?

• If I double major in electrical engineering and physics, while maintaining a high GPA will it help my chances of getting into a prestigious grad school (MIT, Stanford, University of California-Berkeley) for electrical engineering? I'm currently an electrical engineering major, but got a letter from my physics professor persuading me to double major, along with a possible position available for me to work in a research lab if I choose to do so. I don't think a single electrical engineering bachelor's degree from the school I'm at now (Southern Illinois University), even with a good GPA, will be good enough to get me into one of those prestigious schools as mentioned above, but I'm not sure. So I thought maybe by double majoring it could help my chances if I keep my grades up. (I also just found out today that by working in a lab and doing research I could get publications, which I'm sure wouldn't hurt my chances.)

• Answer:

  A double major in physics won't increase your chances very much, but a publication or two is practically a requirement for top graduate programs. If you don't do any research, you're going to have a hard time getting in any decent program. Where you get your bachelor's and your GPA are not as important for grad schools. Research is the biggest factor.