<p>I was accepted but not into my desired major, I got placed into University Studies. Is this the final say on the matter, or is it possible I could get later? Also, how common is it to transfer into engineering after doing a year of University Studies?</p>
<p>That’s the final say in admissions, but it is possible to transfer in later. It’s not easy because you have to take the intro to engineering class that is hard to get in to if you’re out of major, but it is possible. It used to be that you could take the class at a local community college and transfer it over; not sure if that’s still an option. If it is you should definitely go that route; otherwise you’ll likely be stuck staying an extra semester or year.</p>
<p>Yes, the community college option is still available. My roommate is in the same position as you. He didn’t get accepted engineering, but he took the intro engineering class at New River CC. He’s now in engineering, it’s actually not too difficult. The intro engineering class is much easier at New Riveer than at Tech (it will be a weed-out class if you take at it Tech)</p>
<p>Same thing happend to me. I took Intro to engineering as a summer program at UMD. I earned credit for the class so if I transefer that over to Va Tech does that work? Also, how hard is it to make it into Engineering after a year?</p>
<p>@chuy Is staying the extra semester or year a huge deal if I have the financial means to be able to? I have to be in college next year (Parents, don’t ask) and can’t stay home taking that engineering class. Is it a class you could take over the summer? Or, if I do manage to get into it at tech, would it be better to just do university studies for a year with intro and then transfer over. The extra year/semester really wouldn’t be a huge deal. </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>The class is one that you can actually take while enrolled at VT during the semester, if you can schedule it and have transportation to get to Christiansburg and back (~15 drive I think.) Failing that I think you can take it during the summer. If you can get into it freshman year you probably won’t even be a year behind if you also take the other engineering core classes (phys/chem/math), especially if you’re walking in with at least some AP credit.</p>
<p>Doing an extra year or semester actually wouldn’t be a terrible thing if you’ve got the means (and by means I mean cash-money, not loans.) The thing you really want to avoid is having to take classes over your summers, especially the last two summers. It is very very important to get internships during those summers, or do to some sort of research if that’s your thing.</p>
<p>My folks are completely willing to pay for the extra year/semester. I’m very lucky to not have to take any loans. Would it perhaps be better to take the class at Christiansburg if the class at tech is supposed to be such a weed out? I think I would be able to handle it, but just asking. Who should I get in touch with about the classes to take to stay on track with engineering? </p>
<p>Thanks So much for all the help?</p>
<p>Thats an exclamation point by the way!</p>
<p>I wouldn’t really call it a weed out class. It’s boring and focuses more on getting the format right on your homework than anything else but it isn’t something that a lot of people fail because it’s too hard or anything. All other things being equal I think it’s best to take the class at VT, but if the choice is A) take class at VT a year later, B) Take class in christianburg freshman year I’d go with B.</p>
<p>As far as who to contact, that’s actually sort of tough because a lot of the freshman advisers are god-awful. Here’s a link to the MSE class outline for class of 2012 freshman. (<a href=“http://www2.mse.vt.edu/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=K9IgWfiq3EM%3D&tabid=199[/url]”>http://www2.mse.vt.edu/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=K9IgWfiq3EM%3D&tabid=199</a>) All engineering majors (except for computer and maybe one other) follow the same freshman schedule so it should give you an idea of what classes to take to keep on target.</p>
<p>Alright, I’ll go through that with my parents to try to figure everything. I have a great career counselor at my school who I’m sure would be willing to help me figure some of this out as well. Just out of curiosity, is it a very uncommon occurrence for someone to switch into engineering after a year, or does it happen pretty normally? So, if everything goes perfectly and I do end up taking the intro class at tech and take the correct classes to stay on track, and THEN switch into an engineering major, would I be looking at 5 years, or could I still finish in 4 years? Again not that 5 years is a problem at all, just asking.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the help again, you rule!</p>
<p>It’s not that uncommon; I knew a few people that transferred in. The big majority came in regularly but there were definitely people that got in from other majors/GS.</p>
<p>If you take the class at Virginia Tech (or the CC) as a freshman it’s actually pretty reasonable that you could stay on track for four years. You’d have to take the stupid general studies class but other than that you should be able to just take the rest of the classes that other engineering freshmen take (Chem+lab, English (MUST take to trasnfer into engineering), Linear algebra, Calc 1). You’d be behind one general elective if you don’t have any AP credit, but that can be made up later.</p>
<p>If you can’t take the class your freshman year you’ll probably be a year behind, and here’s why: Most of the sophomore engineering classes are only offered to engineers. Looking back at the sheet I linked you to the only classes from the regular engineering schedule you could take are the two math classes, chem, physics and electives. If you’re fine with staying an extra year you could knock out the rest of your electives that year, though, and be on track to finish in 5 with a reduced courseload for your last three years.</p>
<p>Oh no!</p>
<p>I didn’t mean to potentially scare anyone by calling it a weed-out class. Like chuy said, it is an extremely boring class. The homework is very easy- as long as you format it correctly 
The tests, however, are a complete massacre. Granted, I have gotten A’s on all the tests, but they test you on the most worthless stuff- as in, random facts from bar graphs in the lameass book they give you.</p>
<p>I mean, if you study hard for the tests, you should be able to pull an A or B- if not, you can still expect a C or B (which is passing). It bores people to the extent that they rethink engineering, is the main point. If you want a true weeder class, wait until you take classes from the ESM department (<em>cough</em> Statics and Dynamics <em>cough</em>)</p>
<p>As for how to transfer into engineering, my roommate did the whole “take classes at Tech and NRVCC” and he’s in engineering now. </p>
<p>Also, I checked the prereqs for some of the sophomore classes, and you could actually take quite a few: MATH2214, MATH2224, Statics (only requires linear algebra and multi as a co-req), physics II, Deforms, Dynamics, etc.</p>