<p>Hi I was accepted into CMU as an ECE major but I want to do CS along with ECE. How hard will it be to double major and can I even do it at all? Also, if anyone from CMU could tell me if I can change my major once I enroll and if so how hard will it be to switch from ECE to CS? Thanks</p>
<p>i hear its really really hard to switch (but possible) to CS but i guess if you work REALLY hard then its possible. But for double major i think you can just take the right classes and thats it... but i could be wrong.</p>
<p>It seems odd that to switch is very very hard but to do a double major you just have to take the right classes? Are the classes similar for ECE and CS mostly and has anyone here done a double major in these two?</p>
<p>I'd be interested in a double major too probably..
But would I need to get admission into SCS separately.. or if I get into CIT, I can pursue a CS as well?</p>
<p>Anyone can double major in SCS if they take the required classes. Anyone can also transfer to SCS if they take the required classes and keep up a good GPA. I don't think it's as hard as you people are making it out to be.</p>
<p>Many people end up double majoring in ECE and CS. If you take the computer engineering track, you can double-count most of the classes.</p>
<p>You really need to call & speak with the school so you aren't surprised & disappointed. A friend's son was accepted at CMU in engineering & wanted to switch to CS. They were very adamant that he would NOT be allowed to do so. He went for a year, took a year off & is back there, studying engineering.
Please call & find out for SURE so you know what you're getting into & make choices that you will be satisfied with.</p>
<p>Calling is definitely a good idea but the others are right...it's hard to actually switch majors into CS but you can pick up CS as a second major (or as a minor). I know because my S did it with IS and CS, but ECE and CS should be similar...just have to make sure your ECE core math and CS courses are the ones CS majors take.</p>
<p>Since I wasn't sure either, I ended up applying to CIT (ECE), SCS, MCS. Assuming I get in to all three, would I have to accept only one college's place for the May 1st deadline? Would technically getting into SCS now help me transfer later on out of ECE? Thanks.</p>
<p>yeah, tranferring from SCS into ECE is much easier than going vice-versa... both are very compertitive but ece has larger enrollment... that makes it little bit easier to get into.</p>
<p>can I double-major in something like Economics and Computer Science? Even if I have the SAT scores I do not have the GPA in High School, so could I Apply to HSS and do econ and Double-major and do Computer Science?</p>
<p>You really NEED to speak with the college you're going to attend & get the info from them.<br>
Different schools have different policies about majors, double-majors and the like. A friend's son is not even allowed to take a single business course at Univ of Cololrado, Boulder until he's accepted into their School of Business, so he ends up taking only courses in other fields which frustrates him so much he's working on transferring to another U!
My friend's son who is attending CMU says CMU is VERY strict about majors & where they will accept credit, etc , so get the accurate info from the school before making any decisions & paying any money.</p>
<p>A lot of these questions would be good for CMU rep at the top of this thread but he's taken an extended siesta from CC.</p>
<p>As far as double majoring in disparate fields like CS and Econ....having gone to last May's graduation and reading my program there are large numbers of graduates with degrees in very different subjects, so it is done quite frequently, there are some pretty crazy combinations listed....as long as you can fit everything in your schedule CMU isn't going to stand in your way as some seem to think.</p>
<p>"can I double-major in something like Economics and Computer Science? Even if I have the SAT scores I do not have the GPA in High School, so could I Apply to HSS and do econ and Double-major and do Computer Science?"</p>
<p>Yes you can. It only takes like a 2.0 or 2.5 or some crazy low GPA to be allowed to double major in something. It is almost guaranteed for all students (much easier than a transfer) as it is not dependent on space availability.</p>
<p>"Since I wasn't sure either, I ended up applying to CIT (ECE), SCS, MCS. Assuming I get in to all three, would I have to accept only one college's place for the May 1st deadline? Would technically getting into SCS now help me transfer later on out of ECE? Thanks."</p>
<p>If you got into all 3, definitely pick SCS. The benefits do not really lie on the fact that SCS is "harder" but rather that the demand for the classes/courses are very high. Space availability is low so it is much easier transferring from SCS to ECE.</p>
<p>You can easily "switch" with one of the many ECE people if you ever decided not to do SCS.</p>
<p>Yeah, that probably would be the best idea. I'm guessing very similar courses first year anyway. Only 1-2 weeks left. Can't wait.</p>
<p>Yeah, a large percentage of ECE majors also applied to SCS but were rejected. Mostly, they're trying to transfer in or double major (which isn't too difficult paperwork-wise, but is more difficult work-wise)</p>
<p>
[quote]
If you got into all 3, definitely pick SCS. The benefits do not really lie on the fact that SCS is "harder" but rather that the demand for the classes/courses are very high. Space availability is low so it is much easier transferring from SCS to ECE.
[/quote]
If you're equally interested in both subjects and you might want to double major in CS, ECE might be a better choice. It's actually much easier and more common for ECE students to take CS courses (though classes like fall 15-200 and 21-127 and spring 15-211 have segregated CS/non-major sections) than it is to take ECE courses as a CS major. And it's way more common for ECE majors to double major in CS than it is for anyone at all to double major in ECE.</p>
<p>Furthermore, it's not easy or common for CS people to transfer into ECE (though it's still harder to fully transfer into CS). CIT/ECE gives preference to the general CIT people applying to major in ECE, and I've heard there is usually a waitlist to get into ECE at the end of freshman year. Transfer admission is based almost entirely on grades (not, say, SAT scores or ECs from high school), and there are plenty of smart and motivated students who get 4.0s in general CIT.</p>
<p>If you're a CS major, you have to jump through a lot of hoops if you even want to take the first ECE course, 18-100. This year it was impossible for CS majors to take 18-100 in the fall because of a time conflict with the required CS Freshman Immigration Course, and it was nearly impossible to take it in the spring because of a conflict with 15-251, which almost all freshman CS majors take (I actually chose to take 18-100 and put off 15-251 since I really want to double major in ECE). Many CS majors who are also interested in ECE can't even take 18-100 until their fourth semester at CMU. So if you're a sophomore CS major and you decide CS isn't for you, it's really tough to transfer into ECE because you'll probably be really far behind every sophomore ECE major.</p>
<p>Perhaps the main advantage of choosing CS is the "prestige" the goes along with it and the subsequent comradery that seems to develop among CS majors. Obviously, if you're more interested in CS than anything else, SCS is for you. Another important advantage is scheduling flexibility. CIT has a rigid scheduling structure for freshmen, while scheduling is almost completely open-ended for CS freshmen.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Since I wasn't sure either, I ended up applying to CIT (ECE), SCS, MCS. Assuming I get in to all three, would I have to accept only one college's place for the May 1st deadline?
[/quote]
As to your original question, among those three choices, I'd say choose either SCS or ECE depending on which subject you're more interested in. I wouldn't choose MCS in this situation because as a CS major, you're required to minor (or double major) in something, and there's very little/no red tape for CS majors to go through to minor/double major in say math or physics (there's a bit more for CIT people because of their scheduling restrictions, but plenty do it). SCS and ECE majors also tend to get more/better job offers.</p>
<p>transfering from SCS to ece is much easier than transfering from ECE to SCS, considering general CIT freshmen can get into ECE as long as they get decently good grades first semester. the reverse is much harder, as you have to get an A in 15-211, which is pretty tough.</p>
<p>double majoring in SCS and ECE i believe however is done easier in CIT, because you can start as an ECE major and take all the SCS classes for the double. you do have to consider however, that these are easily the two hardest majors out there with rediculous workloads for both, and you can choose to get a LOT of cs into your ece curriculum in 4 years. there are plenty of people who only have a single ECE or CS major but go on to the most prestigious software firms, microsoft/google/yahoo etcs, so you can learn as much cs as you want just with either major. ece is more hardware/circuits oriented, cs has a lot more tougher math requirements.</p>
<p>I disagree with the above post. Doing double major in ECE and CS is not all that hard. Its just that you are choosing the software track in ECE and will be doing some additional CS courses. Keep in mind. If you choose the software track, you can double count most of the courses. You only have to take 6 courses from the primary dept i.e. ECE. that cannot be double counted. </p>
<p>Also, the math requirements for CS is as hard as ECE.</p>