<p>Hello, I'm currently a junior at Univ. of Washington Seattle. I will be a senior after I finish the summer quarter and I'm trying to change my major to engineering. Im currently in the business school and I feel strongly motivated to switch into engineering department. I have started taking pre engineering courses this quarter. But I have a problem in which that other major departments DO NOT let in students with so many credits like me. My credits put me in a Junior class standing and after the summer, to a senior standing and this amount of credit gives a red flag to all other major departments to deny the application. I have asked the Academic advisers (many) and they all told me that I have to expect to be not accepted to the engineering department. I have seen many other undergrad students at my school who tried to change their major in middle of the undergrad years and they were just flat denied, rejected by other major departments. So I'm thinking about going to a community college to get all the pre- engineering courses done and then transfer to different 4 yr university. I am aware of the years that I have to spend in undergrad will be about twice that of others and also the money that will cost me. But I have taken significant amount of classes in this business school and I know im going to hate it. So why did I choose it in the first place? Thats a long story but now I know EXACTLY what I want to do. So I'm trying to see if I can go to CC first then transfer to 4 yr university but I want to know if that is even possible since I have spent 3 full years already at one school and thought this might be get in my way. Does anyone know anything about this kind of situation?</p>
Advise on dropping out of Univ of Washington to go to community college and transfer to other school
<p>I am not sure about going back to c.c. normally it is the other way around. My question to you is why don’t you finish your business degree and end apply to the engineering department as a postbaccalaureate either at UW or somewhere else. Try to check this option with the engineering department. </p>
<p>If the UW is not happy with you choosing another major with your number of credits, then I seriously doubt another university would be willing to accept you with all those credits. The reason is, whenever you apply to any university, you are required to send transcripts from all other universities you have attended. So you can’t simply apply to another university with credits you got at a community college, and pretend your other credits do not exist. Especially with engineering, which can require 3 years to complete AFTER you do the prerequisites, I seriously doubt any other university would take you on with the amount of credits you already have.</p>
<p>If I were you, I’d simply stick it out, complete your business major (you only have 1 year to go!) and then do something related to engineering after that, either at a Master’s level (if that’s possible) or as a post baccalaureate student. </p>
<p>Also, I understand that you don’t like business. That’s totally reasonable, since you’ve taken a lot of the classes and decided you don’t like it. But given that you haven’t even completed the prerequisites to engineering, I wouldn’t be so sure that it is exactly what you want to do. I’m not saying it isn’t, but I am saying that you can’t be certain without having done several related classes.</p>
<p>Also remember that business majors are often wanted in tech startups, so it might be possible for you to enter the tech industry and work closely in the field you enjoy without actually going all the way for an engineering degree. </p>
<p>If you are interested in Industrial Engineering, there is overlap between that and Operations Management / Supply Chain in the business school. If you are interested in CS, there is overlap with Information Systems. If you are interested in working in an engineering startup, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Management, and Marketing would all be invaluable.</p>
<p>Contact some engineering grad schools, and see what they recommend. I am sure you are not the first person who decided to become an engineer after already earning a degree in something else. </p>
<p>I agree. Finish and go for an advanced degree or second degree in engineering. You’ll be in great shape for management positions in a few years! Take extra courses if you want diversity in the disciplines. </p>