<p>This is my first thread, and it is 2:00 AM in the morning where I am, so deal with me ...</p>
<p>I have always been good at the sciences and math, but I had no idea what engineering was until a year or two ago, and recently in the past months it has become an attractive path for me as the idea of applying the theories you learn in science class in a pragmatic way to solve problems seems enjoyable. However, as a result of not having the understanding, I have never taken an engineering class, or work on anything of that sort. My plan of a few months ago, while inexperienced to the application process, was to get into a college and then follow engineering from scratch.</p>
<p>Now my problem is that from the schools I'm applying to (most are top tier), it seems that the people who apply to their specific engineering colleges are people who have been doing that for years, and have been building their academic career around that. I think that compared to my experience, I have no chance on getting into those types of schools.</p>
<p>What prompted me to make this thread was that I want to apply for the Columbia Engineering Experience, and one of the questions is "What engineering enrichment programs have you participated in since 9th grade, including summers?", which for me is none, unless a semester of Computer Science is consider an "engineering enrichment programs" (also taking AP CS next year, if that helps).</p>
<p>So do you lovely people think that trying to apply to an engineering college (as of now, the top tier schools I"m thinking of are Columbia, Cornell, Carnegie, and Northwestern) would be worth it, or should I just stick with the colleges of "Arts and Sciences", and maybe leave engineering for the less competitive schools I'm applying to?</p>