Applied to transfer but desperately want to change my major!

Transfer Students UC Transfers
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<p>I'm an English major that is in the process of transferring this fall. I was admitted to UCB, UCLA, UCSD, and UCI. Thing is, I had an emotional breakdown last week wherein I realized that I really did not want to get a degree in English anymore. I've always thought it was a "useless major" but only used it as an excuse to go to law school. Now, I can't stand the thought of law school. Everywhere I research, I only see complaints about how the legal market is ridiculously over-saturated, and I run the risk of going $150,000 in debt with possibly no job waiting for me, even after graduating from law school. I've also not really ever had a passion for it; I'm just more inclined to reading and writing, so I thought I would be adept. But from what I hear now, it's excruciatingly boring work, with little to no gratification. If I don't go to law school, then I stuck with an un-marketable BA degree. It's all too huge of a risk for a job I might not even like. </p>

<p>I'm now considering Pre-med. Yeah, I know, extremely big leap. But my family has always been supportive of me becoming a doctor, and I do like the idea of helping people personally. I also know that it is a job that pays well and is secure (there is a shortage of health professionals on all levels, especially now with health care reform and retiring baby boomers). I know it is difficult, but I'm willing to put in the effort if that's what it takes. Being pre-med also opens many more doors, such as pre-dental, pre-optometry, pre-pharm, pre-vet, etc.</p>

<p>Here is my problem: Should I transfer or should I not? In order to be pre-med, you don't need to major in science - you only have to do the prerequisites. At this point, I haven't done ANY. That's ten classes I have to take! Which is why I worry about starting them only after my transfer. I'd most likely be staying a fifth year, or cramming them frantically into the 2 years I have remaining. I also heard that I could change my major once I got there, but that would possibly require me to stay TWO more years, so that I'd be a sixth year student. This is unacceptable, but I still want that Bio degree if only for these reasons: 1) I get more research opportunities and job marketability (ie. working for a biotech company where a lib. arts major cannot) 2) more respect from both my family and my peers (everyone gives me a disappointed/disdainful look upon hearing I'm an English major) 3) I get to do more science classes and boost that UG Science GPA up in case I don't do well on my pre-req's. I get the mobility of doing my science classes without dealing with pesky english classes. Alternatively, though, english is an easy major and I can get a good cumulative GPA from it.</p>

<p>If I stay back another year at community college, I get to begin a fresh start with my bio major with none of the stress of worrying about staying a fifth or sixth year. However, there are a few big problems. 1) By the time I transfer, I would be 1-2 years older than my classmates at the uni. It would make me sad, and I would feel like I wouldn't fit in, but ultimately I realize that I can set these feelings aside, if it means setting foundations for m career. 2) I could POTENTIALLY no longer be admitted to some of the UC's. Students who were able to get everything done in 2 years would be better looked upon than students taking 3-4 years, and obviously changed their major dramatically halfway through. However, I have also done a lot of EC's, leadership positions, done the honors programs, volunteer work, etc. so I'm hoping that will buffet it in case my GPA drops (currently a 3.95). 3) Med schools don't like when you do the the pre-req's at community college, because they find it hard to gauge how adept you are and how easy your A was (think big fish in little pond effect). However, I hear that as long as you take upper division courses at the uni. and get good grades, then you should be fine, since it proves your grades weren't flukes. 4) Budgets cut get worse every year. Effectively, that also means UC's are accepting less transfers.</p>

<p>I decided all this rather late, so here's the situation. SIR'd to Berkeley, "late SIR" appeal sent to UCI, and potential late SIR acceptance to UCLA on account of getting a small scholarship. My dad says I should go to UCI because I can commute and save money, so staying a fifth year would be less of a burden. UCLA and Berkeley, though, have the greater prestige so that it can look better to adcoms. And, privately, I could brag about it for the rest of my life (= Other people ,though, say I should not because the competitive standards will sink my GPA. My counselor said it's equally competitive everywhere, but I am privately skeptical about that. My uncle, a cardiologist, advises me go to UCLA because Berkeley is super cutthroat, and UCLA is less so, but you still get the prestige and big college environment. (UCI is largely a commute school...).</p>

<p>At this point, I'm really the only one who is considering CC. Except for two, the rest of my family and friends say I should transfer. But I can't help feeling all this trepidation. I mean, I have no idea how this is going to work.</p>

<p>Thoughts? Advice?</p>

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<p>I’ve been having the exact same issue. I was accepted to UCSB as an English major, but decided it isn’t for me and now I am switching to biopsych with only gen chem done. I’ve been planning on speaking with an advisor to see if this is possible since it will mean three years at UCSB. </p>

<p>I also thought about staying at my CC for a year or two in order to complete bio, organic chem, and physics, but I think I’ve decided to to stay at UCSB and possibly take those there or dual enroll at SBCC. </p>

<p>Your GPA is strong and I don’t think you would have a problem getting readmitted; but then again, you’ve been admitted and if you’re okay with staying an extra year you should transfer now when all the doors are open. </p>

<p>UCI has a strong premed program and you will save a lot of money, but if I were in your position idk if I could turn down UCLA.</p>

<p>Also, make sure you can transfer in to the major of your choice. I know at UCSB biology is blocked for newly admitted transfers. Keep me posted with your thoughts. If you are interested, I’ll let you know what my advisor says.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the quick reply, blackbird. I’m surprised to learn that you are currently experiencing a similar situation. I didn’t really think about whether they would even allow me to switch my major. I knew bio majors were impacted, but I didn’t think about them actually having a written rule about it. I know that when I went to visit UC Berkeley, the tour guide told us that the Haas Business School and the engineering program were closed to transfers because they are selective and you have to fill out a separate application to get in. Not impossible to get accepted, but highly unlikely. </p>

<p>About your plan to dual enroll with a CC, you might have to do a rain check. I know that once you transfer, you can only take your major requirements at the university. I was also thinking about dual enrolling with my previous CC as I go to UCI, but that would also mean that I couldn’t change my major anymore. Only take those classes as “prerequisites.”</p>

<p>I really don’t know what to think about staying an extra year at university, because I can almost imagine myself staying two extra years, and that’s just scary (is that even allowed?!). I was thinking that I could keep my GPA competitive as well, but I may be thinking too optimistically since, of course, science classes are harder than liberal arts classes. With either decision, I can see myself having regrets. If I go to university, I might regret as I load up on many, many bio classes to catch up, and garner disfavor with my counselors for switching majors. If I go back to CC, I would regret missing two years of college life and graduating behind my friends, or, possibly missing the prestige of the schools I could no longer be admitted to.</p>

<p>Blackbird, if what you say is true, then am I to assume that biopsych is not blocked? I did some research and found that at UCI, you major in “biological sciences” when you transfer, but don’t actually have to pick a specialty until you’re there (microbio, neurobio, genetics, etc.). All freshmen start out this way as well, not being able to decide their specialty until junior or senior year. </p>

<p>I would ask a counselor from the unis, if I wasn’t so scared of what they’d say. From what I hear, they absolutely hate it when transfers change their major so I was planning on it being a kind of surprise once I got there, with them legally not being able to boot me out by then. I’m afraid of phoning or asking in person though, because I don’t want a snappy response. I can only talk to my CC counselor for this, and he offered up crazy ideas like they could kick me out of the school or take away my financial aid if I take too long. Implicitly, we as transfers sort of “promise” to stick with our majors once we are admitted. This would all be a lot simpler if I was making a very light transition to a similar major, but as it is right now, I don’t see the liberal arts doing much for my career.</p>

<p>My counselor says I maybe ought to go to Berkeley (my original first choice) since the environment is diverse and I could meet people/learn things that would change my perspective on my major. If I took that chance and went, it would open my eyes to a lot of things. I think he’s implying that I’ll become a political activist and want to switch to another lib. arts major or develop social-work oriented career goals. Which is kind of ridiculous, since it’s built on a lot uncertainty.</p>

<p>If it’s not too much trouble, I would love to hear advice from your counselor. I must have have talked to 12-15 people about this now.</p>

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<p>First, Call the schools and ask if you would be able to switch, I wouldn’t trust your CCC counselor’s information. Second, do you really want to do pre-med? Why? Considering you have only completed 1 pre-req, what makes you want to be a doctor? Is biology really a passion, or just a path to a well paying job? I’m not necessarily asking for an answer, I just want you to think about these questions. </p>

<p>The UC medical schools all have less than a 3% acceptance rate, needless to say medical school acceptance is incredibly competitive. Focus on what you want from your bachelors, it’s not guaranteed you will be accepted to medical school. </p>

<p>I also hate this idea that your Bachelors is supposed to provide career training for a specific job. College is not vocational school, very few majors lead directly to a job. However, if you are set on doing pre-med, stay at CCC one more year. If your parents want you to commute to Irvine, then you clearly shouldn’t waste the money to stay at UC an extra year. </p>

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<p>This is just wrong. Most CCC students take 3 years to transfer, and UC’s do not look down on them. If anything, staying at UC for 3 years will be looked down upon. They want you to get out of UC in 2 years and Berkeley, I believe, will kick you out after 2. </p>

<p>One thing for certain is, DO NOT attend UC without knowing if you can change majors. No, they won’t kick you out, but you may be stuck in your major. Given how many pre-reqs you are missing, I doubt they will let you switch into bio.</p>

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<p>@op: I’m also a newly admitted UCB transfer in L&S department. I’m not a English major, but I really wanted to offer my help. 1) You will take an average of 4 courses each semester (L&S has a minimum 13 units requirement per semester) + 2 at each summer, that will give you room to fit 20 courses in just 2 years. English major in UCB only requires 8 upper division classes, that leaves you a lot of rooms (12 courses) for your pre-med classes. UCB has some useful information for people who interested in pre-Med. [</a> </p>

<p>2) Don’t feel bad staying at community college for more than 2 years, many people do switch their majors, and UC understands that. My situation was a lot worth. I did very bad in the beginning(few Fs, and many Ws). I quit, and worked full time. After couple of years, I came back to school, and again, took more than three years before I could transfer. I was very glad all the UCs that I applied accepted me, including UCB and UCLA. =) So, if you wanted to stay another year, do not worry, as long as you keep your GPA, you will not have a problem. </p>

<p>3) When you accepted into the UCB L&S department, you are not accepted into the major, but in the whole college. In other words, you can change your major within L&S after you transfer. In the L&S, both Integrative Biology and Molecular and Cell Biology are not impacted. You can consider switch into those two majors. If you worry about finishing up lower-division requirements in time, you can always declare English major first, and switch into Biology majors later. [url=&lt;a href=“http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/major/change.html]Office”&gt;http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/major/change.html]Office</a> of Undergraduate Advising: Changing Majors](]<a href=“http://students.berkeley.edu/files/Admissions/12626_6.PreMed.pdf[/url]”>http://students.berkeley.edu/files/Admissions/12626_6.PreMed.pdf[/url)</p>

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<p>Biology was the first major I ever considered. Originally, I was planning on doing an English major with pre-vet prerequisites so that I would be open to either a pre-law or pre-vet route, but somehow along the way, I gave up doing my science classes and focused on English because it was easy and I had honors classes to get out of the way. Basically, I took the “easy way out” and quite regret that. Sorry if I came across as capricious in wanting to go pre-med. In truth, I am not completely sold into wanting to be a doctor but I do know that doing pre-med classes will open up a much wider ream of career possibilities, like the grad schools I mentioned. Nursing, physician’s assistants, physical therapists…they all more or less the pre-med prereq’s with maybe the difference of two or three classes. I acknowledge that I shouldn’t be using “pre-med” here, when I mean something more broad as in “pre-health.” I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being so open-minded to careers as a lot of people are doing their bachelor’s degree for fun, with no inkling of what they want to do after graduating. Everyone’s different. I just personally can’t stand the uncertainty of floating from job to job, company to company, which is why I’m looking at professional careers.</p>

<p>My family is also very stringent on getting a “practical” education that more or less leads directly to your job. Most of them are engineers or health professionals. Lately, I’ve come to adopt this style of thinking as well, especially considering that my few cousins who escaped that mold and majored in english have been artfully unemployed for the last few years, and not for want of trying. Most majors aren’t applicable to your job unless you’re in nursing, engineering, computer science, or accounting. I realize that it’s entirely possible to get a good paying job no matter what you major in, but the odds are disheartening. I’d rather have some focus rather than float blindly on the breeze. You might have noticed that with all my talk of grad schools. Since I was young, it’s always been a given that I would go, and it would most certainly be unwise not to in this current economic climate. Now that law school is out, I’m heading for the direction that I would have otherwise taken. </p>

<p>Although I agree that a biology degree itself is kind of useless without grad school (research jobs for bs typically pay a farthing of what you get if you’re an ms), it does give me an advantage over many majors out there, and it’s something I’ve always liked. (I loved high school bio, watch tons of documentaries on breakthroughs in health, science, environmental issues). It is by no means something I am forcing myself to do. This may seem far-sighted to everyone, but honestly, I feel it’s better to look at the bigger picture than to only at the present. I want to be able to plan so that I can say, “If that doesn’t work out, I can do this, and if that doesn’t, I can do…” Honestly, I completely understand what you’re saying, Andrew. Most jobs out there only require you to learn the skills on the job. But today’s employment chances are not the same as they were however many years ago, wherein getting a bachelor’s degree in ANYTHING would land you a white-collared job. Today’s Americans are much more educated, and thus specialization of work skills/knowledge is needed. It’s not impossible to get a good job with an English BA, but it IS tough. So I’ve decided to be more realistic, majoring in something I’m both interested in, and also has some pragmatic worth. Now if I was TRULY pragmatic, I would’ve “covered” all my bases and done something like biomedical engineering.</p>

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<p>Thanks for all the reassurance, everyone. I do remember once reading a statistic that only 15% of transfers make it out in two years. I got really spooked out, though, because most of the people I was friends with at my CC got out in 2 years, and the ones who took longer had much harsher responsibilities (working a job, financial independent, married, have kids, etc.). I have none of those, so I’d be hard pressed to find a reason to excuse my fickleness in choosing majors so dramatically. But thanks, all of your words inspire me to not take it so hard on myself.</p>

<p>I’ve rolled it over in my head some, and I think I might just go to UCI. Going to grad school (whatever I choose to do) would be expensive, especially if I go out of state. It’s probably best to save money now while I can.</p>

<p>I’ll try to contact UCI and UCLA (Berkeley hasn’t given me much financial aid or any scholarships, so…) and I’ll post back when I get the results.</p>

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<p>Oh yeah, one last thing…if I go the whole “stick with an english major and do prerequisites at university” thing, then it might have the added benefit of making me stand out. I hear adcoms love to see non-traditional applicants, but I don’t know if that necessarily gives me an advantage. Although being asian, thanks to affirmative action, most certainly gives me a DISadvantage. In my cousin’s sarcastic words, “Asian and a bio major…yeah, they’ll definitely remember you.” I think I’d like to keep english as a minor at the very least so that all that work didn’t go to waste.</p>

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<p>Don’t give up on English!</p>

<p>I can see you are a great writer, keep writing!</p>

<p>And there are jobs for lawyers, you just have to look for them. And if you go to a UC for your undergrad, this will look good to graduate schools. Go to UCLA or Berkeley. I heard UCLA has a great Law program.</p>

<p>UCI has nothing on UCLA or Berkeley. If you want rigorous courses, go to the later schools.</p>

<p>Trust me, being a great writer is important in Law. If your a lawsuit/injury lawyer you will need outstanding and persuasive writing skills to write out demand letters. You’ll have to work pro bono for the first year out of Law school, but you can use this time to continue to network. It may seem odd to have your entire family in a certain field and you are trying to do something different, but if this is what you want it will be best for you in the end.</p>

<p>Plus, if you think about it, real estate booms are 10 year cycles, who knows when this recession will end and there may be many jobs in the future when you graduate from law (assuming 4-6 years from now). If/when you become a lawyer make sure to advertize, even the not-so-good lawyers advertize and get clients.</p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

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<p>Wow, thanks for posting. This is giving me some great insight as well. Good luck, hopefully admissions can give you enough info, but maybe you would also be able to speak with an advisor for your major of choice. I have already successfully switched to psychology and the counselor was very nice about it (I will find out about biopsych on Monday). But, I am still thinking about staying at CC for another year to get the prereqs done as it would save a lot of money. Definitely let us know what you find out.</p>

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<p>I’m convinced it’s tough for reasons other than the “low applicability” of the degree itself (I wrapped it in quotes b/c I personally find lots of applicability in an English degree). I mean, you can go one of two ways, either go to grad school or go straight into the job market. But there’s something I’ve noticed in most students who don’t plan on going to grad school, they don’t have a plan. Your degree or career plans right now aren’t going to limit you in the future, so it’s still best to have a plan to get started on something.</p>

<p>I’ve heard that a general rule of thumb for law students (and I guess anyone doing grad school) is that you have to like doing it. So if you really don’t want to study law, don’t. It’s good to be prudent, but not when you have nothing to look forward to… well except for money, but you’ll be working long hours. I had a philosophy professor who told us that one of the main reasons lawyers retire early is because they have heart attacks caused by the stress and just call it quits after that. There was a lot more to the horror story but I’ll stop there.</p>

<p>Well I’ll let you go cause you have some major planning to do. Don’t be afraid to be unreasonable sometimes. If your instincts are telling you something, don’t discard them. By the way, if you decide to stay longer at CC I’ll save you the suspense… nothing anyone can say to you will make you feel better about being older than the others. You’ll have to do that on your own. I can tell you what I tell everyone else though, 50 years from now no one will give a damn if you’ve worked 45 years or 43 years.</p>

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<p>“A bird in the hand is better than two in a bush” - A cliche but it is a lesson learned</p>

<p>Frankly, no matter what major you choose, I don’t think staying longer at Community College is a good idea. Figure out what you’re going to do and stick with it. I talk to countless amounts of people who sit around at CC wondering what they are going to do with their life and spend years wasting their time there. Some of my friends are still wondering what they’re going to do and deciding between the same areas you are wondering about - science and english, health or something else. Completely different careers and now they’re going into their second year at CC not knowing what to do and probably not going to decide with certainty anytime soon. One’s going to a state college, got the best scholarships, valedictorian in high school and now is going from science to english after spending atleast $10,000 and relying completely on scholarships. Decided “didn’t like science anymore, now english”</p>

<p>Some horrifying examples: 28 year old who got in associates in Psychology and wanted to do that, now spending years and years at CC and other State college for pre-med. But messed up a semester and now has a 2.5 GPA. Probably no chance of going to great med schools now.</p>

<p>Another person - going to CC 10 years part time. Still doesn’t know what to do. Rides the bus and lives with family.</p>

<p>Another person - had great grades 3.5+, changed major, applied to state college for impacted major, didn’t get in, 22 years old</p>

<p>Here you have some of the best colleges in the U.S. - UCB and UCLA - wanting you to go to their schools.</p>

<p>Life happens, do you really want to give up what you already have for an uncertain future? Maybe you should figure it out soon, but most likely you’ll just do what you want to do. Hopefully you make the best choice.</p>

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Hello Everyone,

I am in the exact same boat! Any advice you guys could give me? This semester will be my last at my community college. That being said, I have applied to UCSB, UCB, UCD and UCLA. As of now, I have a 3.91 GPA. In addition to that, I am an English major. However, I am having second thoughts on that. I am afraid of being in debt without a job after college. Is there any chance of changing my major once I transfer. I don’t mind staying a bit longer at the university. Having said that, I cannot stay at my community college any longer.

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You may want to start your own thread that includes what different proposed major you have and what lower division courses you took for that major at CC.

In general, UCs expect you to complete your bachelor’s degree without needing too many semester/quarters or credit units after transfer.