@Davallia unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to switch. I know quite a few engineering majors in ERC but they’re making do.
@muirmonster I know DoctorP has answered this already but scheduling can be very, very tricky. Seldom will you get a schedule that really works for you. Spots fill up very quickly for good professors and good times for lecture/discussion so you’re not always guaranteed a schedule that works for you even if you plan it out ahead of time. In that case, always prepare alternative classes that you can switch in if one doesn’t work out.
@tyranitarus Do you think it’ll be harder to graduate in 4 years in ERC for engineering than Warren for example?
@Davallia it should definitely be doable. A little harder, but you’ll have to take more courses per quarter to graduate on time. It also depends on what engineering you are (I’m not too knowledgeable on the majors but I believe each has a different unit cap for graduation). You can always consult academic advising about it.
@tyranitarus Thank you! UCSD is definitely a top contender for my daughter. I have a question for you and anyone else at UCSD. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to go to Triton Day. We have done a tour of UCSD (frankly, it wasn’t great, the tour guides were awful). But I think my daughter would like to do another visit. What do you recommend? I don’t think doing another general tour would be helpful. Do you think it’s best to try to come on a weekday when school is in session and maybe visit a class? Does USCD do overnights for admitted students? I’ll ask the admissions office what the options are, but it would be great to hear some recommendations from current students. Thanks again!
@LionsMum anytime!
I don’t believe there’s an overnight program (at least, there wasn’t one that I knew of last year). If she has any friends already at UCSD, asking them to show her around would be nice, since she’ll get to ask questions one on one with someone she’s comfortable talking to. Otherwise, going during the fall quarter and walking around, looking through every part of campus, and maybe sitting through a lecture wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Thank you both for the info! @tyranitarus @DoctorP
@tyranitaris - Regarding Muir, could you expand on your comment, “Not a lot of GE’s with flexibility because they let you pick which ones you want to do.” Thanks!
@Mayzie Hey! I’m a Muir student myself, thought I’d chime in.
Instead of having a lot of GE specific requirements, from my experience Muir just wants to see a lot of upper division credits. As an engineering major this made Muir the best choice for me since I would fulfill those requirements through my major alone.
@LionsMum Hey! I thought I’d chime in on your question regarding how to best visit the campus a second time. I’m sorry the tour guides didn’t leave a good impression… it’s more of a sightseeing tour than anything. What’s your daughters major? I would try to sit in on some fun classes pertaining to her major, check out the surrounding area (Gliders Port is a must!), check out the library, and other various things which are important to the campus vibe that the tours lack.
Is it hard to change majors at ucsd? I got in for international business but I want to change it to economics.
@stevoleeto Thank you for the suggestions! She was admitted to Biochemistry/Chemistry which was her first choice. The biggest problem w/ the tour was that the guides seemed so unenthusiastic about the school. Example – every UC tour we went on, at the end of the tour, the guides said why they chose that particular school. At UCSD, one guide said he chose it because he was from Orange County and didn’t want to go far from home. The other guide said she was a transfer and UCSD was the best UC she got admitted to. Neither one spoke about anything they particularly liked about the school, and the whole tour was a downer as a result (multiple people on the tour came away with the same feeling). It was unfortunate, but I’m really hoping we can get a better view of the school if we visit again.
Hey, thanks to those taking the time to answer questions. It’s cool of you to help out. I’m an incoming freshman for 2016: ERC for CS. I was wondering if there is anyone who can answer a few questions about on campus jobs. How hard is it to balance work and studying, what kind of work schedule works best? which jobs on campus are best ? etc etc. Thanks to anyone who chimes in .
@LionsMum I am honestly in love with this campus. As someone who is trying to make the most of what the school has to offer… UCSD has changed my life forever with the types of opportunities it has to offer.
It sucks that the tour guides left a negative impression, if you guys are coming back and want a more realistic / serious tour let me know via PM. I can try to give you a list of things to do and see from a perspective of someone who really enjoys the school.
@stoked I worked with Shuttles for my first year, and absolutely loved it. I would argue that it’s the best job on campus… And they’re ALWAYS hiring assuming you meet the minimum qualifications.
Plenty of other job opportunities (dinning halls etc), all understand you’re a student and work with a schedule. Most students who work on campus work 10-20 hr weeks.
@stevoleeto shot dude. I was on campus yesterday for a recky and I saw some flyers for shuttles employment. Seems like you get to spend a lot of time outside.
What sort of shifts can you pull with them? I’ll probably try work 2 days a week and maybe a weekend day.
What is your take home pay per hour usually?
Thanks again man. GL for finals week.
@stevoleeto - Thanks! My DD just got in. When she and I looked on the website it looked like there is a sequence of art classes as a core requirement, which she was excited about, since she’s done a bunch of theater. She is Undeclared - Natural Sciences, and in Muir.
@dk0864 congratulations on your acceptance! I’m actually an international business major myself but may be switching into economics. I’ll just repost what I wrote earlier regarding switching into the econ major specifically:
There is a prerequisite for economics which includes ECON 1&3 and either MATH 10A-C (non-STEM calculus) or MATH 20A-C (STEM calculus). Depending on if he took AP Macro/Micro Econ and AP Calculus A/B or B/C in high school, he may already have credits that satisfy these requirements. If not, he will have to knock them out hopefully during his first and/or second year. He must receive at least a C- average in the economics classes and either a B- or a C- average depending on which math sequence he takes before being allowed to switch into the major.
More information here: http://economics.ucsd.edu/ugrad/ugradEntry/index.php
Unlike impacted majors (engineering), there is no competitive aspect to switching. Switching into computer science or any engineering is highly difficult because you need to be in a top percentage of applicants trying to switch in, and you only get a select number of times to re-apply. But you are allowed to switch to econ as long as you maintain the averages in the classes stated above. Any other major should be fine – you literally just go onto the portal and click a button.
@stoked congratulations on your acceptance! In regards to jobs, if you’re looking to work on campus you can always apply for a HDH (Housing, Dining, & Hospitality) job. This will usually entail working in the dining halls or markets. They hire a very large percentage of people and from what I’ve heard, pay is decent and they give flexible hours. I myself applied just last week and am getting an interview after break. It’s definitely doable if you have decent time management. Or you could do shuttles, as @stevoleeto suggested.
@LionsMum I’m really sorry to hear about your tour experience – they should honestly be hiring students who care a little more about their job and at least attempting to market our school a little better. I think just letting your daughter go around campus and see if she likes the format, proximity from college to college, and overall atmosphere is really important. I did this with a few schools last year before I decided that I liked this one the most.
Hi! I have been admitted to Muir for Human Bio. I would like to know if anyone has any suggestions for life hacks at UCSD! Anything that’ll make freshman year more comfortable/convenient. How to go about life at UCSD smartly basically.