Can you switch schools within USC?

<p>For example, say I get accepted to Arts & Sciences, but later want to switch to Viterbi school of engineering. Is that possible? Thanks!</p>

<p>Depends on school and major.</p>

<p>Read this for change to Viterbi.
[USC</a> - Viterbi School of Engineering - Changing Majors to Engineering](<a href=“http://viterbi.usc.edu/students/undergrad/advisement/changeofmajor.htm]USC”>http://viterbi.usc.edu/students/undergrad/advisement/changeofmajor.htm)</p>

<p>If USC makes it easy to change from some degrees into an engineering degree there goes the reputation of Viterbi. So anyone can register for engineering classes at orientation? It should be difficult to get into engineering from another school like it is everywhere else. You shouldn’t be able to apply to an “easier” major and then easily switch to engineering. If USC wants to retain any credibility for the strength of their engineering program, the criteria to switch needs to be strict. The people that applied to get in had to compete with others applying to get into engineering and achieved something by getting accepted. It shouldn’t be open to anyone that changes their mind before orientation. I hope it is more demanding than that. Or if so, why apply to engineering ever? I would think scholarships are more easily gotten in the other schools as well rather than competing with the engineering crowd for them.</p>

<p>One of the great things about USC is that students in any school may register for classes in any other school. The access is amazing. blueskies2day, USC encourages double majors, multiple minors and offers special recognition for students who exemplify the Renaissance ideal and major/major/minor in disparate fields. I am sorry you are disappointed, but I am glad USC doesn’t think the way you do.</p>

<p>I’m glad the all powerful alamemom speaks for all of USC and is the only one that can on this entire forum. Just don’t disagree with her. Defensive city. Heaven forbid anyone have an idea that could strengthen USC that this poster doesn’t think of…why don’t you encourage the free thought that you speak so highly of without being so dang defensive and attacking?</p>

<p>I get the dbl majors and minors and that is great, but if you don’t understand the difference between majors - you are the closed minded one. You can be incredibly helpful, but wow, it is your way or highway. You are so condescending. Too bad. Now I know why a high level administrator at USC said to stay off of this.</p>

<p>How long before you delete this post and restrict free speech?</p>

<p>Golly, blueskies2day, you seem a bit grumpy! You are perfectly free to disagree with me just as I am free to disagree with you. </p>

<p>BTW, I am extremely pleased to be referred to as “the all-powerful alamemom!” I am going to see if College Confidential will change my username to reflect the status you have bestowed upon me. Thanks! (Though, as I see it, my only superpower is to type the same answers to the same twelve tired questions that keep getting asked over and over and over…)</p>

<p>A couple of notes:
-I can’t delete posts - sorry! My all-powerful-ness is not as all-powerful as it could be, I suppose.
-AND, I would hope ALL administrators, officials and representatives would tell applicants to stay off this site - there is so much stress and misinformation on College Confidential. Excellent advice, thanks for passing it on.</p>

<p>I’m gonna have to agree with blueskies2day on this one though…although his attitude towards alamemom is way out of line as she has helped a lot of people positively on this forum. Anyways…that seems a little bit too easy (higher than C- on math classes?) when Viterbi should be a very difficult school to switch into. I was accepted with a Deans Scholarship to Viterbi to which I’m grateful for, but many of my friends who were accepted into Marshall with lower overall stats received half-tuition/full-tuition scholarships. Perhaps I’m a bit bitter, but allowing these students to then, transfer to an engineering department fairly easily WITH their full tuition scholarship is ridiculous. Well, to answer you question, OP, unfortunately yes you can fairly easily switch schools at USC.</p>

<p>Cygnus I don’t see where it says that you only need to better than a C-. Below is a cut and paste from the link listed in post #2.</p>

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<p>To me that reads you need at least a ‘B’ in your math classes to be admitted; anything below that requires further review. I also suspect that there’s a cap on the number of students that can be in Engineering, further limiting the ease with which you can transfer.</p>

<p>It’s hardly surprising that 17 & 18-year-olds would want to change their academic paths after sampling college. On one college tour (Northwestern I think) the Admissions person stated that the average undergrad changes their major 4 times before graduation. I found that high but know plenty of students who’ve changed a number of times. Viterbi (and the other schools) allowing students to take up to four classes without declaring as an engineering major is a great benefit to the students facilitating their final path decisions.</p>

<p>USC has admitted all of these students; they’ve made the decision that they want them to be there. The fact is that there are policies in place to allow students to change their minds and still remain at USC. It’s up to the Engineering School to decide if they want to admit them. To my knowledge a process like this is standard operating procedure at most schools.</p>

<p>Finally, alamemom is a great asset to visitors of this board. People are of course free to disagree with anything posted on here; it’s a pity that responses can’t be kept on-point and civil.</p>

<p>@vinceh, my apologies. You are correct. You would need a B or higher.</p>