For CMU’s College of Engineering, I heard that to get into ECE (electrical & computer engineering) you need to indicate it on your application because it is more selective than all the other engineering majors (like Mechanical engineering or chemical engineering), so does this mean that if you put ECE on your application they evaluate you with a different set of criteria? In other words, would it be harder to get in if you put down ECE compared to mechanical engineering?
Also, is it possible to get into the college of engineering but not ECE? For example, if you put down ECE as your first choice major and mechanical engineering as your 2nd choice, could you get rejected from ECE but still be accepted into mechanical engineering? If this is possible, how would it work for early decision? In early decision you can only apply to one major, so if I put down ECE could I get rejected from ECE but still be accepted into the College of engineering? Then would I still be binded by early decision to attend CMU even though I didn’t get ECE?
Your selection for ECE in your application only tells them that you are interested in the major. Once you get admitted (to the engineering school), you’ll have to take the courses of ECE fundamentals. In those courses, only with appropriate grades will you be able to declare ECE as your major.
Talked with Director of Admissions during his visit to our school
I’m still confused about some things. I was told that we have to specifically select ECE on our application to be considered for it, so I would assume it’s because ECE is more difficult to get into. What if we’re not completely sure if we want to do ECE, but want to have the option to switch into it if we change our mind? Should we still select ECE as our first choice major or put it as a second choice? (I’m not sure if it makes sense to put ECE second because isn’t ECE supposed to be harder to get into?)