I am an applicant for the class of 2020. I am interested in 3 majors within the Mellon College of Sciences: Biological Chemistry, Economics and Mathematical Sciences, and Computational Finance. From my application’s honors and activities, I am most qualified for the chemistry major and I am thinking to apply with an essay for chemistry. However, I recently became fascinated in financial engineering, and the Computation Finance is the degree I truly want to pursue, but I think it will be much harder to get into. I have fairly good stats (4.0 UW GPA and 34 ACT).
Is it possible to get admitted into the Biological Chemistry major, and switch to Computational Finance or Economics and Mathematical Sciences major in my first year? How difficult is it?
I realize that there are 4 different programs within MCS: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics. Are you free to switch your major within any program of MCS, or are only free to switch majors within your respective program/department?
If you think it is too hard to get into coming from HS, it will find the workload at CMU too difficult and most likely be unable to transfer.
Therefore, go for the school you want to be accepted into. If you want financial engineering, than apply for it.
My understand is you can apply up to three different majors and each will be evaluated by the corresponding departments. So apply to Carnegie Mellon is effectively apply to three difference schools and getting three different decisions. This make the ‘Why Carnegie Mellon’ essay a bit tricky but you should be able explain your new found possible interests. I believe to transfer majors you need to apply but if your grades are high it is relatively easy. This advice comes from reading some old post of current students. For a definitive answer ask the admissions department.