Changing majors... Help!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
1

<p>I know SLO is notorious for difficulty in changing majors, but I kinda discovered that too late.</p>

<p>I originally put MATHEMATICS as my choice major, and I got accepted last week.</p>

<p>Of course, engineering majors are the most impressive major at SLO, which is also my field of interest. </p>

<p>(I though mathematics and applied math would be great for engineering, but I heard its better just to go with a pure engineering major, since mathematics is more for actuaries, bankers, etc.)</p>

<p>So now I want to change my major as an incoming freshman. I e-mailed the departments and they sent me the website of what to do, but I’m still confused. For anyone familiar, please help me with these questions!</p>

<p>Math and Engineering are in two separate departments, which makes it even more difficult to switch in. The prerequisite for those switching in are:</p>

<p>Math 141, Chem 124, CSC/CPE 101, Math 142, Phys 141, EE 111, EE 151, Math 143, and Phys 133. </p>

<ol>
<li><p>Say if I was originally a ME major, would these be the SAME classes I would be taking when I enter college? Or are these classes just evaluation for those changing majors, thus putting me behind other ME majors?</p></li>
<li><p>How long does the process take?</p></li>
<li><p>If I get a 2.75+ GPA with the courses, is there still a chance I would get rejected from a popular major like ME? (Which would be disappointing if you do get rejected.)</p></li>
</ol>

2

<p>get atleast a 3.5+ gpa because you are switching colleges and remember relax as long as you’re persistent and have good grades you have a good chance of transfering.</p>

3

<p><a href=“http://eadvise.calpoly.edu/policy/forms/ME%202009-11%20Flow%20Chart.pdf[/url]”>http://eadvise.calpoly.edu/policy/forms/ME%202009-11%20Flow%20Chart.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Here’s the link to the flowchart for Mechanical Engineering. This shows what courses students admitted to ME will be taking.</p>

<p>From the College of Math and Science: [Changing</a> Your Major - Advising Center College of Science and Mathematics - Cal Poly](<a href=“http://www.calpoly.edu/~cosamac/major_change.html]Changing”>http://www.calpoly.edu/~cosamac/major_change.html)</p>

<p>"For students currently in the College of Science and Math who are interested in changing your major out of our college:</p>

<p>Please research the requirements for the desired major through college advising websites or department websites and if it looks possible for you to complete the prerequisite requirements AND meet the gpa requirements within three quarters, you can make an appointment to see an advisor in the CSM Advising Center in Building 53, Room 219; 756-2615. We will establish a written contract that will allow you to bypass taking your major/support requirements for up to three quarters and will allow you time to take the courses needed to pursue the desired major. Please realize this does NOT GUARANTEE that you will be admitted to the proposed major but it allows you the time to attempt to change your major. If you are unsuccessful, you can return to your original major. </p>

<p>If the prerequisite courses or gpa required to change will take longer than three quarters, then it is in your best interest to continue to make progress in your current major until such time when you can complete the remaining prerequiiste courses within three quarters. Alternatively, you may want to consider pursuing a different major choice at Cal Poly or transferring to a different institution where you can pursue your desired major. If you remain in your major but do not progress in your major, you will be subject to administrative probation. For further questions, please consult with the College of Science and Math Advising Center."</p>

4

<p>Ugh, such a hassle. Is it possible just to ask them to reevaluate my application for ME? Even if I’ll get rejected in a reevaluation, if I have to go through that to change my major I most likely won’t go to SLO anyway.</p>

5

<p>I think you are mistaken in what courses you need to take to get into ME.</p>

<p>Your List included the following 9 courses:
Math 141, Chem 124, CSC/CPE 101, Math 142, Phys 141, EE 111, EE 151, Math 143, and Phys 133</p>

<p>The Engineering Advising website [College</a> of Engineering Advising Center - Changing Majors into ME](<a href=“http://eadvise.calpoly.edu/dept/memajor.php]College”>http://eadvise.calpoly.edu/dept/memajor.php) lists only 7 courses needed:</p>

<p>"***Students transferring into ME from outside of the College of Engineering must have completed (prior to their junior year): </p>

<ol>
<li>Math 141, Chem 124, Math 142, Phys 131, Chem 125, Math 143 and Phys 132. </li>
<li>These courses must be completed with a 2.75 gpa. If any of the above courses are taken more than once (e.g. a student receives less than a C- grade and wants to retake the course), both grades are averaged together to determine the 2.75 gpa requirement. </li>
<li>The Cal Poly cumulative gpa must be a 2.75 or higher OR a 2.75 gpa in all degree applicable major and support coursework.</li>
<li>Student cannot be on academic probation and must be at Cal Poly for a minimum of one quarter. </li>
<li>Student must meet with a College of Engineering Advising Center advisor to complete a change of major agreement (this agreement “locks in” the criteria at the time it is made)."</li>
</ol>

<p>All 7 of these courses should be able to be completed within the first three quarters at Cal Poly (and are what the freshmen admitted to ME will be taking anyway), and the College of Math and Science is willing to waive the requirement that you make progress in your current major.</p>

<p>Actually, you have it better than most (trying to change their major into Engineering). Most other departments require the student to continue to progress in their major by taking one or two major/support courses each quarter that apply to their original major in addition to taking all the required courses to change their major. College of Science and Math is allowing you just take courses as though you had been admitted to ME in the first place.</p>

6

<p>this link was posted on another thread, and may be helpful to those considering changing majors. have seen several threads started here on that subject:</p>

<p>[Terms</a> and Conditions -Admissions- Cal Poly](<a href=“http://www.ess.calpoly.edu/_admiss/undergrad/reg_terms_fresh.html]Terms”>http://www.ess.calpoly.edu/_admiss/undergrad/reg_terms_fresh.html)</p>

<p>which states, directly, in part:</p>

<p>"You have been offered admission to the major stated on your letter of conditional admission. It is not possible to change your major prior to enrollment at Cal Poly and it may not be possible to change your major, once enrolled. Furthermore, you will be required to complete coursework in your declared major during each term you are enrolled at Cal Poly. As a result, make sure you are committed to your declared major prior to accepting our offer of admission. </p>

<p>Note: once you 'accept’ our offer of admission, you are certifying that you understand and agree to these terms and conditions and that you are making a commitment to attend Cal Poly. </p>

<p>Additionally, failure to accept Cal Poly’s offer of admission by the appropriate deadline will result in your admission being cancelled (not applicable to applicants admitted for a non-fall quarter).</p>

<p>BE ADVISED
Should any of your self-reported information be unable to pass verification from your transcript(s), your admission will be cancelled.</p>

<p>FINALLY
You must enroll in and complete coursework at Cal Poly for the quarter to which you were offered admission in order to be considered a continuing student at Cal Poly and remain eligible to enroll for subsequent quarters."</p>

7

<p>There is no doubt that Cal Poly discourages chage of major, but it’s unrealistic to think that no one changes their major. The College of Engineering has 4, 5, and 6 year graduation rates of 8.2%, 48.5%, and 64.7% respectively (source: Cal Poly Institutional Planning and Analysis). That means that more than a third of the admitted engineers do not graduate in Engineering, and CENG is the largest college at Cal Poly. </p>

<p>Many of these students who are admitted to CENG (but don’t graduate from CENG) in fact change their major. The Engineering dorm just last week hosted a meeting about “how to change your major”. I guess after almost 2 quarters, many freshman engineers are second guessing their choice to go into Engineering. </p>

<p>And, when so many Engineering students change their major to something OUTSIDE of CENG, it creates openings for students hoping to change INTO the College of Engineering.
I know it is hard, and most department require you to progress in your major while you take the required courses for change of major, but it can be done with good planning and hard work.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

8

<p>@ralph4
Thanks a lot, this helped reassure my stress. So basically I would be like every other ME student entering, and hopefully if I get accepted to change major, then it was as if I missed nothing. The tricky part is getting accepted though, or it would be a lonnng time wasted.</p>

<p>Also, I e-mailed the admissions office regarding changing majors. They said it was impossible to change before I attend, and I may not be able to change into ME (no guarantee).</p>

<p>But they did say there may be a new major changing policy:</p>

<p>“…a new university change of major policy will likely be implemented beginning Fall 2010 and those details have not yet been determined which may make it more or less difficult to change majors. Again, there will be no guarantee that if you decide to come here as a math major you will be able to switch - I just want you to know that up front!”</p>

<p>HOPEFULLY the details will be available before I have to accept my enrollment at SLO.</p>

<p>EDIT: Woah, but looking at the flowchart for ME, it seems that the classes I need to take would take 4 quarters to complete normally rather than 3… Hmm. Any advise?</p>

9

<p>Op9no2,</p>

<p>Advice:</p>

<ol>
<li>Be sure to take all courses required for CoM to ME during the first 3 quarters.</li>
<li>You can change the order of courses (from what is on the flow chart) as long as pre-req’s are met.</li>
<li> You can push Speech or Tech Writing (ENGL 149) out to 2nd year if necessary. It doesn’t really matter when you take GE’s.</li>
<li> Take Calc (Math 141) at a CC this summer. If you already passed AP Calc (with a high enough AP exam score), take the next Calc class at CC this summer.</li>
<li>Work hard, and keep your grades up. The one difference you have from those admitted to ME is that you need to keep your GPA above 2.75, where they only need above a 2.0.</li>
<li>Try not to fall behind the flowchart. They want everyone to graduate in a max of 13 quarters at CP. Engineering is hard, so plan to work hard. There is a reason only 8.2% of the in Engineers graduate in 4 years. </li>
<li>Take any GE’s (or support courses that will transfer) at CC’s in the summers if you can.
Be sure to check [Welcome</a> to ASSIST](<a href=“http://www.assist.org%5DWelcome”>http://www.assist.org) for articulation agreements with Cal Poly.</li>
<li>Call CENG advising to make sure they approve of your planned course selection, even GE’s at CC.</li>
</ol>

<p>Question: Do you have any AP credits for courses on the ME flowchart? It helps if you do.</p>

10

<p>@ralph4</p>

<p>Thanks for the informative reply! You are starting to bring back my faith in attending SLO, because I’m sadly thinking of attending different schools b/c the changing majors problem.</p>

<p>I do have AP credits, in:</p>

<p>AP US History
AP Euro History
AP English Composition</p>

<p>by this year I will be taking the exams of:</p>

<p>AP Physics
AP Calculus BC
AP Microeconomics
AP US Government
AP Literature Composition</p>

<p>(In a hurry and can’t check the flowchart, just listing as fast as possible.)</p>

<p>And WOW, only 8% of engineers graduate in 4 years? Thats insane! And keeping a 2.75+ GPA still won’t guarantee me a spot…</p>

11

<p>If you pass all those AP courses, you will already have credit for the following six courses on the ME flowchart:</p>

<p>(courses marked with * are required courses for change of Major to ME)</p>

<ol>
<li>Math 141* (3,4,or 5 on Calc BC exam gives credit for both 141 & 142)</li>
<li>Math 142*</li>
<li>Physics 131* (4,or 5 on Physics C:Mechanics exam – is the the AP Physics you are in?)</li>
<li>English 134 --GE Area A1 (3,4,or 5 on AP English Language & Comp exam)</li>
<li>GE C1 (4 or 5 on AP English Lit. & Comp exam gives credit for GE C1 and English 134)</li>
<li>GE D3 (3.4,or 5 on both AP US Gov and AP US Hist exams along with POLS 111-- Calif. Gov., a 1 unit course to be taken at Cal Poly, gives credit for GE D3.) </li>
</ol>

<p>I don’t think AP Microeconomics or AP Euro history count towards anything on the ME flowchart, so don’t stress too much over those AP exams. </p>

<p>source: <a href=“http://www.ess.calpoly.edu/_records/Degree_Progress/articdoc/apcred2009.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ess.calpoly.edu/_records/Degree_Progress/articdoc/apcred2009.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>This assumes 2010 AP exams will be awarded credit the same as 2009 AP exams.</p>

<p>So that means that you will already have 3 of the seven courses done that you would need to complete in order to chage your major to ME (as long as you pass the AP exams with high enough scores.)</p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

12

<p>Heh, I guess I better study up then.</p>

<p>Thanks for helping so much.</p>

<p>So IF I do get my major changed - its like I’m any other ME right? (Like I took the same classes as if I was accepted in ME?)</p>