<p>I was under the impression that transferring between the two undergrad schools was a relatively painless process at Tufts. However, upon deciding that I want to transfer to the engineering school, I was met with a swift and firm rejection.</p>
<p>Admittedly, I just finished my sophomore year, and only a few of the classes I've taken thus far are required for the engineering degree that I'm interested in. But I am willing to take summer courses and heavy course loads for as long as it takes to achieve the degree that I want. Additionally my cumulative GPA is solid, and I have a 4.0 average for the few math courses I've taken here so far.</p>
<p>This has been my only significant grievance with Tufts. I love the school, the campus, the academics, and the people. But I am now carefully considering whether or not to transfer.</p>
<p>Any suggestions on what I should do? Stick with my current LA degree and end up having to take many more classes once I graduate? Transfer? Other options that I haven't thought of?</p>
<p>I suspect that you were told “no” because, at this point (i.e., half way through the normal 4 years of college), you could not finish the requirements for an engineering degree even with summer classes unless your proposed “heavy course loads” during the regular academic year would be so heavy that Tufts does not permit that many courses. Keep in mind that engineers have a heavier course load that A&S students, so that their “normal” semester is 5 courses, compared to 4 in A&S.
You might have waited too long.
Have you considered proposing a 5th year?</p>
<p>I understand the difference in course load, and I’ve taken 5 credits (or more) most semesters. If they had let me switch, I would assume that I’d need to take 6.5 credits (the EN credit limit) every semester from here on out, in addition to summer work. </p>
<p>I also stated that I am willing to take an additional year or two if necessary to complete the degree. But apparently that didn’t make a difference.</p>
<p>Try again? During my own time at Tufts, I found that often much could be accomplished by asking twice.</p>
<p>I hope you can work this out, despite the challenge of watching to start engineering fresh with your third year. We tell students that switching is relatively painless during the first year, with the caveat switching later on comes with pretty high hurdles. It sounds like you’d likely need another year + summer sessions to make it work + more? 6.5 classes a semester might not fix the problem because of the sequential nature of engineering classes.</p>