<p>Hi! So I applied to the College of Letters and Science and got in but now I know that I'd like to be in the College of Engineerig. How/when will I be able to be admitted to engineering? Thanks!</p>
<p>I just recently switched from L&S to CALS. Assuming the College of Engineering works the same as CALS, you can either wait until SOAR to change your school, or email admissions. If you email admissions, tell them your request and be sure to give them your campus ID as well.</p>
<p>The advantage to changing your school/college now is getting the most appropriate SOAR advisors this summer. For engineering you will need mainly L&S courses your first year and will need to apply to the major. Changing school/college has no effect on your admissions- you got admitted to the university as a whole. The default is L&S if you don’t specify another one.</p>
<p>Read the Engineering link on the UW website.</p>
<p>It is highly doubtful that you will be able to switch to the college of engineering for SOAR. In order to be in the college of engineering you have to be say you want to be in the college of engineering when you apply. Chances are you will have to go through SOAR in the college of Letters and Science.</p>
<p>What this means is you probably won’t be able to sign up for your introduction to engineering class your first semester and instead have to wait until your spring semester to take InterEGR 160. The reason being in order to use the COE shop you have to be in the college of engineering or get special permission.</p>
<p>^I do not think you are correct. Applicants are admitted to the university as a whole, regardless of the field of study indicated on the application. It should be a simple matter to contact admissions and request a change to engineering.</p>
<p>Perhaps UWMadisonAdmiss would care to answer this question.</p>
<p>I have received contradicting information at the campus visit last Summer. The admission session and the engineering session just said the opposite. At the admission session, they said students are just applying to the university disregarding intended field of study. At the engineering session, they said students planned to study engineering need to apply to the engineering school. It is still not clear to me whether there is a pre-admission to engineering or not.</p>
<p>There is no contradiction: students apply to the university and are admitted without regard to the intended field of study, but do need to indicate an intended field of study (or undecided) so they are in the appropriate group for SOAR and are assigned the right advisor(s).</p>
<p>The confusion was, one said you don’t apply to engineering school, the other said you do need to apply to engineering school. There were parents actually asked that question specifically at both sessions and we were all scratching our heads afterward.</p>
<p>I see how that can be confusing.</p>
<p>If you think of status upon admission to UW as an incoming freshman as ‘pre-engineering’ or ‘general engineering’ that might help. </p>
<p>It is similar to what happens to the majority of students who hope to be admitted to the School of Business for fall semester of sophomore year (excluding the 40 or so direct-admits). These students apply as incoming freshmen to UW as a whole, and indicate ‘pre-business’ on the application. Then the student applies by April 1 of freshman year for admission for the next fall semester once the prerequisites are completed (or will be completed during Spring semester). Essays, demonstration of interest, college GPA, and various other factors are considered and not all who apply will be admitted.</p>
<p>One of the departments in the College of Engineering explains about the ‘initial classification’ in engineering (EGR - Engineering General Resources), and how students then need to apply to the specific ‘degree-granting’ department within the College of Engineering once prerequisites are completed:</p>
<p>[Admission</a> requirements - College of Engineering @ University of Wisconsin Madison](<a href=“http://www.engr.wisc.edu/cee/cee-undergraduate-admission-requirements.html]Admission”>http://www.engr.wisc.edu/cee/cee-undergraduate-admission-requirements.html)</p>
<p>Initial classification</p>
<p>[Official</a> regulations - College of Engineering @ University of Wisconsin Madison](<a href=“http://www.engr.wisc.edu/current/coe-enrollment-regulations.html#1]Official”>http://www.engr.wisc.edu/current/coe-enrollment-regulations.html#1)</p>
<p>New students admitted to the College of Engineering but not yet to a degree-granting department are assigned the classification of Engineering General Resources (EGR). EGR students should transfer to a degree-granting department as soon as they are eligible. Students may not begin a semester with the EGR classification after they have completed four semesters as an EGR student. Summer session is not considered a semester.</p>
<p>Admission to a degree-granting classification</p>
<p>[Official</a> regulations - College of Engineering @ University of Wisconsin Madison](<a href=“http://www.engr.wisc.edu/current/coe-enrollment-regulations.html#3]Official”>http://www.engr.wisc.edu/current/coe-enrollment-regulations.html#3)</p>
<p>To be considered for admission to the Civil Engineering (BSCE) major, a student must have:</p>
<ol>
<li>Satisfied the General Education Communication Skills Part A requirement (see General College Requirements).</li>
<li>A minimum of 24 credits.</li>
<li>A minimum of 17 credits of calculus, statistics, chemistry, computer science, statics, and physics courses required for an engineering degree. These credits must include Math 222 or Math 276.</li>
<li>A grade point average of at least 2.50 for all math courses 217 and above, statistics courses 224 and above, chemistry (all classes), computer science (all classes), EMA 201, and physics courses 201 and above. For one and only one of these courses that a student has repeated, the more recent of the two grades will be used in the calculation.</li>
<li>A grade-point average at least 2.00 for all courses not included above in Requirement 4.</li>
<li>Successful completion of introductory chemistry (Chem 103/104 or 109 or 116); calculus-based mechanics (EMA 201 or Physics 201, 207, or 247); math through Math 222 or Math 276; and either InterEGR 101 or 160 or another introduction to engineering class from an approved list. For transfer students, the introduction to engineering class is optional and not required. If taken, credits will apply to Liberal Studies.</li>
</ol>
<p>When the number of qualified BSCE applicants exceeds the capacity of the program, admissions will be limited to that capacity. Under these conditions, admission of students will be based on grade point averages, test scores, geographical background, personal background, and diversity. This basis for admission is intended to implement the University’s goals of (1) maximizing the success of students who are admitted to a program and (2) achieving a heterogeneous and ethnically diverse student body. It is the student’s responsibility to submit a timely application to the dean’s office for admission to the BSCE degree-granting classification.</p>
<p>Application periods are as follows:
For Fall Semester: January 15 to March 1
For Spring Semester: September 15 to November 1
For Summer Session: January 15 to March 1</p>
<p>Students not admitted to the BSCE degree program may file an appeal with the dean.</p>
<p>Yes, I did read the information about EGR status as first year engineering student and the admission letter does indicate College of Engineering. And yet, people here is saying the student is only admitted to the school as a whole just like other students (except for Dance and Music major), not to engineering. So there are actually 2 questions. 1. Is there a separated review process for school of engineering? 2. Is there a status difference for freshmen admitted to engineering (i.e. one need to go through some procedure to change school rather than just declaring it at SOAR freely)?</p>
<p>The process described above seems similar to the process at other engineering schools - Penn State and Virginia Tech come to mind. In both cases you take general engineering requirements and then at end of freshman year you have to “apply” to a specific engineering major. You are admitted to the major based on your completion of the prerequisites and your gpa. Some majors are more competitive and space limited than others.</p>
<p>The biggest difference between the schools mentioned and UWisc is the UWisc admits you to the university and PSU/VT admit you to the College of Engineering as part of the initial admissions process. All 3 schools require you to jump two hurdles before getting into your engineering major.</p>
<p>Madison85, it is true that you are admitted to the university as a whole. From experience I have found that at SOAR you cannot go to which ever college you want to. My brother was accepted as letters and science and wasn’t allowed to go to the engineering section of SOAR. I on the other hand was accepted as an engineering student and during SOAR they have everything set up only for engineering students. They had groups pre decided based off of who was accepted into the engineering school.</p>
<p>So, when you are in the Letters and Science school you may not get the engineering advisors, but you can still take the required classes to apply to any engineering department.</p>
<p>Students are admitted to the university as a whole. When you register for SOAR, you will indicate which school or college you would like to work with. The SOAR website says that “while you indicated a major preference on your application for admission you can choose ANY school or college to work with at SOAR.” </p>
<p>More information can be found about SOAR here: [Student</a> Orientation, Advising, and Registration | University of Wisconsin?Madison](<a href=“http://www.newstudent.wisc.edu/soar/freshman/pre-rsvp/4-chooseSchool.php]Student”>http://www.newstudent.wisc.edu/soar/freshman/pre-rsvp/4-chooseSchool.php).</p>
<p>@ pierredollar
Thanks for the info. You really answered my question. So it is a pre-admission status that distinguish an engineering and a non-engineering student. Then it makes sense to have that specified on the admission letter.
For the other schools my D applied, it was specific for the engineering school that even the reviewing process is separated, although one may still do a inter-school transfer later on. It is much more competitive to get into the engineering school than to Literature/Arts/Science.</p>
<p>Update:
UWMadisonAdmiss official response seems to contradict with pierredollar’s experience though. It seems I am back to square 1 and as confused as right after the campus visit.</p>
<p>I wonder if decisions for SOAR must be made when signing up in advance- not once you come for the session. This means you have to be clear on your intention when you register for SOAR weeks in advance and not later.</p>
<p>It is so nice that you get admitted to the entire university so you don’t worry about changing your mind about your intended major. I think it is terrible for students to not have flexibility. I suppose those students admitted to a specific program do not have to worry about getting into it later. But there are far more students who should change their initial plans and can easily do so at UW.</p>
<p>wis75 is correct about indicating your school or college preference while registering in advance for a SOAR session. I hope this clears up some of the confusion. If you have any further questions you can contact SOAR Information at <a href=“mailto:SOAR@studentlife.wisc.edu”>SOAR@studentlife.wisc.edu</a>.</p>
<p>billcsho, like you, I also attended the UW preview day. My son was admitted to College of Engineering; was told at the preview day that the admissions team does not look at what college you are seeking as they make admission decisions! One is admitted into pre-engineering and you go through another hoop before you get admitted into engineering. (They would not tell me what are the chances of jumping this hoop or at least reveal 2013 stats on how many tried to jump the hoop vs how many actually got in.) UW Madison system selection process is pretty confusing! I can’t imagine one would make admission decision w/o even looking at the intended major! (I even asked if I would have been admitted into pre-engineering w/o adequate science courses and her response was yes.) It is unfortunate we are not given enough info to help us make informed decisions even though we pay 40K+ being OOS.</p>
<p>Another difficulty I had was determining transfer credits: how course C from school S transfers to UW Madison. UW website directs you to a course equivalency website site that is absolutely unhelpful if you are from states outside of WI and MN. (Compare this to other engineering schools like Purdue and you know what I am talking about.) Perhaps I am all wrong and UWMadisonAdmissions user can correct me? Thanks</p>
<p>Current parent here (though not engineering). Admitted students sign up for specific SOAR dates online, in the spring. As part of that sign-up, they indicate which College they want advising for – Letters & Science, Cross-College (for truly undecided) and presumably Engineering and CALS. Some of the SOAR experience is general, new freshman stuff and some of it is more specific to the college you expect to study in. </p>
<p>As for the course equivalency program, for incoming freshman, I can see that would be a concern for students with dual enrollment credits. Otherwise, AP/IB credits are articulated on the website, and placement tests for math/enlish and foreign language, if a student is continuing with that language, are required for all incoming students. For out of state students (like mine), they register to take the placement tests at local schools which provide the test site, for us, it was our community college. Those results are used for placement – and testing out of – certain gen ed requirements in quantitative reasoning and communication. </p>
<p>The course equivalency service is actually quite efficient and effective. My student used it last year to see what local summer classes he could use to get some breadth requirements done. In May, the service opens up for enrolled students, and they can submit the info on the proposed course on-line, including course description, institution etc. Within a couple weeks, my student received a form identifying which requirements the courses would meet. Very user-friendly. The "pre-approved’ courses which are already identified as equivalent are limited to the instate institutions. I would imagine that, for students who have accepted their spot at UW and have an id etc, they could complete the course equivalency request for courses they already have dual enrollment for, and get that info back in May – well before SOAR. </p>
<p>As other UW parents/alums have said, students are admitted to UW, not a specific school within the University. Students may pre-select what school they are interested in, but they still have to be admitted. B school students apply in the spring of freshman year, and hear over the summer, I think. Communication and Engineering take place during sophomore year, again, I think at least based on when my son’s friends announced they were admitted to different programs.</p>