Harder to gain admission? CE or CS

Applying to College
1

At many of the top tech schools in the country, Cornell, Gatech, UCB, Michigan for example, would it be easier to get into CS through the Arts & Sciences school, or would it be easier to get into the Computer Engineering major in the Engineering school? I know CS is typically more competitive, but CE is in the engineering school. Assuming my EC reflect both majors the same, which major is it easier, however marginally, to get accepted for.

Thanks

2

School specific.

For example, at UCB, you can study CS as an EECS major in the College of Engineering, or a CS major in the College of Letters and Science (L&S CS). For admission purposes:

  • For the EECS major, applicants apply directly to the major. If admitted, they are declared in the major. However, the EECS major is one of the most selective majors at UCB. (Note: changing in the EECS after enrolling is extremely difficult.)
  • For the L&S CS major, applicants apply to L&S, where all entering students enter as undeclared. Once the student enters, s/he must earn a 3.3 college GPA in three prerequisite CS courses before being able to declare the L&S CS major.

So, for EECS, you would face one higher admission bar to jump, while for L&S, the initial admission bar to jump is slightly lower, but then you would face another admission bar to get into L&S CS after enrolling.

3

I have a Berkeley specific question. For CS at UCB is the only requirement a 3.3 in those 3 prerequisite courses and then you automatically are allowed to declare CS as your major? @ucbalumnus

4

https://eecs.berkeley.edu/academics/undergraduate/cs-ba