Help With College Transfer decision!!! A serious conundrum!!!

<p>Currently I am a business major attending Curry College(regrettably). I am in the first semester of my sophomore year and now realize that my interest is in engineering and computer science. I have already talked to my Adviser about switching majors but my school only offers an IT major.This year I have a 3.5 gpa and wish to transfer to schools that offer this. However, schools such as MIT, North Eastern, Cornell (etc.) have prerequisites that I have unfulfilled. This includes the SAT subject test in math and science, and class courses in Calculus and one of the sciences (Biology, Physics). </p>

<p>Right now I feel almost entirely hopeless because I found what I 'd love to pursue but cant go to a college that is well known for its engineering and science majors.</p>

<p>However, I do have a plan as to what I can do. First, I register for Calculus and a science course for my spring semester and for the the SAT subject test in math and science this December. Then I apply as a transfer to BU or BSU in my hometown because the school tuition is severely reduced. Thereafter, I major in computer science and minor in business so minimal credits are wasted. Finally, I perform extremely well In the school that admits me as a transfer by taking summer classes to finish and graduate early. </p>

<p>By that time I will be 21 or 22 and will probably have to work a year or two to rid myself of debt.</p>

<p>Then I will apply as a freshman to MIT, North Eastern, or Cornell(etc.) and if they admit me into their school I can then pursue the engineering degree that I want.</p>

<p>I admit that I seriously messed up but what I want to know is your honest opinion. Is this the best I can do or is there a better solution to remedy my problem.</p>

<p>First of all, you cannot apply as a Freshman any longer. You have been in college and must apply as a transfer student. However, you don’t need to wait to do it. Take that Calculus class and apply as a transfer student to colleges which will take you for engineering without having to take the SAT again or have all the prerequisites for entering as a junior. There are many who will do so and their engineering degrees will serve you well. You don’t need to be at MIT to get a solid engineering degree, some of the smaller [url=“&lt;a href=“http://theaitu.org%22%5DAITU%5B/url”&gt;http://theaitu.org”]AITU[/url</a>] schools will likely be happy to have you transfer in just as you are. Look for your best options and get on with it.</p>

<p>Don’t try to scavenge credits. You will never lose the value of the education you already have. If it doesn’t apply to your engineering pursuit, so what? Why work until you are 22-24 years old graduating from a program you will never use, just to not waste credits? It seems to me that may be the greater waste. Set your course directly towards your goal. The sooner the better! Listen to good Professor @xraymancs!</p>

<p>Since you will have to apply as a transfer to nearly all colleges (other than military service academies), you may want to transfer to a low cost community college, take the frosh/soph level prerequisites for engineering and CS there, then apply as a junior transfer to a four year school to complete the remaining two years.</p>

<p>Don’t overlook in-state public universities, as they often have relatively strong engineering and CS departments.</p>

<p>I want to say thanks to all of you for your honest opinion. After wasting a year in college I’ve realized what I wanted to do and pursue in life. Proffesor Xray thank you for knocking some sense into my head. I felt as if I failed because I thought that it was to late to pursue my dream. Thanks JustSchool for showing me that wasting my life for a degree would be most regrettable. And finally Ucb youve made me realize that the Bridgewater State University is a place that’s worth going to and may have just what I need.
I truly feel everything will workout now.
So thank you for the (n)th time.</p>

<p>i absolutely agree with @ucbalumnus, your state schools with ABET accredited degree programs will be fine and may leave you with less debt.</p>

<p>Bridgewater State does not have any ABET-accredited engineering degree programs, though it does have CS.
<a href=“http://main.abet.org/aps/AccreditedProgramsDetails.aspx?OrganizationID=8844”>http://main.abet.org/aps/AccreditedProgramsDetails.aspx?OrganizationID=8844&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>However, the University of Massachusetts campuses in Amherst, Dartmouth, and Lowell each have several ABET-accredited engineering degree programs.</p>

<p>I’ve read some negative online reviews about BSU’s education quality making me uncertain about transferring especially for their CS program. It’s good to know that its accredited for CS and that its recognized. However, will this affect my chances of transferring to one of the schools in the New England area such as Cornell, NYU, (etc.) based on the fact that BSU may have a lower quality education. </p>

<p>Two inexpensive schools that have great post-graduation employment statistics and that accept people fairly readily are South Dakota Mines and New Mexico Tech. If you’re interested in New York City schools remember there are several beyond NYU (which is heinously expensive) with great programs that are fairly easy to get into as well. CUNY schools for example are cheap. You’d have access to burgeoning Silicon Alley and internships. Once you’ve lived in NY for a short residency period, the tuition is about $6-8K a year. </p>