<p>Hey,</p>
<p>I just got accepted into UCSB, but I was not admitted into my first choice major; I got accepted into pre-chem (second choice) but I wanted to major in physics. I am an OOS student and UCSB was my first choice school and I'm pretty disappointed that I didn't get in for physics. They said I got rejected from that major due to there being "too many applicants for that major." Is there any chance that spots will open up? Is there like a waitlist for majors? If not, is it hard or impossible to change my major to physics if I do attend?
I did get accepted into UCLA for physics, but I really want to go to UCSB.</p>
<p>Once you get settled in you could talk to a counselor, or the major adviser and see what you can do to switch majors. I’m not a science major, but I didn’t have any trouble when I switched my major to poli sci.</p>
<p>you can change majors once you’re in the school. The only major you can’t try to get into is engineering because it is a separate school. Put it this way, people who go in undeclared still can be physics majors, so you can too, just have to do well in the pre requisite courses.</p>
<p>Physics has the fewest majors of any department at UCSB - only a few hundred out of 17,000 students and the required classes never fill up, so I wouldn’t worry about it. You do not have to be a declared major to take the introductory physics series for majors (6 quarter sequence, Physics 20-25). If you look at the departmental website for the physics department ([UCSB</a> Department of Physics](<a href=“http://www.physics.ucsb.edu%5DUCSB”>http://www.physics.ucsb.edu)) they lay out the recommended schedule for prospective majors, including the required math and chemistry classes that you also have to take as a freshman. As long as you do reasonably well in the foundational classes (there might be a minimum GPA required) you can declare a physics major at any time. By the way, my son is a freshman at UCSB who got accepted as an “undeclared” major, but he has a strong interest in physics so has been following the recommended schedule for physics majors just in case. He has had no problem getting in to to the required introductory classes, and has now decided to declare a Physics major. Appears to be a simple process of just filling out some paperwork at the departmental office. If you really want to study physics, UCSB is the definitely the place to be - one of the top departments in the country.</p>