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<p>Berkeley frosh engineering applicants apply directly to the major (and selectivity varies by major); if admitted, they are in the major to begin with. Applying as “engineering undeclared” is possible (but more selective than applying to most specific majors); such students who enroll can then freely choose a College of Engineering major during their first year.</p>
<p>The need to apply to the major in one’s sophomore year applies to the business major and a small number of enrollment-capped majors in the College of Letters and Science (where all frosh enter undeclared).</p>
<p>But some other schools like Purdue have all engineering frosh in a first year engineering program, where meeting a high enough GPA (higher than the minimum needed to keep good academic standing) is needed to enter some or all engineering majors.</p>
<p>(But in the OP’s situation, in-state UT Austin makes a lot more sense than out-of-state Berkeley or Purdue.)</p>