Hello! So I’m an incoming freshmen in at University of Maryland at CP. I got into a biology major which is a lep major. But I figured out that I wanted to be engineering major and request a major change but I just got denied. They said they have no space. So I’m planning to change it after freshmen year. I’ve learned that you have to take “gateway courses” to apply for a lep major. So my question is do i just take the engineering gateway courses as a biology major? How hard is it to change your major to engineering?
I really need help , anyone?
Relax, it’s not hard at all. It literally is just taking the gateway courses from the onset and then apply…as long as you complete the courses satisfactorily, you will be admitted, no problem. It is extremely competitive for spots as an incoming freshman applicant only, not as an internal transfer. Here are some links (in no particular order) that will help explain
http://eng.umd.edu/internal-transfer-application-instructions
http://eng.umd.edu/undergraduate-transfer-admission
http://eng.umd.edu/undergraduate-transfer-students-guide
http://eng.umd.edu/freshmen-applicants
If you are coming in with a lot of applicable AP credits, you will be even better off. My son had friends that were not direct admits as freshman, but were able to apply after the first semester, got in without any issues, and most graduated at the same time (some took an extra semester due to an extra major for example).
When you go to orientation, just be sure to tell your adviser of your plans so they can direct you to take the correct courses…
Also, important to note that you will not be able to sign up for ENES100 (Engineering Design) until you are admitted to engineering. HOWEVER, in the spring, they offer both ENES100 for engineers AND an alternate version, ENES 100A, that is open to non-engineering majors (even though you are in process of trying to become an engineering major, you technically are considered a non-engineering major until officially admitted).
Thank you so much for the help. It relieves me a lot. I have some more questions if you don’t mind. Does UMD take Dual Enrollment credits taken at a college? And also is ENES100 a gateway course?
Yes, for the most part they do take dual enrollment. Just make sure you get a transcript sent directly from the college - do not rely on high school transcript stating dual credit as that will NOT be good enough. Here is the page to check if the course at the specific college designated as dual credit has an equivalent course at Maryland (and therefore if Maryland will count the credit as completing any Maryland requirement) https://app.transfercredit.umd.edu
While ENES100 is not a gateway for admission to engineering, it is a required first-year engineering course, so you will want to take it freshman year to stay on track. After you are admitted to engineering, there are additional “gateway” or review checks - meaning you have to have completed certain classes by 45 credits, 60 credits, etc with a satisfactory grade or else you will not be allowed to stay in the engineering major.
http://www.lep.umd.edu/engr-lep.pdf
Also, since you were originally BIO, I am going to assume you are interested in bioengineering? If so, here is the 4 year plan to give you a sense of the coursework http://eng.umd.edu/sites/clark.umd.edu/files/bioe-4yrplan-ge-2016-2017-upd.pdf
Note that it is 2 pages, with page 1 being recommended sequence and page 2 gives more full titles to each class to give you better sense of what they are
Ah Thank you so much. Also I have the option to stay as my biology major or to change my major as undeclared(letters and science?) Will changing to undeclared benefit me more ? I have no clue
The changing to letters and sciences only benefits you with respect to advising since those advisers are specifically trained to help students trying to complete gateway classes for internal transfers. Up to you…talk to advisers at orientation and get their input.