<p>Great point guys! I got into LSU’s Petroleum Engineering program already for Fall 2014. I am still waiting for Teacher Recommendations before I turn in my transcripts for TAMU though. I don’t know what to think of this new policy but because of this new policy, UT Austin will receive my application as well…</p>
<p>I think I am actually happy with the new engineering policy change! You see, our older daughter is a junior engineering major who started in BMEN. However, after a year, she realized it was really specialized and she wanted a larger range of companies for whom she could work. She transferred within engineering but, because the chemistry classes required were different, she was behind a full semester. She loves her new engineering major but it wasn’t easy to transfer even within engineering. So, now that our younger daughter has been accepted into general engineering for the fall of 2014, I think it might be a good policy.</p>
<p>Lot’s of kids change their major and this is supposed to make that easier. In the short term, I would guess not much will really change as even today one must complete the CBK courses and meet the desired majors qualifications to be admitted into upper division classes. Longer term, I don’t know. There are programs out there in engineering, medicine, etc where getting into the “pre-whatever” is pretty easy but less than 50% are admitted into upper division coursework. The other 50,6070% have to transfer or major in something else. I hope A&M doesn’t become this way and I don’t think they will anytime soon. As I said earlier, this change just adds a bit more uncertainty to things and will probably still set some kids back that change their majors due to differences in major and CBK requirements.</p>
<p>My personal and narrow beef has to do with CS being included in this policy. CS shares very few CBK classes with the other majors in the College of Engineering. Therefore, if a student changes to or from CS they are still going to lose at least a semester if not more. CS also recently revealed a new honors program for CS students that is open to freshmen that meet the requirements. I am not sure if one can be in the CS honors program(ACE) as a freshman if they are not yet even allowed into the major. We will have to contact the department to figure this out. </p>
<p>My guess is that when all is said and done this policy change will make no difference for most students, a few like NETarrantMom’s D will benefit from it and a few will be adversely affected.</p>
<p>I can understand your perspective NETarrantMom. However, having to transfer schools to pursue a major would also put students behind at least one semester, if not an entire year.</p>
<p>I think the policy will make applicants look at other schools. Also it may actually increase the time it takes students to graduate. If a kid wants to be a “x” type engineer and doesn’t get admitted he/she may change schools to get to do what they want. That will set them back. I’m not a fan of committing to a school but not getting a commitment back.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that if you are forced to transfer to pursue your chosen major that you will likely pay full freight at the school you transfer to. Most schools have very little merit aid available to transfer students. All of your credits may not transfer either.</p>
<p>If it is close between two schools, I would certainly recommend attending the one that admits you to your major.</p>
<p>I think this policy could hurt kids who earn low freshman GPAs but want to be admitted to competitive programs such as Petroleum Engineering. However, I think the average / better than average student who earns a 3.0 (top 50%) GPA or better will be fine. The best minds go into fields that interest them not fields with the highest starting salaries. They are smart enough to know that in four years the job market can change.</p>
<p>^Nobody thinks they are going to earn low gpa’s freshman year but some do. So if you are directly admitted to the program at another school, why take the extra risk? Where is the reward for taking more risk?</p>
<p>Those that start out slow and perform below their ability their first year can end up well into the top quarter of their class 4years later. I am proof of that.</p>
<p>The new policy is a small part of the 25 by 25 initiative, where the goal is to have 25,000 engineering students at A&M by 2025. A&M currently has over 11,000 engineering students and they expect to be the largest in the country once final reports are in.</p>
<p>The current retention rate from freshman to sophomore engineering is approximately 80%. From freshman to senior it is only 50%. (These are fairly typical figures for the big engineering schools.) A&M’s goal is to improve the sophomore rate to 90% and the senior rate to 75%. The new policy is intended to let students get their feet wet and then decide on a major in the college.</p>
<p>Here’s more on 25 by 25: [25</a> by 25 | College of Engineering](<a href=“http://engineering.tamu.edu/25by25]25”>25 by 25 | Texas A&M University Engineering)</p>
<p>Are there any differences between Fall semester and Spring semester in Engineering Major ( especially Petroleum Engineering ) because although I am an auto-admit, I submitted quite late and possible can not get into the engineering school. II am thinking of re-app for the Spring 2015 semester</p>
<p>This is a really ambitious program. I am a bit skeptical that they can grow the program that much and not reduce the quality.</p>
<p>I think each potential applicant to A & M will need to decide whether or not to take the risk that he or she will not ultimately be able to get into the engineering major of their choice. As a chemical engineering grad of another school, I personally do not like A & M’s new policy. My child wants chemical engineering and decided not to apply to A & M. Engineering is very hard and sometimes the student gets better over time. College itslf is an adjustment. There is a very real risk that the student could not do well initially, not get into the engineering major of their choice at A & M, not be an attractive candidate to transfer to another school with the desired major, and be stuck at A & M in an unacceptable major. This scenario doesn’t mean the student doesn’t have the potential to become a good engineer. My child decided not to take this risk. There are many other good ABET accredited engineering schools that directly admit students to the major of their choice. VIrginia Tech also has this policy. They have at least a year of experience with this and yes there are students who are not getting their desired major.</p>
<p>I understand the hesitation, DoverDover, but, in my opinion, with any competitive program at any school you take a risk. My older daughter is a junior engineering major at A&M and, at the end of her freshman year at A&M (before this new policy) she had to have a certain average to STAY in her selected engineering major. The stress level was super high for her because,without a certain CBK and overall GPA, she would have to find another major anyway. No more chosen engineering major and hard to transfer into another engineering major if you truly crash and burn. Having a bad first year derails you either way because to transfer into another engineering major (which she ultimately decided to do) required a high GPA, especially for engineering, (sometimes around the mid 3s) and you are competing for limited open spots and with kids from outside engineering. The bottom line is there was no guarantee with the old policy that you will be a specific engineering major your sophomore year without performing well your freshman year. Same with UT, same with Purdue, etc. Therefore, it was important to me that our younger daughter, a freshman engineering major next year at A&M, knows this and gets help early and often if she needs it.</p>
<p>“The bottom line is there was no guarantee with the old policy that you will be a specific engineering major your sophomore year without performing well your freshman year. Same with UT, same with Purdue, etc.”</p>
<p>This is true but with the old A&M and Purdue system one knows how high the bar is at the beginning. At A&M earn a 2.85 in CBK courses and you are into upper division Mechanical Engineering. At Purdue earn a 3.2 and you are in.</p>
<p>Another system is one at the University of Washington. Which is do your best and we will decide if we have room for you. You don’t know how high the bar is.</p>
<p>Which system will A&M be in the future?</p>