<p>I'm getting ready to submit my application for VT. VT is my #1 choice out of the 6 colleges I am applying for. </p>
<p>I am most interested in majoring in engineering but realize that VT is very competitive. I have received one admittance to an engineering major at an out of state university (probably my #3/#4 choice). They are not as competitive as VT, though.</p>
<p>So, I really want to go to VT. I am not 100% set that I "must be an engineer", but math is my favorite subject and I've always done well in it. Unfortunately, my GPA isn't what it should be due to me slacking off in my religion classes (private high school) and, to make matters worse, for some reason I did just average on the math portion of my SATs. I am taking the Math 2 subject test tomorrow so I have hopes it will improve. Alternatively, I did VERY well on the verbal portions of the SATs. Go figure--that's not my strongest area.</p>
<p>So, I have to select two majors on my application. I know that if I pick engineering and I don't make that cut, they will maybe put me in the second major or into University Studies. But am I better off just picking University Studies or some other much less competitive major (like English) to ensure my acceptance and just switch majors later? </p>
<p>I just don't know the best way to handle this. And I'm really very confident, based on what I read, that my GPA and math scores won't get me into VT engineering.</p>
<p>What is your GPA, if I may ask? Because if you really think you won’t get in with engineering, maybe don’t even put engineering down; put university studies down for one, and something easy down for the second. But, if you do have at least some chance of engineering, definitely put down engineering.</p>
<p>My cumulative GPA is around 3.6. My current GPA is around 3.8. These are weighted. My school is small and pretty stringent on who gets into AP classes so (they don’t offer a ton of them either), so by the end of my senior year, I will only have completed three AP courses. I’ve had As (so far) in all them. My point is, I’m not sure what my unweighted GPA is but it isn’t much lower than my weighted. My freshman year wasn’t the best (about a 3.3 unweighted) and my problem is that I get mainly Cs in my religion classes which drags down my GPA. All of my other classes are either As and Bs and this includes Honors and AP courses. </p>
<p>I’m 100% sure I won’t pick engineering as a major but not sure what the best move is. I am interesting in the Accounting and Information Systems major also so I guess I will pick that one. I just don’t know if I’m hurting my chances by doing this or should I just pick English to get myself in.</p>
<p>So your weighted GPA is a 3.6, with an upward trend, 3APs, and you’re a Va resident (your screen name)? What part of Va are you from (VT admissions are very regional), and what are your SATs? VT doesn’t use SAT2s so a high math2 isn’t going to negate a lower math score on the SAT1.</p>
<p>I am from the dreaded Northern VA so I know that’s going against me. My SATs are a 710 verbal and a 590 math. I also have a 30 on the ACT with only a 26 on the math portion, 33 verbal. </p>
<p>My application to VT suggests that the SAT2s are “encouraged.”</p>
<p>That’s interesting re the subject tests. The only place I’ve ever seen the subject tests ‘encouraged’ were for homeschoolers or non-accredited programs.</p>
<p>It certainly can’t hurt your application. The majority of students that have difficulty with the SAT1 that go on to score well on the Math2 subject test have been out of basic algebra/geometry for a while and are rusty on their basic skills. I know my S2 had to go back and brush up on those for a SAT1 retest to bring the math score up to reflect his abilities.</p>
<p>Bottom line is, you will have a better chance of admission applying to something other then the e’school (with the exception of architecture which is even more competitive), but then you knew that. If your intent is to go from general studies and try to transfer into the e’school there is only one class that you will be unable to take your first semester, an intro to engineering course (I can’t remember the #). The only way to keep from being behind your peers when you transfer over is to a) take the intro course online over the summer after hs graduation from a Va cc, or b) take the intro course your first semester at the local cc in Christiansburg. There will be other students doing this and it’s usually not hard to find a ride.</p>
<p>Yes, I took my Math SAT2 yesterday and it felt very easy to me. I am in Calculus Honors right now and I guess I was rusty on my older math skills; obvious by my lower scores. I guess I should have practiced much more than I did.</p>
<p>I was a little surprised by the way the application was worded about the SAT subject tests because when I read the general info on the website, I felt like I didn’t need them at all for VT; however, within the application they word it so that it seems they are highly encouraging you to take them. </p>
<p>But, overall, I’m not applying to the engineering major. I just hope I get in under another major. I’ve decided to go with Accounting and Information Systems. I know someone that works in that field and they recommended it to me.</p>