Sure. My son took a 400 level Philosophy class, one largely considered one of the most difficult because of the math, with no prior Philosophy coursework at all. The OP specifically asked about engineering though.
To figure this out, I had to map out a timeline of the various applicant options for the schools kiddo was thinking of applying to. Not everyone has REA or ED.
Eg. MIT does not have REA or ED of any kind. Just EA and RD. Most “elite” schools don’t have EA. So EA is appealing for safeties, hedging your bets on schools that aren’t the Ivies, and MIT/CalTech. Schools who offer EA know where they are in the pecking order. If they think a kid is getting into a super elite, it could make sense to defer them to protect yield. If that kid got in ED somewhere, that app is withdrawn. That said, EA might give a school a chance to dangle merit in front of a kid they want.
UChicago is weird because it has all the options - unusual for a low admit rate school. They are pretty shrouded in what they do - they don’t publish their common data set. They have pretty high yield, which could be for a variety of reasons. Deferring/switching to ED2 (scooping up students who didn’t get in somewhere else ED) might be a reason.
1 Like
I have more than your five anecdotes to form my opinion, BTW. Obviously the college isn’t going to confirm its admission practice, so it’s up to each one of us to choose what to believe. I raised this issue because I believe the OP should be aware of it.
My son chose it among the schools he applied to due to its engineering reputation, but more importantly, the proximity to CIM. He was considering continuing to play an instrument. He didn’t visit or display any interest other than applying. We only visited after they offered him $100K. Case and Cleveland exceeded our expectations, but he ended up elsewhere.
1 Like
CWRU basically confirms the practice by publishing its common data set which says in section C7 that level of applicant’s interest is considered.
At any college where this is true, “overqualified” applicants should be aware to play the interest game, or apply ED if that college is their first affordable choice.
1 Like
Right but that’s what the OP would be interested in taking to see if it could be a major or career. Looking at UCLA’s Mech/Aerospace curriculum, the first two classes in the major are Strength of Materials and then Engineering Thermodynamics, not fun classes and not imo going to give a good idea of what a MechE or Aerospace Engineer would do.
You would need a college that has Intro to Engineering classes freshman year (Purdue as an example) which would be more in line with what the OP could take to see if engr is right, not sure if you have to be in the Engr college though to take them.
2 Likes
You made me spit out my smoothie laughing when I read this post. Not cool. 
2 Likes
I am not an expert on Worcester but what I do remember is that it really not a walkable city, The WPI area has some nice restaurants and shops within walking distance though. Also, I believe there is some sort of rideshare system that makes going between colleges pretty easy. Good luck!
1 Like
Not really. You can’t take either without having completed the full sequence of math, physics and chemistry. Also, in general, thermo falls after statics and dynamics. You can’t just dip your toe in without a deep background.
I just looked at the first course that was had a Mech or Aero designation and those two were it. The first course is actually titled Mech/Aero 101, you just need Physics 1 and Calc 1 and 2, btw not a full sequence. I’m not saying these are easy classes, I agree you don’t want to take them to see if engineering is right for you, but they don’t have a lot of pre-reqs.
That’s really the point though. The entry into engineering isn’t an engineering class. It’s calculus, and not the calculus business and pre-meds take, and calculus based Physics. Unless someone is a math or physics major, the moment they want to switch to engineering they will have to start at ground zero.
1 Like
It also means that if an undecided student is considering engineering (or physics), the student needs to start off with the math and physics courses for those majors without delay, so that they will not be behind if they choose such a major.
Note that majors that allow less in-depth math (e.g. business) or physics (e.g. biology) will typically accept the more in-depth versions, but not vice-versa.
2 Likes
I think about them a lot, those kids who find their way to engineering after they start college. Is there a realistic path if you don’t start with engineering as a freshman?
Engineering is uniquely specialized for an undergraduate program. Is there a graduate version available for those who are late to find themselves?
2 Likes
A non-engineering frosh who may want to major in engineering should look at the schedule template for the engineering major(s) and follow it for the first year in order to preserve the option of switching without being behind on the schedule. Note that this is just for prerequisite sequencing purposes – if the desired engineering major is full, the student also has to be concerned about whether it is reasonably possible to change into the major (based on GPA requirements, competitive admission, etc.).
Yes, MS and PhD programs in engineering may be accessible to some students with non-engineering BA/BS degrees. But this is mainly accessible to those with closely related BA/BS degrees*, where engineering courses among undergraduate electives would help additionally to reduce the amount of “catch up” upon starting a graduate program.
*For example: physics, applied math or statistics for industrial engineering, computer science for computer engineering.
3 Likes
If you look at @ucbalumnus’s response, it becomes quite clear why so many of us say it’s easier to switch out of engineering than it is to switch in.
The bottom line is there is a pretty significant amount of backfilling if one doesn’t start in engineering.
3 Likes
This puts kids who might be interested in engineering in a difficult spot. Start in engineering and they won’t have the time/flexibility to explore other fields. Start in anything else, and they will be way behind in engineering.
7 Likes
Yep. Engineering is such a long and specific curriculum, that the moment one starts, is the moment they start. There is a LOT more to learn to become a full fledged engineer in the time span of an undergraduate degree than probably any other major/career. Unfortunately, there’s no way around that.
The good news is that other majors are not typically as packed. They usually have what are called “free electives.” A student can flow their engineering classes in.
2 Likes
Well this is depressing but glad to learn this now rather than after starting college. I doubt many high school kids are getting this info, not that it would change their decisions, but nice to go in with eyes wide open.
Thank you @eyemgh and @ucbalumnus for explaining all this. D is taking a harder look to see if she really wants to start on that path or not. Which you (and I) have already told her to do, but it’s now clearer how soon she needs to make that decision.
Do you know, then, how schools like Case Western et al can allow students to switch into Engineering after they’ve started in another field or undecided? From the info sessions and browsing their website, D and I thought it was possible to do this, just not at the UC/CSU’s because of impaction.
But if all engineering programs have such intense prerequisites, I’d think all schools would have the same sequencing requirements that would prevent students from switching into engineering after the first year (unless they start right away with those engineering prerequisites) if they want to get out in 4?
1 Like
Thanks, I think if there’s a nice area to walk around near the campus that might be enough, especially if there’s a boba tea shop in the mix. 
Okay that makes sense, and what a fun class your son took!
1 Like