Hi, I found an option for 3-2 engineering with competitive universities, offered by LACs. Is it possible to earn computer science degree in LAC in 3 years and earn engineering degree in computer science in 2 years of engineering part? Also, I see many competitive colleges including Caltech and Columbia. If I fulfill all the requirements, is the acceptance guaranteed?
Thank you!
Colleges like Caltech and Columbia are not dumb. They have not accidentally opened a back door that will allow hundreds of students to flood in. They know that few students actually end up wanting to transfer after spending three years at their LAC. And the very stringent requirements such as no grade ever less than a B keeps the brakes on having too many students even able to consider transferring.
The required math and science classes for a prospective engineer are very tough. Nationwide about half of those that start engineering and up dropping out. You have to be really dedicated to it and willing to give up a lot of what your peers are doing with their free time in college. Do you really have that kind of dedication? In a post just a month ago you were planning to be an actuary, now it’s computer science?
Also are you an international student? There may be special hoops for you to get through in that case.
Computer science is often offered at LACs, so it would not be part of the 3-2 program. These programs are for majors the LAC cannot provide.
To first reply
Yes, I was just considering actuary because 1. I wanted to widen my college choice to business and 2. actuary is closest to what I want, which is engineering/math. Since you looked at my past posts, you can figure out by looking at my posts about math placement test and six sigma green belt that I am interested in STEM. I do not think that is a single problem. Actuary science and math/engineering have enough things in common.
And I am Korean, and I have to spend two gap years in Korea, doing paperworks substituting military. I have enough time to prepare for huge workloads in engineering.
And GPA 3.3 I consider as not hard. And remember, my question is conditional, where it says “if I fulfill.” I have searched enough to figure out whether I can fulfill it or not.
To second reply
Then would math major be okay? I really don’t want to major in non-mathematical field…
At least for Caltech, acceptance is not guaranteed. (Source: https://www.admissions.caltech.edu/content/faq-32-applicants)
Actually computer science is included in 3-2 programs, such as the Columbia one.
This is because, while LACs do have computer science, they don’t have an engineering school, and many of them only offer BA degrees for computer science, not BS degrees. CS at an LAC is very different from CS at an engineering school.