<p>My child is applying to U of I and undecided about her major. Has anyone applied as undeclared? How does that work if you want to get into a program later on that is hard to get into, like engineering? Would it be better to apply to a harder program and then switch out of it later if you change your mind?</p>
<p>I would say that if she has any interest in engineering, apply to the engineering school. If she has any interest in business, apply to the business school. It is so much easier to transfer into LAS from either of those 2 schools than to do the opposite. However, if she has no interest in business or engineering, apply to DGS (Division of General Studies).</p>
<p>Applying undecided means you are applying for Division of General Studies from which you will attempt to transfer into another college and major after freshman or during or after sophomore year. You cannot transfer into another college until end of freshman year into sophomore year and for business that is only time you can do a transfer; for others you can also attempt transfer after second year and for many even after first semester sophomore year. Moreover, even if not accepted after freshman year, you can try again after sophomore year. </p>
<p>Each college and major has transfer requirements – courses you must complete freshman year (or also sophomore year if you transfer later) before being allowed to transfer. The rhetoric course is required of all and thus that one will definitely be met freshman year. Also, all colleges like those who transfer to have completed any college language requirements if not waived as a result of high school record (you escape taking language in college for engineering and some science majors in LAS if you have three years of the same high school language and escape for all other majors in LAS and business if you have four). For most majors in LAS, the freshman courses needed to transfer are few because most freshman level courses are just Gen Ed courses. For engineering, however, the freshman courses that need to be completed for tranfer include math (calculus I and II) and science (chem and one semester calculus based physics) freshman year to assure being able to qualify for transfer; if attempting transfer to business college, you would need at least first two courses in economics and complete math requirement. In other words, deciding to enter undecided does not mean the student can just take anything freshman year and later transfer particularly if considering engineering.</p>
<p>As to difficulty of transfer: for engineering you will need at least a 3.0 GPA overall and in math and science courses, except aerospace and mechancal right now require 3.8 because of very high demand; electrical and computer engineering and computer science may also have higher, often 3.2 or higher. The college wants to see As and Bs in science and engineering. If you have the minimums and meet course requirements, chances of being allowed to transfer into engineering are very high although not necessarily to major of choice. Number allowed transfer depends on slots that are open and most engineering majors usually have a lot of slots come sophomore and junior years; mechanical and aerospace are a current exception (four years ago those had plenty of spaces; thus it changes periodically) . More significant issue with engineering is getting the college grades needed. Some of the required science and math courses are considered weed-out courses and many who take them get C or worse.</p>
<p>For LAS, departments and majors each have their own minimums, some at 3 or higher but most much lower for transfers from DGS and it is usually not overly hard to meet minimums and transfer chances are usually very high if you do.</p>
<p>For business college, the world is different. If you apply as a freshman, it is the hardest college to get into and accepts 40% or less. Yes, it has lower middle 50% ranges than engineering but admission rate for engineering is usually in 70+ percent range and most who are in the middle of its admittedly high 50% ranges get accepted. Business is true review-the-whole-file college and treats essays and ECs as very important. Having a 4.0 unweighted high school GPA and 36 ACT is no guarantee for admission to business as it declines many with high stats and accepts many with lower. Many who apply to business end up being rejected by business and given an alternate choice, usually DGS or economics in LAS. </p>
<p>As to transfering to business from DGS, your only chance is after freshman year into sophomore year. It makes decisions after final freshman year grades come out. It accepts about 50% who apply for transfer but most who apply have high GPAs and to have a real chance you need a 3.5 or better, and as with freshman admissions, having a 4.0 is no guarantee to acceptance.</p>
<p>Drusba,</p>
<p>Thanks for the info on the College of Business. I am a mother to a freshman at U of I. She applied to the Collge of Business, but did not get in. She was accepted into DGS. This is only her 3rd week at school, but I wanted to understand how its done. From your post, you indicated that she only has one chance to apply to the College of Business and that is around May of 2012, when she is done with her Freshman year. What if she doesn’t get accepted? What then? What are her choices? I’m confused. Its so different from when I went to college many years ago LOL!</p>
<p>She is currently applying to many clubs on campus - trying to get leadership positions in the clubs. She got a 27 on her ACT and was ranked about top 18-20% of her class in high school. She is a bright girl, but college is different and we’re hoping that she will get a good GPA. Besides applying for leadership positions at various clubs at school, what else would you suggest that she should do to improve her chances of getting in?</p>
<p>P.S. I work in Finance at a Bank and is 90% sure I can get her an internship position next summer. I hope that would help her chances, but it is after she submits her application to the College of Business.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Go here for explanation of process and requirements and even suggestions for what you need to do to transfer into business school: [Undergraduate</a> Affairs > Prospective Students](<a href=“http://business.illinois.edu/undergrad/prospective_students/icts-requirements.html]Undergraduate”>http://business.illinois.edu/undergrad/prospective_students/icts-requirements.html) The business college currently accepts transfers from other UIUC colleges only after freshman year. If not accepted then, you will never be in the business college. In other words, your only choice thereafter if a business degree is desired is to transfer out of UIUC to another university.</p>
<p>Thanks much for responding and sending the link. I did not know that if she doesn’t get into business, then she would have to transfer. We’ll just have to hope that she does well and get in.</p>