<p>Anyone who is admitted to UW-Madison undergrad. program has any ideas about the difference between these two departments?
And, what if I choose the wrong one? Is there any possible ways to transfer to College of Letters and Science?
I just find out that I mis-clicked when I applied, but I really don't want to be in School of Education. </p>
<p>What should I do?</p>
<p>I am just guessing here, my daughter is going to be an upcoming freshman.</p>
<p>I would call the office of undergraduate admisions and ask them. My understanding is that in many (most?) cases you aren't looked into only one of the "colleges" there. I know on our admitted students tour a few weeks ago, they also mentioned "the cross college advisor" or something similar - so it sounds like many kids do classes out of more than one of the colleges. It shouldn't be a problem.</p>
<p>DJD</p>
<p>I happened to read about it the other night when I got carried away looking up a HS friend of son's business major- you can read all about it in the online UW undergrad catalog. All freshmen are admitted to the university as a whole, regardless of intended major. Those who have a major planned, which can always be changed later, will get assigned an advisor accordingly at SOAR. The rest will get an advisor who deals with things across the various colleges (L&S Honors get an Honors advisor). I didn't memorize the School of Education info, but students have to take certain courses and apply to it after being admitted to UW. You have to pass a background check and get fingerprinted eventually to become a teacher. Admissions are limited to space available for the needed coursework and so can't be guaranteed- it depends on the gpa and essays of those applying to the education school at the time. </p>
<p>Do NOT worry about which school/college/major you put on your college application- it did not affect your getting in and you can change it at any time. My only advice would be to make any changes if you know what you currently want in order to get the advisor who knows most about your intended field at SOAR. Students get a paper copy of the current catalog at SOAR- others can buy one at a bookstore near campus if they don't like looking things up in the online format.</p>
<p>PS- my understanding is that some 80% (?) of students are in L&S so most things revolve around that college and most/all students will take at least some courses through it, especially freshman year. Even though different schools/colleges have different graduation requirements there enough similarities/overlap that courses you take will likely help you meet those reqs regardless of which school/college you eventually graduate from. In other words, don't worry when you sign up for classes this summer, anything you take will help you make progress in getting your degree.</p>
<p>College of Education is if you want to be a Teacher, or somehow involved in the education process.</p>
<p>College of Letters and Sciences is if you want a degree in some english, history, science, philosophy, etc.</p>
<p>Look at each college, and the majors offered by that college.</p>
<p>First choses a major (field that interests you), then you pick the appropriate college. Changing majors within a college is easy. You may have to stay longer to get all the required classes. Changing colleges may or may not be easy. Some colleges tend to have rigorous criteria for the kids to declare a major in that college (engineering and business?). However, I doubt if it would be difficult to switch between Letters and Sciences vs. Education.</p>
<p>School of Education also includes Art, Kinesiology, and Dance along with the traditional education majors. Letters and Science encompasses all of the humanities as well as some of the science majors. If I am not mistaken, you cannot be admitted to the School of Ed as a freshman - that requires a separate application once you establish yourself on campus and want to declare a specific major. I'm also fairly certain that everyone is automatically enrolled in Letters and Science as a freshman if they are undecided in their major - you can certainly request to enroll in CALS, School of Music, etc. but know there are hoops to jump through for some schools.</p>
<p>OP: Switch now if you want to. </p>
<p>Send an email to admissions and ask what you need to do to change your college affiliation from DOE to L&S. We asked the same question for S2, since he applied and was accepted to the kinesiology program in DOE, but has changed his mind about that particular major and wants to explore other majors before deciding. We were told it is no problem to change colleges. </p>
<p>Some will argue that you can stay in DOE and have a more personal atmosphere ---- the smaller-college-within-big-university feeling --- that won't be there in the larger L&S and still take mostly L&S courses because that's how it works for freshman year. But if you want to switch, it didn't sound to me as though it would be difficult at all.</p>