<p>i'm a math and science person and i'm definitely looking to pursue that in college. but in terms of applications, i have to decide whether to apply to a college's school of engineering or school of arts and sciences. i dont' know a ton about engineering, but my mom suggests that i apply to engineering because it's much easier to switch to arts and sciences if need be than to go the other way. is this good advice, or is my mom just inferring too much from her college engineering friends???</p>
<p>What your mom says is true to a degree at many universities. The engineering college at most universities generally has higher GPA/test score requirements for admission as freshman than other colleges within the university. It also usually has higher college GPA requirements for transfering in from other colleges in the university. Thus, it is usually easier for an engineering student to transfer to another college than vice versa. However, it is not necessarily all that difficult to transfer into engineering, particularly junior year. As long as you have completed required courses and have the minimum GPA requirement needed to transfer into engineeriing, your chances of doing so are usually high.</p>
<p>At the University of Pennsylvania, by GPA it's slightly easier to go from CAS to SEAS. To go from SEAS to CAS you need a 3.0 GPA. To go from CAS to SEAS, I don't think there are any requirements (but I may be wrong). In terms of coursework, going from CAS to SEAS may get you slightly behind, while the same isn't true the other way around. So different advantages and disadvantages for both routes.</p>
<p>aurelius i just visited penn a week ago (i live in philly suburbs)!! but anyway i was thinking more in terms of requirements, and what you said confirms what my mom told me about the engineering course requirements (basically that it's all pre-set) and that switching into engineering may put you behind.
i think i'll end up doing school of engineering, wherever i go, and if need be switch....a foundation in engineering can't hurt, right??</p>
<p>Your mother's advice is the advice you will receive from almost any school's Admissions/Engineering Deans. It is not simply a matter of which school is easier to transfer into, based on your GPA. It is also that the Engineering course load is a heavy one and if you decide to transfer "in", you may have a lot of catch-up to do, and won't be able to do it in the normal 4 years. At some schools, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to transfer into Engineering as it may be an "impacted" major, ie oversubscribed. So, if you don't go there first, you won't be able to go at all. Check each school of interest, but - in general - follow your mom's advice.</p>
<p><em>wouldn't you just expect another mom to say that?</em> :p</p>
<p>btw, if you switch out of Engineering into a non-science major, you've pretty much dispensed with all of your science distribution requirements.</p>
<p>At U of I it is much easier to switch out of engineering because it is so commonly done (to LAS, business on the other hand ...) but it is hard to get in. As long as you can get in, take the high road and do engineering if that is a viable career. It doesn't require you to take those courses if you change your mind. But if you're thinking of engineering at all or definitely want to start out engineering and then decide on something else (common transfers are: chemE --> chemistry CS --> math, engineering --> actuarial science [I've seen many more variations such as engineering --> history or poly sci too) I suggest starting in engineering. But check with the particular school (try the Dean's or advisors) they would know what is easier and based on what you want to do more. Just because you pick a major doesn't mean you have to do the classes for it (if you're planning on switching and will for sure that is).</p>