<p>If I apply to Berkeley and write that I intend to do Molecular and Cell Biology, how hard will it be to switch to a math + economics or a mechanical engineering + economics double major in my freshman year? Sorry if this question is stupid, I know very little about the major selection pathway at Berkeley.</p>
<p>Why not apply undeclared? </p>
<p>Engineering is in the College of Engineering while the others are in L&S. Thus if you apply and get into L&S it will be harder to switch to engineering.</p>
<p>Economics is a capped major, so you need at least a 3.0 to apply to the major after 5 prerequisites. 2/3 of people are accepted. </p>
<p>Math is not capped and there are no restrictions as far as I know.</p>
<p>Thus if you apply as intended MCB, it will be hard to get into engineering and double with Economics. However you might be able to switch to math + Economics if you do well on the Economics prerequisites. </p>
<p>I don't see the purpose of applying with an intended major though.</p>
<p>the biggest thing is not the major but the college you apply to. since mcb, math, and econ are all in L&S, you can switch between those and all the other L&S majors however you like (except econ and the other capped majors). if you really want to do engineering, make sure you apply for a major in the college of engineering...transferring into the college of engineering is one of the harder things to do. and there are already lots of posts here about that.</p>
<p>hopefully, you're asking this because you think you might change your mind along the way. that's fine...in fact, statistically, most students change their mind about their major four times. just don't use the "backdoor approach" that some people try to use. that's basically when people apply for one college, intending on switching to another one...it doesn't always work and there are too many complications.</p>
<p>yeah what you write on your application (in terms of intended major) is completely immaterial. berkeley doesn't accept into majors, just colleges (L&S, Natural Resources, Engineering etc). You generally don't officially declare until the end of sophomore year/beginning of junior year anyway</p>
<p>One thing- not that you seem interestested in chemichal engineering, but that is the only engineering major I know about that isn't actually in the college of engineering- rather, it is in the college of chemistry. </p>
<p>Another thing- in L and S, everyone says (and I believe) that the major you put down does not affect whether or not you are admitted.</p>
<p>i applied undeclared L&S. how hard would it be to switch into a different college. ... say college of natural resources? and how would i go about that?</p>
<p>It's doable, and many people do so in order to do certain majors, such as architecture. When on campus, you should go to the office of advising for L and S and talk to an advisor. They have forms in the office on the wall about switching colleges. I think you have to wait a semester in order to do it. You might want to look around the L and S advising website- it probably has a lot of information. It's quite the helpful site. :)</p>
<p>if i switch colleges, does that mean i still have to do the breadth classes or are those specific to L&S</p>
<p>Different collegs have different requirements. I'm not sure what the breadth requirements are for natural resources, but you can find it pretty easily on their website, I bet.</p>
<p>I believe it is easier to get into Natural Resources (NR) than into L&S intially.</p>