TAG-ing to UCI then switching majors

<p>I know this might sound pretty ridiculous (not sure if it is). But I was wondering if, I TAG for one major, could I change to a completely different one upon admission? Currently I'm going to a Community College and am hoping to transfer out as soon as possible. I looked all over online to see what impacted majors are for UCI but couldn't find my major.</p>

<p>Here's the scenario: I'm TAG-ing to UC Irvine under an arts/humanities major but am hoping to change to an Engineering major. The reason I'm TRYING to do this is because the TAG requirements of an Engineering major would take much too long with recent budget cuts and I would like to transfer ASAP. So my question is, can I TAG as an Arts/Humanities major and change to an Engineering Major (Mechanical)? Thanks so much, I really hope I can! :x</p>

<p>Change it on the UC app? or when you transfer?
I think to do that you would need to talk to the Engineering area at UCI, and complete the prereq’s, then apply to the Engineering department and hope they accept you.</p>

<p>I’m in a similar situation as well. I’ve done some research and it seems that it would be pretty difficult to switch to engineering, because you still need the prereqs to be declared as an engineering major. </p>

<p>You miiiiiight be able to take the prereqs at UCI, but I’m pretty uncertain about that. And even if you did, you’d most likely spend more than 2 years at UCI, which would cost a ton of more money in tuition. </p>

<p>Well anyways, I noticed that CSE (computer science and engineering) has some pretty lenient prereqs. I’m planning to TAG to UCI as CSE because of that, then decide what type of engineering I’ll do from there. </p>

<p>Check it out: [Transfer</a> Admission, Selection and Preparation](<a href=“Academic Resources | Office of Undergraduate Admissions | UCI”>Academic Resources | Office of Undergraduate Admissions | UCI)</p>

<p>Hope that addresses your question. =]</p>

<p>You should call them and ask if this will be possible. My guess, and I stress it is a guess, is that it won’t be. Here’s my reasoning. To be eligible for admission as a xfer, you have to be a junior in terms of units. Once you enroll at UCI there is a cap on the number of units you can earn, so it might be impossible to take the prerequisites and then the upper division units and fit under the cap. A second reason is that the College of Engineering might only accept internal xfers from those who do not have junior standing. </p>

<p>If this is your plan you should contact UCI Engineering directly to see if it is possible rather than relying on what you hear from forums like this. It may be the only way is to stay at the CC, and you really need to find this out before you xfer!!</p>

<p>Switching from schools Humanities to Engineering after transfer will be very difficult even if they do allow it (I don’t know if they do). Most Engineering majors take 3-4 years to transfer due to the requirements, so I’m not sure they’ll have much sympathy for you given that everyone else has to take all them as well.</p>

<p>Crap… alright thanks everyone. I was afraid to ask UCI and have them think lowly of me (for trying to get in this “back-door way” but I guess my only possibility is to call and ask ):</p>

<p>P.S. Not sure if this information helps, but I’m currently in my third year, I took 1 year at UC Santa Cruz (dropped out, did not like it) and 2 years at CC in order to fulfill IGETC and TAG for another school. Wonder if this changes anything. Thanks again</p>

<p>Just a stay another year at community college and take the engineering pre reqs. Why pay all the money to take the same math and physics at uci?</p>

<p>Yeah, I mean thats the fall-back plan, I’m just trying to get out of CC, probably really selfish of me to do so, wasting money at UC. But being in college for 3 years already and nowhere near heading toward my major at all is making me really frustrated about the future… I think my thought of going to UC and working toward it THERE would/will make me have a more productive outlook.</p>

<p>Is there any other way I could get into UC Irvine and ultimately end up with a declared engineering major WITHOUT taking 3rd year of CC (4 years of college total already)? Thanks so much… :x</p>

<p>Edit: I’m also applying to several other UCs: UCSB, UCSD, and UCLA with hopes of a Mechanical Engineering major… I just really want a “guaranteed” admission to engineering major, I’m afraid that I’m already taking too long with school as it is</p>

<p>Will you be over the unit limit for any of these schools?</p>

<p>Sorry, was busy with school and other things :x</p>

<p>LAforlife, I don’t think I have a unit limit for any of the schools. Um… how do you determine the unit limit? Currently at the CC, I have 48 units in total (34 already completed) and just sent in my UC Santa Cruz transcript to get other classes added on (I’d estimate 2 classes and somewhere between 8-10 units, since the credit differs from UC and CC’s) Thanks for the reply, I was too busy and forgot to check here!</p>

<p>you would only be able to if you had the required classes. you need at least a 2.5 in calculus based physics and some other classes (I called in)</p>

<p>Even if you could do this, why would you? It would take you 2 years to complete all those prerequisites. UCI will not let you stay for 4 years after you transfer…</p>