Hi!
I got into UCI but I wanted to get in for the computer science major. Would it be better to go through CC route and transfer over? Or should I go to UCI and try to transfer to CS? Does anyone know how priority for registering classes at UCI works? I want to know if I am still able to register for CS classes even though I am undeclared.
Yes you can still register for CS classes, but you likely won’t get into the classes. Switching into CS from a non bren-school major is extremely difficult. You will have to first take the intro sequence ICS 31-33 and then petition for a change of major. The hardest part here is actually getting into the CS classes.
Majors in the donald bren school of information and computer science get priority registration, followed by the school of engineering who get add codes for people majoring in fields which require similar courses as part of their degree requirements (CpE, other engineering fields who have to take some programming). Then by the time they open up for the rest of the public (people with other majors, like you), there is usually only 20 seats left out of 300, and by the end of that day there are 100+ people on the waitlist.
Generally, the people who will have somewhat of a shot are those who have completed the most AP classes, as they will have more units done, and more units = higher up on the priority registration (note you will still be fighting for about 20 seats since no amount of units will give you priority over bren-school majors). Nothing is guarenteed and it’s very unlikely you will get the classes.
If you are completely certain you want to do CS, I recommend going to CC, it’s much easier and faster, and you can TAG to guarantee admission, which is important for such a popular major like CS.
Does TAG guarantee in the major or only into the school? Like the minimum GPA for TAG is 3.4 but if I get a 3.5 and there are more qualified applicants, will I be unable to get in?
@LagunaStudent12 If you can afford summer school. Go to UCI, sign up for ICS 31 summer session https://summer.uci.edu/courses/index.aspx there are still spaces available. Get an A, not an A-, get an A! Take other classes if you need to during the summer that are impossible to get during the year. Apply to change major when the time comes.
@LagunaStudent12 Yes, completing TAG would let you into your major for UCI
admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/tag-matrix.pdf
@geeksquadd and I should add that ICS 31 - 33 ( I think this used to be ICS 21-23 ) is usually extremely difficult for people with no programming experience. I personally failed 21 the first time I took it but the people that had experience seemed to breeze through it ( I was already an ICS major at this point though )
@LagunaStudent12 it guarantees into the major with no exceptions. Do note that the TAG GPA can potentially change every year, and it may become easier/harder in the future.
For 2017 applicants you pretty much needed:
-3.4 overall UC GPA
-3.0 cumulative GPA in major related coursework (CS classes, Math classes)
-60 UC Transferable units completed
- Calculus 1 and 2 completed
- One or two Computer Science classes beyond the introductory CS class (check assist or with a community college counselor to verify how your school’s classes transfer over).
If you are 100% set on CS, I would recommend going to a CC and using TAG to get in. You will be taking the same classes for the first 2 years, at a much lower cost.
A lot of people are unsuccessful at meeting the requirements for changing majors into CS/Eng.
@uciparent Is it possible to acquire the credits elsewhere like a CC over summer since it may be difficult for my family to go down over the summer?
I don’t know if that would work. You need to contact CS student affairs and ask.