Hey guys so I have applied to both UT Austin and TAMU for their engineering programs and have been accepted to TAMU engineering. However, after looking at the other threads I don’t believe I will be accepted into Cockrell. Since I am top 7% in state, I know that they will put me into Undergraduate Studies, which I heard is risky. However, I don’t want to go to TAMU because of its Entry-to-Major program in which all engineering students must apply to engineering departments after their first year and because I’m liberal minded and don’t think I will fit in very well there. Should I choose to attend UT UGS and then apply to Cockrell after one year or should I just go to TAMU? Has anyone done the UGS route and still has graduated in 4 years? Thanks.
I think you should wait and see if you’re admitted to UT before worrying about this decision. Good luck!
I have the same worry. UT is a better fit for me but I don’t know if I’ll be accepted into Cockrell. I’ve been accepted into A&M engineering and I’d rather go there instead of going UGS at UT.
With UGS, it would be hard to get into classes that is required for an engineering degree. You would also have to catch up on the classes you missed and possibly take an extra year. By taking classes over the summers, it is still possible to graduate in four years. That’s if they accept your transfer into Cockrell, however, which is very difficult. It is possible to transfer into Cockrell from UGS, but there’s still that uncertainty of whether you will get into an engineering major. If there’s another major other than engineering that you don’t mind falling back on, then UGS would be the better choice in my opinion.
With A&M, you’re almost gaurenteed an engineering major. The entry-to-a-major program does create some uncertainty on whether you will get accepted to a specific engineering major, but there’s a high chance of getting accepted into an engineering major of your choice. (98% of engineering students are in one of their selected engineering majors, according to the TAMU website.) TAMU engineering also established a new rule with the program that allows engineering students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher to be automatically accepted into their first choice major. A&M does have a more conservative student body, but there is a population of liberal-minded students as well. There’s also a few student organizations that are liberal, like the Aggie Democrats.
This is just my take on the situation. Hopefully you will be accepted into Cockrell and not have to worry about this dilemma. Best of luck!
Yeah so what I’m planning is to go to A&M freshman year and if I don’t like it there than I will try to transfer to Cockrell as a sophomore. Is that a good idea? Also I believe that auto admit to a major at A&M is just for the spring semester.
Ask the second question in the A&M forum. You will get better answers there. Looks like majors are open every semester but I am not sure about auto-admit: https://engineering.tamu.edu/academics/advisors-procedures/entry-to-a-major
I hope you are pleasantly surprised to find that although A&M is conservative generally, there are all kinds of people at a school of that size. You should be able to find other liberal minded friends especially if you look into organizations specifically focused on it.
As for transferring to Cockrell, make sure you are familiar with the pre-reqs needed to transfer and make sure you get them covered. http://www.engr.utexas.edu/undergraduate/admissions/externaltransfer
As for GPA, I can’t find that info quickly, but I would at least try for the range for internal transfers:
http://www.engr.utexas.edu/undergraduate/admissions/changeofmajor
Yea that’s a good idea. That way you’ll atleast know you will be earning some type of engineering degree.
Thanks for the info guys!
Also if I transfer to Cockrell As a sophomore, I can still graduate in 4 years right?
Depends if the credit from the classes you take can transfer to classes at UT