Undeclared to Bio-engineering: what does it take?

[MohammadLee]

<p>I heard that if you are admitted to UCSD as undeclared major, you are obliged to take some liberal arts courses or may be other courses totally unrelated to my intended major (Bioeng.). This just freaks me out. Please tell me whether it is true. I heard that it takes more or less than 3.5 GPA to be admitted to Bioeng. from undeclared, but with these liberal arts courses I really don't know if I can afford to achieve 3.5 on average in them.
Now with a few colleges at hand, I need to make a swift decision. Help.</p>

[baktrax]

<p>

Entering Freshmen: As an entering Freshman, if you either apply but are not accepted into the “impacted” Bioengineering, Bioengineering: Biotechnology; Bioengineering: Bioinformatics or Bioengineering: Biosystems major directly from high school, OR if you didn’t initially apply to one of those majors, you will be able to apply “one time only” to one of the four “impacted” majors in the first week of school in the subsequent fall quarter, as you begin your Sophomore year as a “Continuing” student. </p>

<p>You must have already completed the following 9 lower division courses, obtaining a grade of “C-“or above, before the start of your fall quarter, Sophomore year: MATH 20ABC (20AB = 2 courses in Calculus for Science & Engineering & 20C = Calculus & Analytic Geometry for Science & Engineering); CHEM 6A (General Chemistry I) and CHEM 6B (General Chemistry II); PHYSICS 2A (Physics-Mechanics) & PHYSICS 2B (Physics-Electricity & Magnetism). PHYSICS 2AB are intended for physical science and engineering majors; MAE 8 (MATLAB Programming for Engineering Analysis); and BILD 1 (Cell Biology).</p>

<p>If you have satisfied any of the required 9 courses by Advance Placement (“AP”) in high school, the relevant “requirement” is satisfied and your GPA will be based on the other required courses (e.g., if you have AP credit for MATH 20A, your GPA will be based on the remaining 8 required courses).</p>

<p>Each fall quarter, a certain number (determined on an annual basis) of “Continuing” Sophomore students who apply will be selected to enter the “impacted” Bioengineering; Bioengineering: Biotechnology; Bioengineering: Bioinformatics; or Bioengineering: Biosystems major. The selection process is entirely based on students having the highest GPA obtained in the 9 screening courses.

</p>

<p>From <a href=“http://be.ucsd.edu/undergraduate_majors”>http://be.ucsd.edu/undergraduate_majors&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>You have to take other courses as GE requirements (which will vary depending on which college you are in), but those are unrelated to being admitted to the bioengineering major.</p>

[DrGoogle]

<p>To be honest with you, check the grade distribution at UCSD for courses of interest, some non-engineering classes are really easy to get As. So 3.5 is not that hard to achieve.
My advice is not to overload on courses, don’t take 5-6 courses and expect to do well. Your focus will be divided at finals, do 3 or at most 4 courses.</p>