I got accepted to UCSD (my dream school), but I got in as an undeclared major at Revelle College. My dream major is bioengineering, so I was wondering how hard is it to get into bio engineering as an undeclared student? Is it worth taking the risk to go to UCSD? I’m also considering UC Riverside (which gave me the Regents Scholarship for $10,000 a year). Which is better?
It is possible but highly competitive. My advice is take the direct admit at UCR especially with a Regents Scholarship. UCR’s program is also ABET accredited so both schools curriculum will be similar.
For UCSD change of Major:
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.
If applying to the Bioengineering or Bioengineering: Biotechnology majors, 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).
If applying to the Bioengineering: Bioinformatics major, you must have already completed the following 9 or 10 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; BILD 1 (Cell Biology); CSE 11 (Introduction to Computer Science and Object-Oriented Programming: Java) or CSE 8A (Java) and CSE 8B (Java B). CSE 8A/B are equivalent to CSE 11.
If applying to the Bioengineering: BioSystems major, you must have already completed the following 8 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; and ECE 35 (Introduction to Analog Design).
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).
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 8-10 screening courses.