"Undeclared"

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - San Diego
1

(Hi there, new to CC :-bd )

I was hoping that the amazingly helpful people on this website could give me some advice; here’s my situation:

I applied to all my UC’s for a bioengineering major. I got accepted to UC Irvine for this major, as well as its Campuswide Honors Program, a while ago. Although UC Irvine isn’t the best UC for bioengineering, I heard that its honors program is very good, and that UCI is a “rising school.”

Thing is, my mind has been set on UC San Diego for a very long time now (toured it, loved it), especially because it’s very well known for bioengineering. I got accepted into Revelle, but as an “Undeclared” major.

I know that UCSD offers a one-time chance to apply into an impacted major during the first semester of sophomore year, if you’ve completed the required “screening courses.” How likely is it that I will get into engineering? It seems extremely risky (and illogical!!) for me to attend UCSD and have no idea whether I’ll even get into an engineering major. I don’t want to end up getting pushed into a noncompetitive major that I have no interest in.

Given my situation, would it be a better choice to choose UCI, with the 100% confidence that I will get into bioengineering and even the added privilege of the Honors program, or to choose UCSD, without the full guarantee of getting into engineering?

Thanks so much :slight_smile:

2

@xxkiiroxx did you decide whether you are attending UCSD?
I’m very confused as well. :frowning:
I am deciding between GTech and UCSD and I want to study bioengineering. I got in for Undeclared for UCSD as well and cannot decide. I really want to attend UCSD especially since there are many more Biotech companies for internship opportunities in San Diego but I’m worried that I’ll end up not getting into Bioeng.

3

Funny, I was just about to post nearly the same Q.

I can’t help but think at the back of my mind I could be studying CS at UCSD over Irvine, but the risk factor is what is getting to me.

4

One question you need to ask yourself, if for any reason you cannot transfer into the BioEngineering major, will you still be happy at another major at UCSD. If it is BioEngineering or nothing, go to UCI.

5

I can’t believe so many students got accepted undeclared this year. All I can say is go to UCI because CHP is wonderful, both of my nephew and niece were in CHP, both got into medical schools, not biotech industry though.

6

I was accepted as undeclared as well, sixth college. I sent admissions a few questions, and they couldn’t bother responding to all of my concerns regarding this matter, very little insight was given to me. All they said it was ultimately the engineering school’s decision. Not much help in clearing or helping out in making my decision… or rather it did help, because I couldn’t take them seriously at that point.

I wanted to be admitted as a CS major, so from what I understand: I’d have to start from the very bottom, as if I was a freshman, then apply to see if maybe i can be admitted as a CS major.

I already started from the very bottom at my CC with mathematics (attended a horrible high school growing up - and had taken a break to begin with after high school). Now I’m expected to do so for CS? No thanks. I don’t like it at all. I can’t appreciate a school who can’t appreciate me for my current capabilities and potential. I’m a lot more valuable than skewed subjective measured rankings.

Considering all engineering is impacted at UCSD, the chances of being admitted don’t seem too very high, especially as a transfer.

Heck, I’d be open to it if other engineering related majors were realistically attainable, but all of them are impacted. All of them.

In all honesty, I think they only simply admitted us so we can “fill in” the rest of their non-engineering majors.

So unless you’re into something non-engineering related, it doesn’t look good for us. This would have been an amazing opportunity to me if I was 18 or something, but not so much now. Especially now that I’m more aware and less ignorant of how the school system works. You can get burned very easily, at any level.

So be careful on your decision. Personally I’d stick with UCI. It is a good school, and you’ll be working on subject you are actually interested and I assume have a passion for. Why settle for less? What, for prestige? No one is gonna care where you graduated from after your first job out of college.

I personally decided I am going to Davis, where I actually was admitted as a CS major. Plus, most of my CS courses transfer without issue, whereas with UCSD there were issues they found.