UT and Vanderbilt shouldn’t be on your list if you decide to transfer, bc UT will favor students from TX CCs and universities and Vanderbilt rejected you so your odds are even lower than for regular transfers; transferring into engineering would be lateral, from one engineering program to another.
Now, if you want to make sure you chose right or change course, your 1st semester schedule is fine. If you love your Engineering design and do very well in your calc-based physics class, you’ll know better whether Engineering might be a possibility (its a lot of math&physics) and you’ll be able to compare to Portico/Carroll’s intro class. If you like Portico better then no harm no foul, you can continue with Business-related courses.
A difficulty is that you’ll have to apply Fall Sophomore year (or perhaps Spring freshman year but not all universities accept looking at transfer apps with only 1 semester of college) so you wouldn’t be able to take most Engineering pre-reqs at BC; transferring would likely set you back a year in the Engineering sequence, so it’d be in your interest, if you were to be sure, you take Calc 2 and calculus based Physics2 + gen eds that count toward Engineering gen eds (Humanities, Social Science). My guess is that at BC it’d box you into a tough Spring semester with Philosophy+2 weedout science classes+ sth like sociology or psychology.
If you’re sure about transferring, UMass should be on your list as well as clemson (but not sure it’s better than UMass) - as long as you do extremely well in your Fall&Spring courses + enjoy Physics (in addition to doing well).
What kind of engineering were you thinking of doing at Clemson? It seems to me that you have serious interest in both engineering and business, which to me points to Industrial/Systems Engineering as a great major for you, since it combines elements of both. The courseload you’re assembling for your upcoming semester looks a lot like what an IE major would take… so not only would you be a little less behind than you’d be in other engineering majors, but you’d also be able to continue pursuing both areas of interest. Both UMass and Clemson have strong IE programs:
You’re not likely to get in, as a sophomore transfer, to schools where you were denied as a freshman applicant. You have so many other options that I would not recommend using your energy to apply to, for example, Vanderbilt.
OOS transfer admissions at public U’s are a mixed bag, so you’ll have to investigate the schools you’re interested in, both to see whether they welcome sophomore transfers, and how disadvantaged OOS applicants are.
As an MA resident transferring to UMass Amherst would be highly probable. But the issue of taking prereq engineering courses may extend the time to complete your degree there.
Drop intro to business and take whatever calc course you test into.
You won’t have a clue whether or not you will love a business major after an intro course…but you will definitely know you can’t cut it in ME if you hate the appropriate, made for engineers Calc course.
The different disciplines of business are so disparate (supply chain is nothing like marketing which is nothing like labor relations which is nothing like asset management, etc) but every engineer speaks one language…math, math and more math. All the time.
You can get a job in aerospace engineering with an ME degree, and you can get a job in biomedical engineering with a degree in chem eng. They have a common language and if you hate that language…there’s your answer.
IP got a 5 in AP Calc - doesn’t say which. So he has that although some students suggest retaking the core math and science classes for engineering and forgoing the AP credits. Might buy a class - especially if Calc BC. But skipping a semester and coming back to the speed of college would be tough.
Agree and echoing what many others have said:
“every engineer speaks one language…math, math and more math. All the time”
Take calculus first semester, along with physics (make sure it is indeed the same calc-based physics that physics majors at BC take). You will know if engineering makes sense after that, and it is highly unlikely any of the engineering schools you mention will accpet you as a transfer into engineering without seeing how you have performed in calculus(at college, not the AB score which becomes essentially irrelevant after HS is over).
And if you realize mid semester calc and physics aren’t your thing—stay at BC and pursue business! It is an excellent school!
I don’t think you have a chance of getting accepted into UT. As others have said, any ABET accredited school will be fine if you work hard, make good grades, and get an internship. I’m a professional engineer.
I got a 5 in AP Calc AB and an A+ in the class and am taking the introductory calc-based physics class for physics majors. Planning to take calc 2 in the spring in the event i try to transfer. I did take two years of calc in high school but I understand that the college level course will be much more difficult.
If your high school took two years to cover calculus AB, you will find that college math courses will cover material at a far faster pace than what you saw in high school.
Most students go from advanced math/trig straight into AP Calculus, without a year of honors Calc. In fact, some will go straight into Calc BC. So the fact you’ve had 2 years of Calc and only completed AB means that you should be prepared for a significantly faster pace in college.
Many students who completed precalculus in 10th grade (+2 advanced) go directly to calculus BC in 11th grade if the high school offers such a course that includes the AB as well as BC material. Such a course more closely approximates the speed that college calculus courses cover material, and is typically well within the capabilities of students who are +2 advanced in math.
Do not be surprised if you find that math courses in college cover material much faster than what you saw in high school.
I completely understand - I had a conflict of interest between myself and a teacher that resulted in this. I feel as if i could handle a class much harder than AP Calc AB.
Pick any school and take a look at their mechanical engineering 4 year plan. Take as many of those as possible at BC including definitely calculus. I understand that you received a 5 on the AB exam, but would absolutely continue the sequence for ENGINEERING majors. 90% also require chemistry. There are few if any majors where graduating on time is more difficult without taking the required perquisites on time than engineering. My son was not 100% sure on engineering, but still took Calc 2, calc based physics and chemistry fall, freshman year to be sure he would have the necessary prerequisites.
I have done everything I can in terms of following the first year first semester plan while sticking to Carroll requirements. AP credit helps a lot for credit at other schools I have looked at
UT-Austin reserves 90% of acceptances for Texas residents. Plus summers are unbearably hot with a lot of walking between classes. It’s seriously not worth it down here. You’re already in an ABET accredited program in BU.
