Why is UCSD CSE so competitive to get in?

We know CS is crazy hot everywhere and getting in directly is getting harder and harder, including UCSD, which does have a 1st rate CS major. But we also know transfer into UCSD CSE from other majors is just as hard if not more, and now down right ‘unlikely’ with the new lottery system. I am wondering if other UC’s CS are as impacted? My impression is that in UCB and UCLA’s transfer to CS is hard also but not nearly as bad as UCSD (none requires ‘4.0-ish’ GPA), and other UCs seem much easier. Why is that? Does UCSD admit too many undeclared (who really want CS), and out of those too many do not want to settle with UC D/SB/I’s CS and are willing to risk for UCSD? Anyone cares to share?

It has been posted before but the change of major to cs has changed at ucsd to a lottery system. Personally I think that makes it worse for students.

Too many people who want CS enroll despite being admitted as undeclared, because they believe that they’ll be the ones to get into the capped major. They’re okay with Math-CS and CogSci as backup options, which is why those are getting impacted as well. In the end, too many people screw themselves over and have no one to blame but themselves

I think with the new lottery system fewer UD kids, unfortunately minus the higher stat ones, will be coming. UCSD, to more degree than other UCs, has been admitting qualified kids to school first and then figure out what they want to study. This has caused a huge backlog in UD pool each year with too many of them gunning for CSE. I think the new policy is a way to lessen the inflated UD pool by trimming those CS-declined ones. Not saying it’s a good way, but SD does now have a problem of too many poor UD souls trying to knock on CSE door.