Will I Be Able to Pull This Off?

Applying to College
1

<p>I spent 4 years in the military and I'm just now finishing 2 years of community college. I'm currently attempting to transfer with a stated econ major, but have recently come to realize that I have a desire to double major in business or econ and some form of engineering. The problem is that I don't have the science/math background to apply as an engineering transfer student, so I essentially need to get in somewhere as an econ major, and then have the freedom to say, "Surprise! I actually want to double in an additional course-intensive major, and it's going to take you a lot longer than you originally expected to get me out of here. Thanks for admitting me though!"</p>

<p>I realize that public schools will not let me do this, as a general rule of them. But can I pull this off somewhere? And if yes, and recommendations as to where? </p>

<p>As a reference, my attempt to get in to Stanford after 2 semesters of CC landed me on their waitlist, which the dean's office told me was pretty small- so I'm competitive I guess?</p>

2

<p>Engineering/business will be exceptionally hard. Do engineering and then get an MBA. No reason to do both. However, as you said, getting in as an engineer will be hard, so I would recommend someplace is very easy to transfer from the main school to the engineering program.</p>

3

<p>Well, generally once you are accepted to a school, you can usually take whatever courses you have taken the prerequisites for.</p>

<p>As an example, let's presume you applied somewhere as a business major (junior transfer), got there and then took your standard 4-5 business courses, but also started taking two engineering courses each semester since you plan to get a double major in business and engineering. There is nothing they could do about that. And if you then took "W"s in two of those business courses each semester (so that you could slow down how long before you graduated), then it's possible.</p>

<p>I'd say there are four problems with your plan, however: </p>

<p>(1) Generally, most schools limit how many units you can take to something like 19 to 20 units per semester--so if you are going to drop 2 courses (6 units) each semester, you can only take 14 units at most as credit courses; </p>

<p>(2) Most schools only allow you six years total (in your case, 4 additional years since you spent 2 years in community college) to finish and graduate. So your plan will work only if you can meet all of your requirements for both majors within that remaining 4 year period by taking 14 units a semester--which may or may not be possible depending upon what you've taken up until now and can transfer to the school; </p>

<p>(3) while the school may not say anything, your future employer may wonder about the 6 to 8 "W"s on your record; and</p>

<p>(4) If you have any plan to go on for a masters degree or post-graduate degree in law or medicine or something similar, they will take one look at your transcript and reject you immediately.</p>

<p>Also, if you don't take the "W"s, but just finish the courses, then they will expect you to graduate on-time. I suppose you could just avoid taking one last course--and then take all the engineering stuff in the meantime--but they might "call" you on that;--I don't really know.</p>

<p>So what do you plan to do;--it's your call. I suggest you do as DSC recommends. It's not only easier, it's also more ethical.</p>

4

<p>"getting in as an engineer will be hard, so I would recommend someplace is very easy to transfer from the main school to the engineering program."</p>

<p>That's what I'm already inquiring about... So can anyone else point me in the direction of schools that don't place restrictions on what you choose to study? (other than Brown...)</p>

<p>"they might "call" you on that;--I don't really know.." </p>

<p>I'm definitely not going to try and 'sneak' a degree in. I just want to know what schools will allow me this type of opportunity.</p>

5

<p>I understand that both Wash U and Rice make it easy to switch between schools/majors.</p>

6

<p>Good to know- they are actually both already on my current list. </p>

<p>P.S. What's Houston like?</p>

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<p>There is a difference between "being allowed to switch between majors" and being allowed to enroll in engineering courses if one has not been admitted to the engineering school. In many places, perhaps most, no one is automatically admitted to, or allowed to enroll in, engineering-specific courses; one must meet minimum course requirements or apply for admission directly to the program.</p>

<p>It is a heck of a lot easier to get out of engineering than into it.</p>

<p>Perhaps you should post your question on the engineering forum. Someone with specific information about programs that allow non-engineer majors to enroll in engineering courses may be able to answer your question.</p>

8

<p>Yeah I posted it there as well. That forum runs a little slow, so I was thinking that maybe someone here might have a handle on it...</p>

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<p>Bait&Switch: Thank you for giving your country 4 years!!!!!!! :)</p>

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<p>I appreciate the compliment, and I'll keep preaching the gospel until the day that I die: military service absolutely sucks. Couldn't pay me enough to continue to do it. Glad to be out and I pray for those still in.</p>

<p>The biggest sacrifice that the military requires is a lifestyle that most civilians could not comprehend being forced to put up with. It's somewhat like being trapped in a prison without bars. The military has excellent PR, and they have fooled people into thinking that military personnel are upstanding, shiny citizens who love apple pie and practice a proud and rewarding profession... When drinking, depression, divorce, physical & psychological stress and harsh living conditions come standard. And that's not even including the whole going to war part. Not trying to create a bunch of pariahs- just my observations.</p>

<h2>(Go see "Jarhead"- while a few parts are fabricated, the general spirit is transferred quite accurrately.)</h2>

<p>Now that I've provided some controversial reading, can somebody help me out with this?!?</p>

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<p>*P.S. 10 seconds ago I saw on Yahoo! that there were 2100 attempted suicides in 2007 in the U.S. military. I guess that I should be surprised.</p>

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<p>I believe Swarthmore has engineering as part of the 'college' as it doesn't have sub-colleges as a LAC. That would be a great school, and generally switching majors is way easier than colleges within a university.</p>

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<p>It will be easier to switch to engineering at a smaller school. Check out Bucknell, Lafayette and Lehigh in PA, and if you're female, Smith in MA.</p>