ThugFish

I'm applying for a transfer from UCSC to UCLA, UCSD and UCI. But most my time is focused on UCLA.
I was just wondering if I'm allowed to change my major if Im accepted for a different major. For UCLA, the fall 2011 admits had 17 people apply for a geology major and only 2 people had gotten in (avg gpa accepted was a 3.33). And for engineering geology, 4 people applied and also 2 people were accepted (avg gpa accepted was a 3.43).
I've checked the course loads for both majors and the majority of classes are the same, however towards the end of upper divs is where the changes come in. I'm not sure I want to be taking the upper divs of engineering geology compared to geology since im more interested in analysis and research work (for oil and mining companies). But I also want to have the best chance at getting into UCLA because I'm not really that happy with the school im at right now.
My stats for freshman year was a 3.84 avg gpa, 50 credits (+10 credits that i took over the summer), and I'm expecting to finish about 9 out of 13 pre-reqs for the major, also planning on either finishing all my GEs or I might have 1 GE leftover that I won't be able to complete.
Do you guys think I should go for engineering geology where, in the past couple years, around 3-5 people apply and 1-3 people are accepted with avg gpas around 3.4-3.5 or should I stick with a regular geology major where 10-20 people apply and usually 2-8 people are accepted with avg gpas around 3.2-3.5? Or based on my stats so far, either would give me the same chance of acceptance?
Thank you.

dilapidatedmind

Most likely you would be able to switch into Engineering Geology from Geology or vice versa because they're in the same department, the department of Earth and Space Sciences. They may let you switch during orientation or you would have to wait a semester and get approval from the department after they've seen your first semester grades. That said, I would just apply to the major you ultimately want to be in. The discrepancy between the two is relatively small and the annual sample size is so small that the number of accepted is relatively insignificant, especially for someone with a GPA well above the average. I think as long as you get a majority of the pre-reqs finished and maintain that GPA you'll be fine. And blatantly I couldn't really see a scenario where they would accept you into one major, but not the other. Even if you were missing a couple more pre-reqs for one.

ThugFish

Thanks, I just really want to get into UCLA and it seems like engineering geology just had a smaller pool compared to a larger pool with regular geology. They both had about the same amount of people getting in too but that was only for fall 2011 admits. In previous years, regular geology admit rates have been up to about 50%s so I'm thinking ill might apply as regular geology and just work as hard as i can to get another 4.0 in fall quarter so that i could be the highest gpa applicant.