Welcome to College Confidential!

The leading college-bound community on the web

Sign Up For Free

Join for FREE, and start talking with other members, weighing in on community discussions, and more.

Also, by registering and logging in you'll see fewer ads and pesky welcome messages (like this one!)

As a CC member, you can:

  • Reply to threads, and start your own.
  • Post reviews of your campus visits.
  • Find hundreds of pages of informative articles.
  • Search from over 3 million scholarships.
Home / / / / /
New Discussion

Switching majors: the risk?

RubdubbRubdubb Registered User Posts: 1 New Member
in Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
I was accepted into SLO under sociology. After putting more thought into my decision, it was obviously too late to change my major. The question is, should I even take the risk of trying to change my major to computer engineering? I came up with a back up plan, which I would go to a cc and transfer into a uc. I'm just not sure whether I should take the chance to try and change my major at SLO, or test my chances with a cc and transferring to a UC.
· Reply · Share on Facebook

Replies to: Switching majors: the risk?

  • tsm2014tsm2014 Registered User Posts: 27 New Member
    edited April 2014
    I've heard that switching majors at SLO may be difficult if you're switching from one college to another. It'd be easier if you went from Sociology to Psychology or another major within that Liberal Arts/Studies college. Also, you may only switch majors after a quarter there. So, since you're wanting to be a different major, maybe you should give up that spot to someone who really wants to do that major at SLO and doesn't have other options. I know of some people on the wait list in such circumstances. Do you know what major you actually want to accomplish? Check for UCs and/or other universities that are known for that major...you can go to the community college near whatever university that is and transfer there. Seeing that you got accepted to SLO, you have a chance of getting into other great universities, such as UCs, as well.

    Edit: Oops, I didn't see that you did mention a major. I think SLO would be good for that major, but, again, it may be difficult to switch to that major. Some other universities may be more reputable and resourceful with that major, too.
    · Reply · Share on Facebook
  • eyemgheyemgh Registered User Posts: 5,346 Senior Member
    Don't ask us. Call admissions AND the engineering department. They will both be very transparent and tell you the truth about your chances.

    Good luck!
    · Reply · Share on Facebook
  • ralph4ralph4 Registered User Posts: 393 Member
    edited April 2014
    Computer Engineering Enrolled New Freshmen vs. Degrees Awarded (according to factbook 2013)

    2009 114 / 52
    2010 84 / 50
    2011 137 / 66
    2012 134 / 65
    2013 146 / 77

    As you can see, only about half of those enrolled as new freshman in Computer Engineering actually graduate from Computer Engineering. There is a reason for this... it is a DIFFICULT major. But the good news is that because of the high drop out rate from the department, there will be openings for others to transfer into the department. But, in order to do so, you must pass (with specified minimum grades) the difficult classes that are causing others to leave the department. So Rubdubb, if you decide you want to go to Cal Poly and you start taking CPE classes right away, there will likely be a space for you by the end of freshman year provided you can pass the required challenging classes. Good luck!
    · Reply · Share on Facebook
  • ralph4ralph4 Registered User Posts: 393 Member
    Oh, and here's the info about Change of Major into Computer Engineering from the department website:

    http://eadvise.calpoly.edu/majors/cpe/changing-majors/
    · Reply · Share on Facebook
This discussion has been closed.