<p>Strick, I think that anyone with very specific career goals especially in technical fields is wise to check into schools that are tops in those fields. Changing majors is so common, but some kids are very set on technical tracks. Or other things, like in art-related fields for instance.
As far as the college credits, at the most selective schools, so very many of the students have had advanced and college credit courses. Usually kids are taking the most rigorous courses they can because they want the challenge, they want to learn, and they’ve maxed out the courses at their high schools in those areas. If all of these course credits were allowed, the selective colleges might be able to become 3-year instead of four-year colleges (or 3 1/2?!), and in fact even though advanced standing may be allowed, many if not most kids choose to waive it and learn as much as they can. Plus, it’s hard to fit in all of the courses they’d like to take as it is. But that’s the level that many kids have reached even before college–it’s enough to get through a lot of schools in less time, but at the most selective schools, a lot of your peers have done the same thing.</p>