@remive - is it possible to select Interdisciplinary Engineering with a focus in Civil Engineering (via electives, research, internships, co-ops)? A&M has so many research labs and opportunities to get experience in the area you are interested in. Try and maintain a high GPA > 3.0 and then transfer into Civil. Even if that’s not possible get involved with research/clubs in transportation or whatever interests you. Take your EIT exam in senior year and you will have plenty of opportunities to work in Civil once you graduate.
I think the ETAM process is risky for those kids who are late bloomers. They may stumble the first year as they adjust to college. However they more than catch up in the next three years. Have see examples in my son’s friend group. Selecting a University that admits to major maybe a better decision for such kids- especially with how competitive and stressful the ETAM process has become over the years.
@pbleigh - Agree with you that it is not an even playing field GPA wise across the different campuses. Physics and Math at CS are major weed out courses. I don’t know if that’s changed recently. Maybe getting rid of a 3.5 auto admit GPA and having only a holistic review may work better? Or like you suggested everyone takes Math and Science at CS via satellite / online classes. Or every campus takes a common exam for the Math and Science ETAM courses - this will elimiate the unfair advantage of exams that test for defined content vs exams that push the limits.
A&M could also move back to acceptance directly to a major like UT does. Make the selection to a major more stringent at initial admission. Or if a particular major has 100 openings then do not admit 400 kids who have pre-selected that major. This only leads to most of those kids NOT getting their intended major - which seems unfair especially if they have a 3.0 to 3.4 GPA. It’s a way for A&M to fill the less desirable majors because most of the kids who don’t get the major they really want will just accept another major and not switch schools - they have already become loyal Aggies or just don’t know how to navigate the system. It forces them to change the direction of their lives.