@IUBOOS: I thik we’re saying the same thing with different words. Having a plan for the sequential courses but being flexible for the courses that aren’t.
Kelley, like engineering, is very sequential: you have to take class X before class Z, etc. There’s more flexibility for students who come in with AP’s, especially those with English, Math, and Econ covered - and the best use of that flexibility is by 1° figuring out what classes they like and which ones they don’t and 2° taking gen eds to balance out their schedule in order to frontload their GPA (as it’s only going to get tougher).
There are as many kids who have zero plan as kids who are slaves to their plan and follow it like a train on tracks, including when the plan no longer reflects their current interests (kids change a LOT between the beginning of freshman year and registration during the Spring of freshman year), only to realize junior year they have no clue why they’re in that major or that they hate it or that they’re really no good at X. Better then than later, but it’s still pretty costly to say “I decided that as a HS senior/freshman, I will get through it no matter what” for two years of C’s.
The GCore/ICore system is pretty good in that respect but freshmen need to hold both thoughts in their head at once (:p) : this is a 4-year plan AND this plan can change.
One of the most successful students I know had a perfect 4-year we’re worked on before he even enrolled. He changed it 6 times before sophomore year: invited to a prestigious program… internship… professor he really wanted to take a class with on sabbatical… offered a “TA” position (academic peer coach / UTA opportunity)… discovery of a special class offered just that one semester related to a topic he really wants to study… use of summer classes or not…
One of the beauties of the program is that it has so many choices 
BTW, you’re right, I’m not a college student but it doesn’t mean I don’t know Kelley (and its students) pretty well.