<p>Yes, it is VERY difficult to get into an impacted/engineering major, even as a matriculating student. All forms of Engineering are competitive at UCSD, and even if you are accepted as an engineering major, you are really only technically a “pre-major.” You need to perform well in the core classes – Math 2A, B, C, D, and E (numbers probably have changed since my time there, basically calculus and analytical math), Physics, LD Computer Science and Engineering and a couple of others – before you are fully accepted into the major. If you are a math major, my advice would be to hang out in math for awhile and get to know your math professors. Your first year of classes will not be different than 90% of every other frosh student at UCSD: writing, math, science and language – well except for Warren ;-)</p>
<p>Get to know your math profs, stop by office hours and chat. Ultimately, if you want to get into engineering, they can put in a good word for you and you will have a better chance. If possible, seek out upper division engineering majors when you are there, because they will know the ins and outs of the system. Do not sweat the major your first year.</p>