Should parents plan for the possibility of more than 8 semesters' of college costs?

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<p>Just looking at Big Ten schools, most do not allow free choice in that at least some majors have a competitive admission process or have requirements greater than just passing the prerequisites:</p>

<p>Illinois: some majors require application and approval:
[Declaring</a> / Changing Major Majors & Minors Students College of Liberal Arts & Sciences University of Illinois](<a href=“http://www.las.illinois.edu/students/programs/declaring/]Declaring”>Declaring or changing a curriculum or major | College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at Illinois)
<a href=“https://wiki.engr.illinois.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=30803845[/url]”>https://wiki.engr.illinois.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=30803845&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Indiana: business major has competitive admission:
[Future</a> IU Freshmen: Admissions: Undergraduate Program: Kelley School of Business: Indiana University Bloomington](<a href=“Undergraduate | Bachelor's Degree in Business | Indiana Kelley”>Undergraduate | Bachelor's Degree in Business | Indiana Kelley)</p>

<p>Iowa: some majors are selective or limited admission:
[Majors</a>, Minors, and Certificates | College of Liberal Arts & Sciences](<a href=“Majors, Minors, and Certificates | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences”>Majors, Minors, and Certificates | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences)</p>

<p>Michigan: changing into engineering requires applying to:
[Admission</a> Requirements | Michigan Engineering](<a href=“http://www.engin.umich.edu/ugadmissions/crosscampus/requirements.html]Admission”>http://www.engin.umich.edu/ugadmissions/crosscampus/requirements.html)</p>

<p>Minnesota: competitive admission into various majors:
[Applying</a> for a major form : College of Science & Engineering : University of Minnesota, Twin Cities](<a href=“http://cse.umn.edu/services/advising/CSE_CONTENT_188758.php]Applying”>http://cse.umn.edu/services/advising/CSE_CONTENT_188758.php)</p>

<p>Ohio State: competitive admission into engineering majors:
[Academic</a> Advising at Ohio State - College of Engineering - Advising Page](<a href=“http://advising.osu.edu/Engineering.shtml]Academic”>http://advising.osu.edu/Engineering.shtml)</p>

<p>Penn State: majors with limitations on number of students, requiring competitive admission:
[Division</a> of Undergraduate Studies: Advising Updates](<a href=“http://dus.psu.edu/updates/numbr661.htm]Division”>http://dus.psu.edu/updates/numbr661.htm)</p>

<p>Purdue: changing into engineering requires applying to:
<a href=“https://engineering.purdue.edu/ENE/InfoFor/CurrentStudents/CODORequirementsforFYEP_2012[/url]”>School of Engineering Education - Purdue University;

<p>Wisconsin: competitive admission into some majors:
[Undergraduate</a> Catalog, University of Wisconsin-Madison | College of Engineering](<a href=“Guide < University of Wisconsin-Madison”>Guide < University of Wisconsin-Madison)</p>