<p>Some colleges have increasing difficulty of application requirements for engineering applicants.</p>
<p>For example, Columbia SEAS requires all applicants to send in a physics or chemistry SAT II Test aside a math one. They also require a counselor recommendation from your math teacher.</p>
<p>This poses a dilemma for me because
I have had extremely bad, arrogant, butthole math teachers these 2 past years (the years that seem to matter the most) I have made almost no vocal contact with my Jr. year math teacher, and I despised his behavior through out the year.</p>
<p>My Sr. year teacher, is relatively the same with another downfall. He is the worst teacher I have had. He simply does not teach, acts like a jerk, and is very unprofessional. Ex: In AP CALC, one day the math field day students were gone for a competition, and missed class. The next day when they came, and asked for what the HW was, he flipped out saying that they shouldnt have left for some stupid math competition, and said how it was BS. He always keeps saying “Well sucks for you” whenever you get something wrong, or cannot do a problem. He makes fun of student abilities saying “if you cant get this in # of tries youre just stupid”</p>
<p>I have absolutely no intention what so ever of asking these unqualified personnel for a teacher recommendation. Even if I were to ask one, I doubt their quality, and I feel like I shouldn’t ask a teacher that I haven’t talked to at all for a year for a teacher recommendation. </p>
<p>2)I also have not taken the physics or chemistry SAT II SUBJECT TEST. Simply because:
a) I am taking physics right now
b) I took chemistry 2 years ago. I did not take the chemistry SAT II, because as a foreign student at that time I was not familiar with the college application system, and did not know at that time about the existence of SAT IIs. I did not even think about the SAT or colleges at all, it seemed so far away.</p>
<p>So, basically, I don’t meet any of the requirements for SEAS. So what I was thinking is, could I apply to another major in the school, and if accepted, change to SEAS? Will I be able to circumvent the requirements?</p>
<p>That totally depends on the school. At UPenn, for instance, you can’t ‘easily’ transfer from one college to another. Essentially, you apply as if you don’t even attend there. I don’t remember what they said at Columbia. But I suggest you call them and ask. Focus on question 2 first, only because this is less subjective. Math teachers might have been annoying, but what about your physics teacher? Think of alternatives rather than feel frustrated.</p>
<p>Engineering programs are generally difficult to transfer in to because by enrolling in another school at the university you still will not have the chance to take the required first year engineering courses.</p>
<p>I am assuming that you are a strong student with excellent grades and scores if SEAS is on your application radar.</p>
<p>It might be more productive for you to focus your applications on schools with engineering that do not require the submission of tests that you have not taken or recommendations that you do not want to ask for. What is it about the engineering program at SEAS that is attractive to you? What other engineering schools offer similar programs? check out what these schools requre in respect to their applications, and if you are able to supply the tests/recommendations that these schools require, you can apply.</p>
<p>By the way, do you have strong recommendations from other teachers and your guidance counselor?</p>
<p>I am a good student and that’s why I feel like I have a chance in SEAS, so my grades arent the problem.</p>
<p>I asked Columbia on the phone about the SAT II, and they said they can accept the biology SAT II which I took. I still think that people with physics and chemistry SAT IIs are going to have preference over me though.</p>
<p>And second, i haven’t seen my recommendation but Im sure the biology one is very good. I had a very good (and difficult) biology teacher, and I believe his will be very good as he was one of my favorite teachers.</p>
<p>I especially wanted Columbia because I went there for a biomed engineering camp, and I really liked it. It would make me sad if I cant apply just cause of this.</p>
<p>I hope it works out for you to apply to SEAS. You can apply with what you’ve got and just wait to see what happens…just remember that a lot of really well qualified students don’t get in, even when their application meets all of the school’s specifications, so don’t get your hopes up too high in any event.</p>
<p>The fact that you are a strong student will help your other applications though. Where else are you applying? Do any of the schools you are considering not require specific teacher recommendations or tests?</p>
<p>boysx3: Im not getting my hopes high at all, im actually feeling pessimistic about this but why not try my luck? Everything else I have is strong except these two problems, but who knows.</p>
<p>Im also applying to CMU and UPenn, these schools also require different SAT II subject tests.
CMU for example also required physics and Chemistry. I talked it out with them and they said they would consider biology SAT II. However, I believe Columbia is the only one that requires math teacher recommendation. </p>
<p>A biology major needs a rec. letter from a math teacher? I’m disappointed in Columbia.</p>
<p>Dear Deniz,</p>
<p>Since I have a feeling that you’re from Turkey, I think you should consider taking a math subject test. My belief is, assuming you graduated from a high school in Turkey, there is no way that you score low on any Math test. Did you check any sample math subject test? If you didn’t do that, I highly recommend you at least to take a look at one. Questions shouldn’t be hard if you’re an average high school graduate from Turkey. </p>
<p>Also, with my apologies, I can tell you that there is also no way to get into a college such as Columbia, Cornell or Penn with a single subject test unless you choose a major that doesn’t require two subject tests. They don’t tend to be flexible for their requirements.</p>
<p>Many people change their majors after they get accepted to colleges. On the other hand, a change between two engineering majors or two social sciences, as you may notice here, is very reasonable and feasible, however, a change from an arts major to a science major would be hard or not possible since colleges will think that a student accepted as an arts major probably isn’t science-oriented.</p>
<p>Hope this will help a bit : ) and sorry for not sounding optimistic : )</p>
<p>I already have taken bunch of SAT II tests, however, physics or chemistry is not one of them. I have taken the math lvl 1. The admissions office of Columbia said that I could use biology instead of physics or chem. And I am graduating from high school in USA (good at guessing Turkey btw).</p>
<p>Oh well though, thanks for all the help. I guess I wont apply to Columbia for undergraduate years.</p>