Switching majors at VT

[Anonymous]

i would strongly suggest she also applies to VCU as a back up

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of STEM is she interested in? If interested in CS/Data, should look at the Computational Modeling and Data Analytics major in the College of Science. It's essentially half CS and half stats/math. Lots of students add a CS minor. Admit rate for in-state female last year was 63%. Need to have good math background.

We attended the CIS presentation at another university and she really enjoyed it. It combined CS with Business and Data Analytics. I will ask her to look into this field at VT. She has a strong math background (currently enrolled in BC Calc), but she has to work hard at getting good grades in calculus. She is also interested in forensics as well as political science. She's really all over the place.

Definitely look into the different tracks in CMDA. They have concentrations in things like economics and some science fields.
https://data.science.vt.edu/programs/cmda/future-students.html

It's an excellent program that builds in a lot of opportunities for hands-on experience. My son just graduated from the program with multiple job offers, including one from the company that he did his capstone project with. Now working in DC as a data scientist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i would strongly suggest she also applies to VCU as a back up

Yes, she applied to VCU as well as JMU, GMU and CNU. Her reaches are VT and William & Mary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of STEM is she interested in? If interested in CS/Data, should look at the Computational Modeling and Data Analytics major in the College of Science. It's essentially half CS and half stats/math. Lots of students add a CS minor. Admit rate for in-state female last year was 63%. Need to have good math background.

We attended the CIS presentation at another university and she really enjoyed it. It combined CS with Business and Data Analytics. I will ask her to look into this field at VT. She has a strong math background (currently enrolled in BC Calc), but she has to work hard at getting good grades in calculus. She is also interested in forensics as well as political science. She's really all over the place.

Definitely look into the different tracks in CMDA. They have concentrations in things like economics and some science fields.
https://data.science.vt.edu/programs/cmda/future-students.html

It's an excellent program that builds in a lot of opportunities for hands-on experience. My son just graduated from the program with multiple job offers, including one from the company that he did his capstone project with. Now working in DC as a data scientist.

This is very helpful! Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Switch majors into the engineering or business schools would be hard to impossible. Switching into a major in the college of science is likely not that hard. But, if they are STEM focused, it would make more sense to apply to a possible major in the college of science or just "exploring science" (the "undecided" major). Admit rate for in-state for that major is 61%.

Why wouldn’t VT let her switch into engineering ?

Isn’t VT desperate for more women in their engineering program?

VT is vocal about not wanting kids, even women, to change majors especially into engineering. Its very frustrating. Many 18yo do not know what they want to do and should be able to change their minds. DH and I went to VT and this is the one negative about it on our list.

Just wanted to amend this - VT makes it clear that students can’t switch *into* engineering/business, but there are tons of other majors to switch to within the other colleges. They don’t prevent switching of majors at all, except into the engineering and business school.

Side question: Is it hard to switch from Biomedical Engineering (assuming you are admitted into this program) into Electrical Engineering?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Switch majors into the engineering or business schools would be hard to impossible. Switching into a major in the college of science is likely not that hard. But, if they are STEM focused, it would make more sense to apply to a possible major in the college of science or just "exploring science" (the "undecided" major). Admit rate for in-state for that major is 61%.

Why wouldn’t VT let her switch into engineering ?

Isn’t VT desperate for more women in their engineering program?

VT is vocal about not wanting kids, even women, to change majors especially into engineering. Its very frustrating. Many 18yo do not know what they want to do and should be able to change their minds. DH and I went to VT and this is the one negative about it on our list.

Just wanted to amend this - VT makes it clear that students can’t switch *into* engineering/business, but there are tons of other majors to switch to within the other colleges. They don’t prevent switching of majors at all, except into the engineering and business school.

Side question: Is it hard to switch from Biomedical Engineering (assuming you are admitted into this program) into Electrical Engineering?

All students actually start in general engineering. As I understand it, as long as they meet a minimum GPA requirement they will get to do their choice of specific engineering major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Switch majors into the engineering or business schools would be hard to impossible. Switching into a major in the college of science is likely not that hard. But, if they are STEM focused, it would make more sense to apply to a possible major in the college of science or just "exploring science" (the "undecided" major). Admit rate for in-state for that major is 61%.

Why wouldn’t VT let her switch into engineering ?

Isn’t VT desperate for more women in their engineering program?

VT is vocal about not wanting kids, even women, to change majors especially into engineering. Its very frustrating. Many 18yo do not know what they want to do and should be able to change their minds. DH and I went to VT and this is the one negative about it on our list.

Just wanted to amend this - VT makes it clear that students can’t switch *into* engineering/business, but there are tons of other majors to switch to within the other colleges. They don’t prevent switching of majors at all, except into the engineering and business school.

Side question: Is it hard to switch from Biomedical Engineering (assuming you are admitted into this program) into Electrical Engineering?

This is a good question and I'm sorry I don't know the answer. If you're already in the Engineering school, I'm not sure what the process is to switch to a different engineering major (my DC isn't a STEM major). You may want to contact admissions to ask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Switch majors into the engineering or business schools would be hard to impossible. Switching into a major in the college of science is likely not that hard. But, if they are STEM focused, it would make more sense to apply to a possible major in the college of science or just "exploring science" (the "undecided" major). Admit rate for in-state for that major is 61%.

Why wouldn’t VT let her switch into engineering ?

Isn’t VT desperate for more women in their engineering program?

VT is vocal about not wanting kids, even women, to change majors especially into engineering. Its very frustrating. Many 18yo do not know what they want to do and should be able to change their minds. DH and I went to VT and this is the one negative about it on our list.

Just wanted to amend this - VT makes it clear that students can’t switch *into* engineering/business, but there are tons of other majors to switch to within the other colleges. They don’t prevent switching of majors at all, except into the engineering and business school.

Students can switch into Business at VT. They take four required classes and request a major change once the classes are completed. If there's space available and their grades are good enough, the major change is accepted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:VT is wise to kids trying to get “backdoor” admissions to harder-admit majors by applying to easier-admit majors. It is very difficult if not impossible to transfer into certain in-demand majors if you start as a communications or history major or something.

Plus, you have to really sell the easier-admit majors as the one you want through class selections (electives shown on transcript) and ECs. If your kid looks like a stem major on paper but is claiming to want to be a comms major, they aren’t going to buy it.

Same at Cornell and other places. You signed up for entemology, you're there studying that for 4+ years

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Switch majors into the engineering or business schools would be hard to impossible. Switching into a major in the college of science is likely not that hard. But, if they are STEM focused, it would make more sense to apply to a possible major in the college of science or just "exploring science" (the "undecided" major). Admit rate for in-state for that major is 61%.

We were told by the College of Science recruiter NOT to apply to the undecided majors as there aren't as many slots for those and so they're more competitive. My freshman Hokie is a Biological Sciences major and my older one is in engineering. Also highly recommend anyone interested in science at VT to look into the Integrated Science Curriculum program at VT. Has been a good experience for my Hokie so far and had only heard good things about the program coming in.