Anonymous
Post 02/11/2026 08:01     Subject: Where is it easy to transfer from engineering to business? Where is it hard?
Anonymous wrote:It is not possible at top tier business schools. For example Penn SEAS students can't easily transfer to Wharton. NYU Tandon cannot easily transfer to NYU Stern. At schools that are either more engineering-focused or less competitive, I would guess it's not such a big deal. Like Pitt or VA Tech or CMU.


At Pitt you need some prerequisite classes and a 3.0. So, it is possible. I would prepare for this possibility by taking either micro or macro as an elective in addition to your engineering classes.
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2026 08:01     Subject: Where is it easy to transfer from engineering to business? Where is it hard?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DS is a junior who probably will apply to business and/or engineering programs next year. In the olden days when I was in college, engineering undergrads who either couldn't hack the program or decided it wasn't what they wanted to do often hopped onto the BBA track--relatively easily and seamlessly, at least as far as I could tell from my arts & sciences perch. (Almost nobody moved the opposite direction.) That's a path I'd like to be open to DS if he starts in engineering. From friends with older kids, though, I have the vague sense that it's now more difficult, at least at some universities, to transfer from the engineering college to the business one (although transfers to arts & sciences from either remains easy everywhere). I know almost no specifics, though. If folks in the know are willing to share schools where it's easy to transfer from engineering to business and those where it's hard, I'd very much appreciate it. TIA!

VT, UVA, UMD, etc.... Be mindful not to screwup the GPA. As long as business school transfer roadmap courses are completed and minimum 3.0 GPA is maintained, transfer is guaranteed. Even otherwise, if AP calculus and AP English is done in HS or equivalent in engineering first semester, and that’s more than sufficient for business major entry. AP Econ in high school is a wise choice.


You have no idea what you are talking about.


+2
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2026 07:40     Subject: Re:Where is it easy to transfer from engineering to business? Where is it hard?
Depends

CS - Information technology in business school is easy

Accounting and finance not easy
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2026 07:39     Subject: Where is it easy to transfer from engineering to business? Where is it hard?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DS is a junior who probably will apply to business and/or engineering programs next year. In the olden days when I was in college, engineering undergrads who either couldn't hack the program or decided it wasn't what they wanted to do often hopped onto the BBA track--relatively easily and seamlessly, at least as far as I could tell from my arts & sciences perch. (Almost nobody moved the opposite direction.) That's a path I'd like to be open to DS if he starts in engineering. From friends with older kids, though, I have the vague sense that it's now more difficult, at least at some universities, to transfer from the engineering college to the business one (although transfers to arts & sciences from either remains easy everywhere). I know almost no specifics, though. If folks in the know are willing to share schools where it's easy to transfer from engineering to business and those where it's hard, I'd very much appreciate it. TIA!

VT, UVA, UMD, etc.... Be mindful not to screwup the GPA. As long as business school transfer roadmap courses are completed and minimum 3.0 GPA is maintained, transfer is guaranteed. Even otherwise, if AP calculus and AP English is done in HS or equivalent in engineering first semester, and that’s more than sufficient for business major entry. AP Econ in high school is a wise choice.


You have no idea what you are talking about.
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2026 07:38     Subject: Where is it easy to transfer from engineering to business? Where is it hard?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DS is a junior who probably will apply to business and/or engineering programs next year. In the olden days when I was in college, engineering undergrads who either couldn't hack the program or decided it wasn't what they wanted to do often hopped onto the BBA track--relatively easily and seamlessly, at least as far as I could tell from my arts & sciences perch. (Almost nobody moved the opposite direction.) That's a path I'd like to be open to DS if he starts in engineering. From friends with older kids, though, I have the vague sense that it's now more difficult, at least at some universities, to transfer from the engineering college to the business one (although transfers to arts & sciences from either remains easy everywhere). I know almost no specifics, though. If folks in the know are willing to share schools where it's easy to transfer from engineering to business and those where it's hard, I'd very much appreciate it. TIA!

VT, UVA, UMD, etc.... Be mindful not to screwup the GPA. As long as business school transfer roadmap courses are completed and minimum 3.0 GPA is maintained, transfer is guaranteed. Even otherwise, if AP calculus and AP English is done in HS or equivalent in engineering first semester, and that’s more than sufficient for business major entry. AP Econ in high school is a wise choice.


Your kid will not be able to switch to business at VT or UVA.
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2026 07:28     Subject: Where is it easy to transfer from engineering to business? Where is it hard?
Anonymous wrote:DS is a junior who probably will apply to business and/or engineering programs next year. In the olden days when I was in college, engineering undergrads who either couldn't hack the program or decided it wasn't what they wanted to do often hopped onto the BBA track--relatively easily and seamlessly, at least as far as I could tell from my arts & sciences perch. (Almost nobody moved the opposite direction.) That's a path I'd like to be open to DS if he starts in engineering. From friends with older kids, though, I have the vague sense that it's now more difficult, at least at some universities, to transfer from the engineering college to the business one (although transfers to arts & sciences from either remains easy everywhere). I know almost no specifics, though. If folks in the know are willing to share schools where it's easy to transfer from engineering to business and those where it's hard, I'd very much appreciate it. TIA!

VT, UVA, UMD, etc.... Be mindful not to screwup the GPA. As long as business school transfer roadmap courses are completed and minimum 3.0 GPA is maintained, transfer is guaranteed. Even otherwise, if AP calculus and AP English is done in HS or equivalent in engineering first semester, and that’s more than sufficient for business major entry. AP Econ in high school is a wise choice.
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2026 03:23     Subject: Where is it easy to transfer from engineering to business? Where is it hard?
If the business school doesn't have a special name / reputation / admissions process.

Or you could choose a school that doesn't have a business degree (like northwestern) so you can get the business signaling without needing a whole degree.
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2026 02:56     Subject: Where is it easy to transfer from engineering to business? Where is it hard?
Gatech
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2026 01:51     Subject: Where is it easy to transfer from engineering to business? Where is it hard?
Anonymous wrote:DS is a junior who probably will apply to business and/or engineering programs next year. In the olden days when I was in college, engineering undergrads who either couldn't hack the program or decided it wasn't what they wanted to do often hopped onto the BBA track--relatively easily and seamlessly, at least as far as I could tell from my arts & sciences perch. (Almost nobody moved the opposite direction.) That's a path I'd like to be open to DS if he starts in engineering. From friends with older kids, though, I have the vague sense that it's now more difficult, at least at some universities, to transfer from the engineering college to the business one (although transfers to arts & sciences from either remains easy everywhere). I know almost no specifics, though. If folks in the know are willing to share schools where it's easy to transfer from engineering to business and those where it's hard, I'd very much appreciate it. TIA!


I’d use liberal arts economics plus working as a business manager or sales person for a campus organization as the backup.

That way, your son will look a little less like a lemming, may be able to cross enroll in some business school classes, and can escape a second brutal application process.
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2026 00:09     Subject: Where is it easy to transfer from engineering to business? Where is it hard?
Apply to both/dual and then drop one.

Anonymous
Post 02/10/2026 22:56     Subject: Where is it easy to transfer from engineering to business? Where is it hard?
Anonymous wrote:It is not possible at top tier business schools. For example Penn SEAS students can't easily transfer to Wharton. NYU Tandon cannot easily transfer to NYU Stern. At schools that are either more engineering-focused or less competitive, I would guess it's not such a big deal. Like Pitt or VA Tech or CMU.


No, VT doesn't allow transfers into impacted majors like engineering or business. You can transfer out of these into other majors with no problem though.
Anonymous
Post 02/10/2026 22:43     Subject: Where is it easy to transfer from engineering to business? Where is it hard?
It is not possible at top tier business schools. For example Penn SEAS students can't easily transfer to Wharton. NYU Tandon cannot easily transfer to NYU Stern. At schools that are either more engineering-focused or less competitive, I would guess it's not such a big deal. Like Pitt or VA Tech or CMU.
Anonymous
Post 02/10/2026 22:37     Subject: Where is it easy to transfer from engineering to business? Where is it hard?
I believe the University of Rochester would allow such a transition without any official transfer process. Their entire curriculum appears to be accessible to all undergraduate students.
Anonymous
Post 02/10/2026 22:29     Subject: Where is it easy to transfer from engineering to business? Where is it hard?
I don’t know the answer to your question but having researched a lot of undergrad business schools for my DS - I found that business is now a very popular major and usually much harder to get in then the regular school. So it might be difficult to transfer into at most schools (from any major). You could look for schools with top ranked engineering programs and lower ranked business programs and/or non direct admit business schools.
Anonymous
Post 02/10/2026 15:44     Subject: Where is it easy to transfer from engineering to business? Where is it hard?
DS is a junior who probably will apply to business and/or engineering programs next year. In the olden days when I was in college, engineering undergrads who either couldn't hack the program or decided it wasn't what they wanted to do often hopped onto the BBA track--relatively easily and seamlessly, at least as far as I could tell from my arts & sciences perch. (Almost nobody moved the opposite direction.) That's a path I'd like to be open to DS if he starts in engineering. From friends with older kids, though, I have the vague sense that it's now more difficult, at least at some universities, to transfer from the engineering college to the business one (although transfers to arts & sciences from either remains easy everywhere). I know almost no specifics, though. If folks in the know are willing to share schools where it's easy to transfer from engineering to business and those where it's hard, I'd very much appreciate it. TIA!