Anonymous
06/16/2026 19:58
Subject: Switch major from engineering
Anonymous wrote:data science
one of the most likely to be replaced by AI.
Anonymous
06/16/2026 15:03
Subject: Switch major from engineering
data science
Anonymous
06/16/2026 15:01
Subject: Switch major from engineering
Why not math?
Anonymous
06/16/2026 12:40
Subject: Switch major from engineering
Applied math
Anonymous
06/16/2026 12:30
Subject: Switch major from engineering
Switching to Physics or to Engineering Physics (at some colleges that is an actual degree). would be an obvious option within STEM.
DC has the math skills and ought to do fine in engineering or Physics.
My engineering program made the Physics Dept cram 4 semesters of in-major Physics classes - at the same depth - into just 3 semesters. Physics faculty really griped about this.
DC has the math skills and ought to do fine in engineering or Physics.
My engineering program made the Physics Dept cram 4 semesters of in-major Physics classes - at the same depth - into just 3 semesters. Physics faculty really griped about this.
Anonymous
06/16/2026 12:26
Subject: Switch major from engineering
Anonymous wrote:Second semester freshman year is weed out time for engineering students. If you’re not there to do the work it will show. It got me and I switched to accounting. Others seem to switch to similar math based majors…finance, Econ, etc. not all finance leads to finance bro investment banking type crap. Most companies have finance people, and it’s useful in sales, real estate, and many other disciplines.
Aside: Some engineering programs have high graduation rates and do not have any intentional weed out classes.
Anonymous
06/16/2026 12:25
Subject: Switch major from engineering
Anonymous wrote:A friend of mine switched to international relations and is now a tax lawyer (specializing in international aspects).
Anything!
+1. Anything is possible. But make sure your kid is at a school with options to actually switch. Many engineers switch to business (finance, etc), but if the business school is impossible to get into outside of Direct Admit, that isn't a viable option. Same goes for data science, and many STEM areas (things many who wanted engineering might want to switch to).
Anonymous
06/16/2026 11:59
Subject: Switch major from engineering
Anonymous wrote:Not sure what will have space for him but he could get into any humanities field (watch re: any foreign language requirements though)
Usually it's the math level, being successful at math, that keeps students out of STEM majors -- he's got that
Most engineering programs require a good amount of physics as well as chemistry.
Anonymous
06/16/2026 11:34
Subject: Switch major from engineering
Not sure what will have space for him but he could get into any humanities field (watch re: any foreign language requirements though)
Usually it's the math level, being successful at math, that keeps students out of STEM majors -- he's got that
Usually it's the math level, being successful at math, that keeps students out of STEM majors -- he's got that
Anonymous
06/16/2026 11:29
Subject: Switch major from engineering
Anonymous wrote:DC says he wants to major in engineering. His math is great, science interest….a little tepid. Good writer/pretty even (high) on standardized testing.
My wonder is - if he gets a year in and wants to change (many do, right?) what are some natural things to switch to? I’m not sure but if it matters I think he’s not a finance bro/more interested in interesting work than making money.
Any thoughts on what a natural next thing to try could be?
Humanities and then a career where he spends the rest of his adult life wondering why he didn't stick with Engineering.
Anonymous
06/16/2026 09:56
Subject: Switch major from engineering
Anonymous wrote:After just one year he won’t be deep in engineering courses yet so switching will be easier as some GE classes and Math classes will transfer
Cyber
IT
CS
Architecture (but difficult switch)
Data Science
Applied Analytics
Go to a school big enough that has these options and where switching majors is easy. Ie do not go to a liberal arts school and if you’re going to a massive public make sure majors are not impacted and changing majors can actually be done.
+1 to cyber, cs, data science, applied analytics. Could also go pure or applied math and figure it out for grad school.
Anonymous
06/16/2026 09:18
Subject: Switch major from engineering
Second semester freshman year is weed out time for engineering students. If you’re not there to do the work it will show. It got me and I switched to accounting. Others seem to switch to similar math based majors…finance, Econ, etc. not all finance leads to finance bro investment banking type crap. Most companies have finance people, and it’s useful in sales, real estate, and many other disciplines.
Anonymous
06/16/2026 09:16
Subject: Switch major from engineering
After just one year he won’t be deep in engineering courses yet so switching will be easier as some GE classes and Math classes will transfer
Cyber
IT
CS
Architecture (but difficult switch)
Data Science
Applied Analytics
Go to a school big enough that has these options and where switching majors is easy. Ie do not go to a liberal arts school and if you’re going to a massive public make sure majors are not impacted and changing majors can actually be done.
Cyber
IT
CS
Architecture (but difficult switch)
Data Science
Applied Analytics
Go to a school big enough that has these options and where switching majors is easy. Ie do not go to a liberal arts school and if you’re going to a massive public make sure majors are not impacted and changing majors can actually be done.
Anonymous
06/16/2026 09:15
Subject: Switch major from engineering
A friend of mine switched to international relations and is now a tax lawyer (specializing in international aspects).
Anything!
Anything!
Anonymous
06/16/2026 09:12
Subject: Switch major from engineering
DC says he wants to major in engineering. His math is great, science interest….a little tepid. Good writer/pretty even (high) on standardized testing.
My wonder is - if he gets a year in and wants to change (many do, right?) what are some natural things to switch to? I’m not sure but if it matters I think he’s not a finance bro/more interested in interesting work than making money.
Any thoughts on what a natural next thing to try could be?
My wonder is - if he gets a year in and wants to change (many do, right?) what are some natural things to switch to? I’m not sure but if it matters I think he’s not a finance bro/more interested in interesting work than making money.
Any thoughts on what a natural next thing to try could be?