Direct Admit Engineering

Many of the nation’s best engineering schools offer direct admit policies, where incoming freshmen begin their undergraduate experience as a member of the university’s College of Engineering. However, each year, there are many bright applicants who are admitted to their dream school, but are denied direct admission into their desired engineering program. These students are faced with a dilemma: accept a spot in the broader university with the goal of earning their way into engineering via transfer, or commit to a different school where studying engineering is guaranteed. Another subset of applicants are looking for a “backdoor” way into a stellar engineering program. They aim to apply to the general university, excel in the classroom as an underclassman, and then transfer in the school’s COE.

To assist future engineering students in navigating either of these challenging endeavors, College Transitions has put together a comprehensive list of Direct Admit Engineering Schools accompanied by 1) additional information (with links) about the process for internally transferring into an engineering major and 2) our assessment of whether that process is Easy, Moderate, or Difficult.

Direct AdmitChanging your major to engineering (if not offered direct admit)How difficult to change to engineering?
Boston UniversityClick here for more info.Moderate/Easy
Bucknell UniversityInternal transfers are accepted on a very limited basis. Click here for more info.Very
Cal Poly - San Luis ObispoClick here for more info.Moderate
Carnegie Mellon UniversityClick here for more info. Electrical and Computer Engineering is usually filled and rarely accepts internal transfers.Moderate
Clemson UniversityClick here for more info.Moderate/Easy
Colorado State UniversityClick here for more info.Moderate
Columbia UniversityClick here for more info.Moderate
Cornell UniversityClick here for more info.Moderate/Very
Drexel UniversityClick here for more infoModerate
Duke UniversityClick here for more info.Easy
George Washington UniversityClick here for more info.Moderate/Easy
Georgia Institute of TechnologyClick here for more info. All admitted undergraduate freshmen are allowed one restricted change of major prior to earning 60 credits.Easy
Iowa State UniversityEasy
Johns Hopkins UniversityClick here for more info. Students may not transfer into Biomedical Engineering, and must be accepted at time of admission to the university.Easy (except BME)
Lehigh UniversityClick here for more info.Moderate/Easy
Loyola Marymount UniversityClick here for more info.Moderate
North Carolina State UniversityClick here for more info.Moderate
Northeastern UniversityClick here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration is 3.0.Moderate
Northwestern UniversityClick here for more info.Moderate/Easy
Oregon State UniversityEasy
Princeton UniversityClick here for more info.Easy
Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteClick here for more info.Easy
Rutgers UniversityClick here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration is 3.0.Moderate
Santa Clara UniversityClick here for more info.Moderate
Syracuse UniversityClick here for more info. Applicants need at least a 3.0 to prove competitive.Moderate
Texas A&M UniversityClick here for more info. Aerospace and BME have very competitive admission standards.Moderate/Very
Tufts UniversityClick here for more info.Moderate/Easy
University at Buffalo (SUNY)Click here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration is 2.5.Moderate
University of ArizonaClick here for more info.Moderate
University of California, BerkeleyClick here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration 3.0-to-3.4.Very
University of California, DavisClick here for more info.Moderate
University of California, IrvineClick here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration is 3.0.Moderate/Very
University of California, Los AngelesClick here for more info.Very
University of California, RiversideClick here for more info.Moderate
University of California, San DiegoClick here for more info.Very
University of California, Santa BarbaraClick here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration is 3.0.Very
University of Colorado, BoulderClick here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration is 3.0.Moderate
University of ConnecticutClick here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration is 2.7.Moderate/Very
University of DelawareClick here for more info.Moderate/Very
University of FloridaClick here for more info.Moderate
University of Illinois at Urbana ChampaignClick here for more info.Moderate/Very
University of IowaClick here for more info.Moderate
University of MarylandClick here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration is 3.0.Moderate/Very
University of Massachusetts AmherstClick here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration is 2.0.Moderate/Easy
University of MichiganClick here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration is 2.5.Moderate/Very
University of MinnesotaClick here for more info. Successful applicants have a 3.2. (technical) GPA or higher.Moderate/Very
University of Notre DameClick here for more info.Easy
University of PennsylvaniaClick here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration is 3.0.Moderate
University of PittsburghClick here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration is 3.0. Bioengineering requires a 3.5.Moderate
University of Southern CaliforniaClick here for more info. Priority consideration given to students with 3.0 or higher.Moderate
University of TennesseeClick here for more info.Moderate
University of Texas at AustinClick here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration is 3.0.Moderate/Very
University of VirginiaClick here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration is 2.5.Moderate
University of WashingtonClick here for more info. Spaces for internal transfers are extremely limited.Very
University of Wisconsin – MadisonClick here for more info.Moderate
Vanderbilt UniversityClick here for more info.Easy
Villanova UniversityClick here for more info. `Moderate
Virginia TechClick here for more info.Moderate
Washington University in St. LouisClick here for more info. Minimum GPA for consideration is 3.0.Moderate

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