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I'm sorry if this question was asked before, but I couldn't find it.


I want to be a CALS biology major, but I've heard all the competition about it and how hard it is to get in.


Couldn't someone just apply as a Biology & Society major, get in, then switch majors within their first year? On that topic, how hard is it to switch majors?

By E1c2c3c (E1c2c3c) on Saturday, July 10, 2004 - 03:14 pm: Edit

Switching major isn't hard at Cornell at all. You can either do an internal transfer or direct transfer. Direct transfer means that you will have to apply to the college you want to transfer to and it's pretty much like a normal transfer process. Internal transfer is for Cornell students, and you will have to spend a semester in the internal transfer division. During that semester, they will make sure you can handle the course work of the your intended major. If you can get everything B- or above, then you will be able to join the major in the following semester. 95% of the internal transfer students were able to change their college and major. If you just want to switch major within CALS, then it's really really easy. As long as you take the required course work for biology, you should be able to be a biology major.

By Yippee (Yippee) on Saturday, July 10, 2004 - 07:53 pm: Edit

So then what's to stop someone from applying to Cornell with Biology & Society as their undergrad, and then switch into the Biology major second semester?

By E1c2c3c (E1c2c3c) on Saturday, July 10, 2004 - 09:41 pm: Edit

I do not think there's any way to stop someone from doing that. In fact, you can apply to hotel management, and then switch into mechanical engineering major during your second semester with B- or above in all the engineering classes.