Does acceptance to the university mean acceptance to my field of study?
The short answer to this question is 'No.' While it is true that being admitted to some schools means you are already accepted into your field of study, other colleges have very different requirements. For example, nursing is a major that usually requires at least two applications, one for the school itself and a separate one for the program.
Remember that there are other factors too. Using the above example, many nursing schools also require that you pass a 'pre-nursing' test before being able to take any nursing courses. In addition, you may have to have letters of recommendation, a higher GPA than the school itself requires, a statement of purpose, volunteer work, etc. If you are transferring into the program from a community college or other four-year school, remember that there are course pre-requisites that must be met in order to start taking classes for nursing too.
The University of California Berkeley's Career Center, career.berkeley.edu, states that statistics, psychology, anatomy and physiology are those courses most frequently named as requirements for admission to nursing programs. Contact the specific department of the school you are transferring to or go their website for specific requirements.
Nursing is just one example. Engineering and business majors also have their own requirements for admission to their respective programs of study. The best bet is to do three things:
- Visit the school's website
- Contact the admissions office of the university
- Contact the department you want to get your degree in
Have your questions written out and ready to ask because college representatives are usually very busy. In terms of the school website, the FAQ section of the department you want to attend is a good place to start.
