Work in progress : the effect of engineering matriculation status on major selection

This study focuses on how the approach to engineering matriculation affects choice of major. Using the eight institutions represented in the Multiple-Institution Database for Investigating Engineering Longitudinal Development, we compared the majors at matriculation and at the third semester of 1) students who are directly admitted to a discipline 2) students who enter mandatory first-year engineering programs and 3) those who enter colleges of engineering without specifying a major preference. Preliminary findings indicate that students in formal FYE programs are more likely than the direct admits to choose Mechanical, Civil, Computer, and Industrial engineering and less likely to choose Chemical, Electrical, or Materials engineering as their first major. Students who enter as engineering undesignated are more likely to choose Civil, Industrial, and Other engineering and less likely to choose Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, and Materials engineering as their first major than direct admits.