r/ubcengineering

I thought I would make this post as last year I was very confused on how to do this and was told by any engineering students that it is not possible and I must go to Langara. So here is a break down of how to transfer. PLEASE note that you can actually transfer from any faculty to ubc engineering as you take the same classes as thise transferring from science.

As for classes you MUST take at least 27 credits to get second year standing. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE LESS THAN 27 since first year engineering is very difficult to get into due to grade inflation.

To get 27 credits you must take these classes. I am going to drop some of my marks below so you guys can get an idea of what being a competitive candidate or #1 candidate to get a seat in Engineering

Math 100: 96
Math 101: 96
Math 111:85
Chem 121: 95
Chem 123: 90
Phys 117/118/119: 85
Apsc 160: 85 (I would highly recommend taking Phys 170 instead of Apsc 160 as engineering involves more of that instead)
Fren 101: 97 (humanities elective this is designed to boost your gpa so pick something with historical a high average).
Wrds 150: 85 (pick a good prof!!!)

So overall I had 30 credits and around a 90 average. However competitive average has been high 70s to low 80s. This is a good benchmark to get accepted.

As for acceptances, if your first semester grades in physics chemistry and calculus are good you will get accepted early. So aim for at least mid 80s in those classes. PLEASE NOTE you must have a 70% average in all math chemistry and physics to get accepted. If you don’t achieve that it is an immediate rejection.

You will first get accepted into the faculty. Then around March 15 the program placement form opens up where you will compete against other engineering students for your specialization.

PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO DM ME. I understand how stressful of a process this can be as no one told me it was possible until I did it. It’s completely doable as long as you put in the work. The reason why many ppl get rejected from first year entry is simply due to grade inflation since everyone has high 90s in highschool but get humbled meaning their grades were very inflated which is the case for most. But if you put in the work it’s completely doable.

I’m an incoming Science student and I’m hoping to get some advice from people who have transferred into Engineering (especially Biomedical or Mechanical) from Science.

What first-year courses did you take, and how difficult is the transfer process from Science to Engineering?
Also, for those who transferred, do you it was a good decision overall?

Thanks!

I have the option to take either one, and in all honesty I'd like to take whichever is easiest. What do you guys think? (also if you have any prof suggestions, id love to hear them!)

I’m going into first year Engineering at UBC and I’m trying to be smart about my course choices for GPA/workload balance. I know first year is mostly fixed, but I heard there are some options or variations like different math, physics, English, or electives depending on placement or timetable. What I’m trying to figure out is basically what the easiest versions or options of the required courses are. For example, in math, physics, or communication courses, are there any that are generally lighter or more manageable than others, and are there any electives or complementary studies courses that are known to be GPA boosters. Also, I’d like to know if there’s anything people usually avoid if they want to keep their workload more manageable. I’m not trying to dodge work completely, just want to avoid unnecessarily brutal combinations since I’ve heard first year can get really heavy. If anyone has done first year recently, I’d really appreciate advice on easiest math route if there is a choice, easiest physics option if applicable, easiest elective choices, and any general “don’t do this if you value your GPA” warnings.

Thanks a lot 🙏

As the title suggests, I have no AP or IB credits to use in place of first year requirements. My school doesn’t offer any AP classes, and I never went out of my way to self study for any. It seems like everyone has some credits to use and now I feel like I’m at a disadvantage lol. Does anyone have tips for balancing a full course load first year and maintaining a high gpa… I want to get into elec if possible.
Also, as for wrds and humanities electives, are there any really good wrds profs I should try to get as a gpa booster (and also not too much workload). I also heard some people saying an engl course is better than wrds, is this true? Then for humanities, if anyone has recommendations for chill courses to take, preferably not too much work and easy to get high mark.
Also, do people typically join design teams in first year? I heard it’s a lot of time commitment and I don’t know if it’s realistic to be able to manage it with all my classes, but I do want to get involved. Or if there’s any other ways to get involved thats not design teams?
Thanks!!!

Do you end up relying almost entirely on YouTube & the internet to be able to understand the concepts because your instructors are horrible at pedagogy? Or lectures and tutorials are such invaluable resource that you never dare to skip one? Do you think you’re truly and sophisticatedly mastering the basics/the foundations?

Also what’s your outlook on future employment? Do you have high expectations and high confidence in landing great job? Or be underemployed? Or worse unemployed?

Further, do you think your UBC degree would open doors for meaningfully prestigious path in academia in that securing you spots in top US universities (the likes of MIT & Stanford) to do your Masters or PhD there?

Thank you so much for your feedback. It’s greatly appreciated

any idea on when do we get back the results and do they come all together or one by one?

After finishing first year I'm having difficulty deciding which engineering to go into. What do you recommend to help figure out which one to go into?

I can clearly see that the midterm exam is done online. I'm just wondering if the final exam will also be conducted online through canvas.

For these online exams, how will they be done or proctored

Hi everyone,

I am currently deciding between Waterloo Mathematics and UBC Engineering, and I would really appreciate some advice.

My long-term goal is quite clear: I want to go to a stronger graduate school in the US in the future, and eventually work in the US with a good salary. I am interested in careers with strong earning potential, but I also want to make a realistic choice based on my own ability.

For some background, I do not consider myself a genius or really smart. I have taken AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C: Mechanics, and AP Physics C: EM. I personally did not find them extremely difficult. So I think I can handle challenging courses if I work really hard, but I am still worried about competing with very strong students.

For UBC Engineering, my goal would probably be to get into CPEN. I know engineering is generally a stable and practical field, which is a big advantage. However, I am worried that the career ceiling in engineering may not be as high, and UBC’s co-op system may not be as strong as Waterloo’s, especially for jobs in tech or quantitative finance.

For Waterloo Math, I know the co-op system is very strong and it may open more doors in areas like tech, finance, data science, or even quant-related careers. But I am worried about the pressure of studying while constantly applying for jobs. I am also worried that Waterloo Math may have many extremely talented students, and if I cannot compete well, my GPA may suffer. In that case, it might hurt my chances for US grad school and make my path even less stable than engineering.

So my main concerns are:

1. Which program would give me a better chance for a strong US graduate school later?
2. Which one has better career potential if my goal is eventually to work in the US?
3. Is Waterloo Math too risky if I am not a top math genius?
4. Is UBC Engineering more stable, or does it have a lower ceiling compared to Waterloo Math? How’s UBC’s coop system in engineering these years or it is also really tough in getting ideal GPA.

I would really appreciate advice from students, alumni, or anyone familiar with these two programs. Thank you!

CIVL 250 starts May 11 and Canvas seems to be completely down / hacked right now. Has anyone received any updates or emails from UBC or the prof yet?

I haven’t gotten any message regarding next steps, course access, or whether classes/labs are still happening. Just wondering if anyone knows what’s going on.

it says deadline for choosing engineering discipline is may 15, does that mean it closes tonight or end of may 15?

I live in Ontario and want to possibly do grad school which one should I choose. I want to do electrical at UBC

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What is a apsc course that every major has to take which I can take over the summer without knowing my major yet?

What is this prof doing famm

I have a design team but have a 75% average what do you guys think my chances are?

pls help

Also, how do electives work in first year? How many electives do people usually take, and do you have any advice for choosing them alongside the engineering workload?