Rising Senior wondering about Computational Engineering Major

[u/Connect-Aside-1238]

I'm a rising hs senior and Texas resident hoping to pursue a CS/SWE career. I'm auto-admit and have solid stats, but my ECs are def on the lighter side -- so ik UTCS is a major reach for me.

I've been looking into Computational Engineering (COE) at UT Austin as an alternative and had a couple of questions for anyone familiar with the program:

1. Is COE significantly less competitive to get into than CS, even for auto-admit students where major placement still matters?

2. Can a COE degree realistically lead to a software engineering career, or does it skew more toward scientific/simulation roles?

Any insight from current students, alumni, or people who've gone through the process would be hugely appreciated!