This was certainly the case back when I was studying engineering. The introductory classes were "sink or swim" and graded on a steep curve. The net effect was "

This was certainly the case back when I was studying engineering. The introductory classes were "sink or swim" and graded on a steep curve. The net effect was "Let's take the students with the highest math/science test scores and encourage half of them to drop out of STEM programs." Meanwhile, most liberal arts coursework began with "a gentle introduction to X". I did well in the math/science classes, but the workload was enormous, and everyone recognized that the non-STEM students were having a more enjoyable time.