Graduating as ME, then turning into a programmer would be a more valuable skill set. It also gives you the option of leaving programming for strictly ME based occupations, while most CS guys will not have this option.

I have been asked questions that I did not know the answer to. I reply with, I don't know, can you explain it to me? This is particularly good if you understand the answer quickly and can ask intelligent questions about its' intricacies. It shows you are not afraid to ask questions.