Because colleges are not often very transparent with their data, it’s really tough for students and families to gain an understanding of how important college major choices are in the admissions process. So does major choice matter? The truth is, it depends. But there are some key pieces that can help make sense of the importance of major choice in your college admissions process.
One size does not fit all:
As with nearly all aspects of college admissions, there is no uniform policy around how an admissions office uses major selection in making college decisions. It’s good to understand that the way the college asks the question on the application is a pretty clear indicator of how much your major choice will shape a decision. For example, many liberal arts colleges, as well as institutions like Yale and Stanford, that take a more open-ended, liberal arts approach to learning will ask students to select areas of academic interest on an application. In this case, they are not admitting students into a specific program, but rather admitting students to the college or university as a whole, with room to select a major further down the line in their college journey.
By contrast, large universities with different colleges or schools such as those that focus exclusively on business, engineering, nursing, or arts & sciences will often require students to elect a school and a major within that school. In these cases, students are being admitted directly into the program of choice. The path they choose can shape the admissions criteria that will be used to evaluate their candidacy and the competitiveness of admissions can vary significantly by major or program at these institutions. Students and their families often assume that so long as a student meets the typical admitted student profile they see posted for a college, they have a good chance of admission. However, the most competitive majors such as engineering, computer science, business and even biology can have much more competitive applicant pools because of the number of applicants compared to available spots.
Colleges evaluate applications in context:
Context is everything in college admissions. Whether or not a college requires a major selection on the application, all colleges are considering context. One key piece of information admissions officers look to to gain context are the major and career interests a student articulates on their application. Admissions readers will use a student’s intended major or stated future career interest as a lens through which to evaluate the application. This means that a student’s declaration of interest directs the evaluator’s attention: it gives the reader a sense of which courses, rigor, grades and test scores to focus on as most important to understanding a student’s preparation for their expressed field. If a student says they are interested in a STEM field, strong scores in math on the SAT or ACT, and advanced coursework such as AP Calculus will suddenly become far more important. If a student says their main interest is art history, then these factors will be less important, but social science, humanities and arts courses will come into focus. Admissions readers look for alignment between an applicant’s strengths and performance and their stated areas of interest.
Evidence is crucial:
Beyond academic choices and performance, a student’s declaration of interest also guides what an admissions reader is looking for in a student’s activities. A student should have evidence of engaging their areas of intellectual interest outside of their high school course work. This means seeking out volunteer, internship, research, and self-directed opportunities to be involved with the subject matter. While joining clubs at school that relate to the field is a good start, the strongest applicants have evidence of engaging their interests in further depth by taking initiative to engage opportunities in the community or in professional or academic settings outside of school. Particularly stand out applicants often have evidence of utilizing their interests as a pathway to make an impact or contribute positively to the lives of others.
Great applicants always have a point of view & perspective:
So does this mean every student needs a clearly defined career path and declared major to apply to college? No. There is room for students’ interests and plans to evolve. Being open-minded to the opportunities and exploration of interests that college life will offer is fantastic. However, by the summer before senior year when students begin applying and writing essays, it is essential that a student can articulate their areas of intellectual interest and curiosity. This means identifying the questions a student wishes to wrestle with, the connections they want to explore in college, the issues they want to impact, and the topics they are passionate about. Students do this in their applications by making connections to their past experiences inside and outside of the classroom, and by painting a detailed picture of the specific opportunities and experiences they will engage as members of the college community. A student without experiences that meaningfully connect to their interests will struggle to put together cohesive applications.
No matter what, building experiences throughout high school that align to a student’s curiosity, interests, and passions is an essential part of building a strong application and, more importantly, a powerful opportunity to learn more about themselves and how they want to move forward in the world.
Lauren Dodington is a Managing Partner of The Best U College Admissions Advising with two decades of experience in college access & admissions planning. She is thrilled to see students shaping their paths to success with the support of Next Level Education’s tutoring and mentoring. The Best U Admissions Advisors are experienced in supporting students to navigate their college choices and personal best fit. If you’d like to explore working with a TBU Advisor, get in touch here and we will look forward to connecting with you.
Written by:
Lauren Dodington
Managing Partner
The Best U