<p>I'm currently thinking of a college of science/biology, but I actually don't know. I choose Cornell because it has such a huge variety of majors to select from. My interests have ranged from art and design, to botany, to architecture, to forensic science. Should I have a declared major? Should I just BS my essay and say how passionate I am about life sciences, or should I actually tell them about how I'm a scattered individual?</p>
<p>You're going to have to declare which school you're applying to within Cornell, and some of the potential majors you're talking about are within different schools. So you will have to make some sort of commitment. </p>
<p>Even if you apply to Arts and Sciences, where being undecided is perfectly acceptable, it might be a good idea to declare a major simply because it enhances your chances of getting a faculty advisor in one of the fields that interests you. Back when I was a student at Cornell, I applied to Arts and Sciences as "undecided" because I was unsure whether I wanted to major in biology or psychology. They gave me an advisor from the physics department who knew nothing about either of my fields of interest. I would have been better off declaring one major or the other on my application and then changing my mind later if necessary.</p>
<p>I wouldn't BS under any circumstances, but I wouldn't claim you were scattered either because it suggests that you have no passion. At some point you're going to narrow your choice down to a college, and this will help you narrow down your choice to a major field. It seems as though you are looking at three different colleges right now (HE, CALS, AAP) and the architecture college application needs the most preparation by far. So you really need to rule that in or out before you go any further.</p>
<p>I (truthfully) told them how much I wanted to go with my intended major, but I also spent time saying one of the major reasons I was applying was how diverse their course offering is. I don't think renaissance-man tendencies will kill your application even if you don't declare an intended major--undecideds get in, too.</p>
<p>If that is one of the reason you like Cornell then say it. They want to know why you would truly love to go to Cornell, so mentioning that will most likely be beneficial...or at least not detrimental.</p>
<p>Just tell the truth. I wrote about being a "scattered individual" and I'm a student at Cornell now. As far as advisors go, you can pick your interest later or just randomly get assigned an advisor. It doesn't really matter because you get a new advisor once you actually declare your major.</p>