I am a sophomore in an American high school. Unfortunately, I am an ignoramous with regards to college applications. If a person wishes to major in a less popular subject (I had classics in mind personally) as an undergraduate, does this affect one’s chances for admission into college? I know majors are not declared (at least in American universities) until much work has already been completed, but is the field of concentration a subject on applications?
My question really pertains to the best schools in the world.
<p>It depends on the college. Many actually do require that you designate a major on the application, although they also usually allow for "undecided" as a designation. Of those that do require designation, applying to a major for which at the time the college is looking for more students than usually apply, can sometimes give you an edge in admissions. The problem is you do not usually know what majors those actually are and the fact that it is "less popular" is not what carries the day. Less popular majors also often mean colleges have a smaller staff of professors for them and will only take a small number of applicants. What is needed is a major where the particular college is trying at the particular time to increase its number of students.</p>
<p>Note, when you say "best colleges" in the world that could include a huge number. If you are referring to places like those listed in the top 25 of various published rankings (like ivies), then many of those profess not to consider major as a factor in admissions.</p>
<p>I read that some colleges do look at what major you are applying for during admissions, but many also don't considure that at all, and they base their admission dession with out any regard to the program that students wants to do.</p>
<p>University of Illinois - Champaign has that. People who find their stats are not on par with the regular students applying to the university, simply go into a field thats quite unpopular I forgot the name. But, once you apply, after a year you can transfer into your desired field.</p>
<p>Virtually everyone who wants to major in Classics isn't doing it cause it sounds cool or prestigious but because they truly love it. The majority of any advantage you'll get, I'm convinced, will come from the love you must have to consider this option and NOT from the department size. If your interests clearly lie elsewhere putting down Classics will probably even hurt you. However if your interests DO, clearly, lie in classics, that's original & may even be a bigger help than similar accomplishments (for example) in math as you'll be a more unique candidate. People do math for "the system" but significantly fewer do Latin for it! When you apply, try to get out that classical languages/civ. aren't just something you're good at but a very important part of your life.</p>
<p>I am a very ambitious student and I work very hard, both in school and in my extra curricular activities. I am considering such institutions as Oxbridge and the Ivy League schools.</p>
<p>I want to study classics/ancient history and I am particularly interested in Cambridge, Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Columbia, and above all Oxford. Which of these schools and schools of a similar calibre, if any, might I have a better chance of studying at given my less popular, perhaps less competitive desired field?</p>
<p>I am not opting for an easy major hoping I will stand a better chance of entering a great school, but rather just wondering if I am at all "lucky" in having an interest in a more obscure field.</p>
<p>Woops, I didn't mean to refer to classics as an "easy major" but rather a major which one can easily be admitted to a good school for...sorry about that.</p>