Choosing "interested major"

Applying to College
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<p>For choosing 3 "interested major" in order, I chose
1. sociology
2. mathematics
3. pre-med</p>

<p>I chose sociology mainly because my extracurricular activities kind of go along with it. (Volunteering, Establishing UNICEF club, etc) But the problem is that I'm not particularly strong in history. I got an A on regular history classes, but I haven't taken any SAT IIs or APs on history subjects. </p>

<p>On the other hand, I'm pretty strong in mathematics, although not exceptional. I got 800 on SAT Math,MAth IIC, 5 on AP Calc AB, and some awards. (not like national though) </p>

<p>Would it be better to indicate most interested major as sociology or mathematics? I know it's not a big deal in admission, but I just want you guys' opinions. </p>

<p>Thank you so much!! :)</p>

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<p>In many schools, intended major makes no difference in admissions, since they assume that many students will change their majors. Generally, freshmen are admitted as undeclared.</p>

<p>But in other schools, freshman are admitted into specific majors, and selectivity varies. This is more common in areas like engineering rather than liberal arts such as sociology or math. Some schools may use one method for the engineering division and another method for the arts and sciences division.</p>

<p>Pre-med is not a major; it is a set of courses that can be taken around any major, including sociology or math.</p>

<p>It is likely possible to double major in sociology and math if you plan your schedule carefully. Trying to do this double major and take the pre-med courses may be harder to fit into your schedule.</p>

<p>Math has better job and career prospects than sociology.</p>

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<p>I’m having a similar problem! Anyone else???</p>

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<p>“In many schools, intended major makes no difference in admissions, since they assume that many students will change their majors.”</p>

<p>Nuff said</p>

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<p>But wouldn’t indicating interested major tie the applicant’s strength and EC altogether? Wouldnt it be irrelevant to say you are interested in sociology when you have some EC to back it up but not any test scores?</p>

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<p>No. Most high schools don’t offer anything remotely reminiscent of sociology, anthropology, or - for that matter - most of the majors offered. You’re not expected to have test scores to back up your interest. Since you’re majoring in it, they’re going to be teaching it to you there.</p>

<p>You should list your interests in the order of interest, not the order you think will be most advantageous to admissions. Willfully doing otherwise is lying and means you cannot in good faith sign the part at the bottom of the application that says everything is accurate to the best of your knowledge.</p>

<p>Most colleges don’t really care whether your application backs up your choice of major unless you’re applying to a specific, application-only school or program (e.g. school of engineering, school of business). Further, picking an unusual major only makes a difference if your application demonstrates a strong interest in that major.</p>

<p>In general, the interests you list don’t matter unless you’re required to declare a certain interest at the time of application (and that declaration is actually somewhat binding).</p>

<p>Whether you put sociology or math first is not going to make or break your application. It’s probably not going to even nudge it in either direction. However, whether you lie about your interests will make or break your honesty and integrity.</p>

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<p>As another poster noted, intended major usually makes no difference in admissions. Unless it’s in a field like engineering, in which there might be specific admission requirements for the engineering program, don’t worry about it.</p>

<p>OP, regarding sociology, please read up on it a bit (at least on the internet). You’re linking your ECs to the field, but sociology is not really about community service. So, other than your ECs perhaps indicating that you have some interest in societal problems, your ECs are only indirectly related to what is studied in sociology. Given these ECs, however, some other fields that might interest you include political science/international relations, social work, religious studies, cultural anthropology, and psychology. Also, most colleges offer numerous opportunities to get involved in campus and community service/volunteer activities and projects, so you can continue your ECs and many more. Of course, even if you’re majoring in a completely unrelated area, you are encouraged to participate in such activities.</p>

<p>OP, you seem to have done well in history. Just because you haven’t taken AP history, that only means you haven’t yet taken an introductory college-level survey course—not a big deal. The biggest advantage of AP courses is that you might get some gen ed requirements out of the way ahead of entering college and/or enter with some college credits (depending on the particular college). In any case, history may or may not be very relevant for sociology, depending on your specific areas of interest in sociology. It’s probably more relevant for certain areas of other social sciences, such as political science and international relations.</p>

<p>OP, you have good math scores; you don’t need to be nationally-ranked to be a math major. There also are a number of applied math fields, including applied math itself, statistics, and computer science. Of course, all natural science fields use math, and most social science fields value quantitative skills. You can always combine your math skills with a social science field. Economics is quite mathematical. Psychology makes extensive use of statistical methods. </p>

<p>OP, premed is not a major. For medical school admissions, you need only complete the premed requirements (usually, two semesters each of general chemistry, organic chemistry, calculus, general physics, and general biology), but you can major in any liberal arts or engineering field as long as you meet the premed requirements. Most premeds probably major in a bioscience or chemistry, but math or sociology could be appropriate too. You can even combine aspects of math and biology in fields such as computational biology and so on.</p>

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<p>Ok, I have a different perspective. How does it look to a reviewer when a kid states X major- and has nothing relevant in the curriculum or experiences? It can look, when left all alone on the app, like- just maybe possibly- the kid doesn’t have any frame of reference. That can be why, when asked in a short question to explain your interest in your proposed major, (say, sociology,) answers run all over the place- from “becase I love history” to “because I love to travel and meet new people.” Really. I have to stretch to see how volunteering and starting a UNICEF club relate to sociology. But, reviewers are not supposed to have to read between your lines. In contrast, when a math major has all the challenging classes, the related clubs and competitions, maybe some outside experience, it can look more focused. Just sayin’. Adcoms are adults and they are strangers. Your choices, IMO, do matter- for the impression you create.</p>

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<p>Yep, you’re right. It looks like just a possibility. But isn’t that what the question was asking for? Yep. Is it going to hurt the application? Nope.</p>

<p>At schools where you don’t have to declare until the end of your sophomore year, you’re not expected to have made a concrete decision about your major. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with not knowing for sure, but rather speculating as to what you think you might be interested in as of right now.</p>

<p>Bottom line: Good admissions programs don’t look down upon undecided applicants.</p>

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<p>IMO, there is a difference between committing at the end of 2nd year and applying for admission as a bright kid with ideas he has tested. It’s part of any holistic review to ask, in a nutshell, does this kid have any idea where he’s headed and does it seem to be well considered? Plenty of kids apply undeclared, but they show some focus in the curric and ECs, some potential areas of interest and preparation. </p>

<p>Adcoms at top schools are looking for signs of motivation and follow-through, as examples of how kids will pursue goals on campus and tackle challenges. They know a kid can change his mind- but they are looking for kids who can fill in that blank in a reasonable way. </p>

<p>Can it hurt OP’s chances at a top school, to say sociology and because I volunteer and founded a Unicef club? Yes. It looks empty; it looks like he doesn’t know what soc is about. He’d have to back up his idea with more and a good short answer explaining. If OP has more to tell us, I’m listening.</p>

<p>ps. new poster, odd question. serious?</p>

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<p>LF: you and I are usually on the same page but I disagree with: “Can it hurt OP’s chances at a top school, to say sociology and because I volunteer and founded a Unicef club? Yes. It looks empty”</p>

<p>I disagree. Top schools want people who are movers and shakers. Your logic seems to imply that ANYTHING “unfocused” is a negative. I 100% disagree. He/she may wish to major in Sociology because it was an interesting chapter in a high school text book. And there’s nothing wrong with that.</p>

<p>Top schools know that their best candidates – are kids who inherently want to learn and expand themselves. Are there some “pointy” kids who have excelled in a particular area already (e.g. math, music, writing)? Sure. But by and large, the colleges are offering a buffet. They want to admit people who will not only try the ham and potatoes but also maybe some shrimp or some falafel as well.</p>

<p>The idea that every viable candidate to top schools must be laser beam focused is simply not true. You know what I listed as my potential major when I applied to Ivies and top engineering schools? Chemistry. Right after I got solid Bs in Honors Chemistry my junior year. Why’d I say “Chemistry?” Because that’s what I actually wanted to study. Go figure. It didn’t hurt me at all. No rejections, eventually matriculating at an HYP.</p>

<p>OP: you should also quickly learn that there’s no such thing as a “pre-med” major.</p>

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<p>T2, we both know (we are both affiliated with top schools) that there are plenty of other kids in the applicant pools who can find a better reason for sociology. OP did NOT say anything about having experienced this subject, being turned on to it, even independently pursuing it. I chose sociology mainly because my extracurricular activities kind of… OP did mention “but I am not particularly strong in history” (we don’t know for sure what bearing that has.) And, that he founded a Unicef club. (What bearing here?) OP doesn’t even note a CR score or any humanities scores. </p>

<p>I didn’t say laser beam; I did allow for undeclared. I’d bet you took the requisite courses in chem- and, I’d guess bio and math; I am pretty certain one or both LoRs was able to attest to your curiosity about chem and perhaps even your doggedness. Perhaps your hs was rigorous, which, even a few years ago, would magnify B’s, in the right context. </p>

<p>Top schools know that their best candidates – are kids who inherently want to learn and expand themselves. Agree. Show me where this comes through in OP’s words.</p>