Competitiveness of majors

Hi CC people,

While I’ve seen a lot of posters referencing the difficulty of getting into some schools as a STEM major of late, I’ve heard very little on the subject of political science/government majors. I’m applying to several schools with acceptance rates in the single digits, and curious to know how difficult it’ll be to get in as a prospective PoliSci student. Is the competition tougher than the average (as with STEM majors, business, etc) or less so?

I’d also like a specific answer on UChicago, if anyone knows (applying EA).

Most highly selective / elite private schools do not involve applying for a specific major, and assume that many applicants will change interests. This includes UChicago. At some schools you will need to apply to a specific college/school within the university, but not to a specific major. Most schools do want to maintain some kind of balance, but I don’t believe that generally extends to the level of admissions being easier or harder in one subject area than another, and I doubt there is any handicap for applicants interest in Political Science in particular.