<p>Hi everyone! So I'm applying to colleges now and everything is all good up until I reach the question of choosing a major. I am between business and chemistry so that's my first problem. Which would you recommend? I'm leaning towards biochemistry or biochemical engineering. My GPA is 4.88 (w) on 4.0 scale, 4.0 unweighted. Class rank; 3/650. I think i stand strong academically, but my ACT is worrying me. I have a 28 overall (26 in math, 24 science) and another is a 27 (30 in math, 22 on science). I'm retaking the ACT in one week and I'm PRAYING I actually finish the science and do better, but if not, that's what I'm going with. I'm scared that if I choose a science major like biochemistry that my science ACT will bring me down and I won't get accepted, despite my academic record and excellence in chemistry classes. I also have a part time job as a cashier in retail (20 hrs/week), 1 sport, and clubs like math team and NHS so my extracurriculars should help out a bit too. Should I major in something else to get accepted into colleges like Loyola, Marquette, U of W Madison, Northern Illinois, U of I?? Would I have a better chance to do business?</p>
<p>Most colleges don’t accept/deny you based on your major unless you’re applying to a specific college within a university (e.g. college of engineering, college of arts and sciences, etc.) Some colleges don’t allow you to declare your major upfront while others allow you to but allow you to change it along the way. See if in the applications it asks for an “intended major” or “subjects of interest” or other phrases when asking for your major. If you can, list both business and chemistry and once you get to college, take classes in both until you figure out what you prefer.</p>
<p>I’ve heard numerous admissions officers say that unless you are applying to a specific school (ex. engineering, business) that they pay no attention to intended major. They say that about half of the students apply undecided and of the the people who apply with an intended major, about half of those eventually change it. So apply with whatever major you like, take some classes, and see how things go. Apply to a business school if you want business, apply to the liberal arts program if you want science.</p>
<p>Whether intended major affects admission selectivity depends on the college.</p>
<p>If your intended major has higher admission selectivity, then it is likely that changing into later after entering in another major or undeclared requires a higher GPA than normally needed to avoid academic probation and dismissal. There may be a competitive admission process.</p>
<p>On your list, UIUC admit students into major directly. However, if you are a qualified student but not quite for that major, they may accept you as general study (undecided). For most schools, the intended major is mostly for survey purpose. However, it would be better for you to have other things (e.g. essays, class schedule, etc) line up with your plan.</p>
<p>Thank you guys! So if i decide to go with a competitive major at UIUC, they can reject me from that major but still accept me into the school? That sounds reassuring but I haven’t read anything like that online anywhere. </p>
<p>That also depends on the school. At some schools, rejection from the major means rejection from the school. At other schools, you may be considered for an alternate major, but if you are rejected from both majors, you are rejected from the school. At still other schools, you may be admitted as an undeclared student if you are rejected from the desired major(s).</p>
<p>If the major is more competitive for admission, then admission as an undeclared student does not guarantee admission into the major later, since such majors tend to have competitive admission processes to enter, even for current undeclared students.</p>