<p>I have a question... I am looking to major in international studies/relations with a minor or concentration in middle eastern studies or arabic... but when u declare an intended major on your application, there is no room for minors and concentrations. So, i thought that applying with these intended interests would better my shot of getting in...but the school has no way of knowing that that is my intended speciality (arabic/middle east studies).......Is there a way for me to let the college know of my speciality interests on my application? b/c if not, international studies is super common and not distinctive at all. Thanks!</p>
<p>use your essays if you want to share that, but quite honestly that stuff is decided later once you're already in college so, yeah, they kind of don't care bc people switch around so much, you might take a class in russian and be a russian studies minor bc u loved it so much, you can't know and therefore they know this and don't care or use it in admissions decisions. your "unique" interest won't help you that much bc they know people lie/change their mind. also, they just want a general idea of who likes what, its not like ooo we have a middle eastern kid here and an asian studies kid here, lets accept one of each. they don't care if EVERYONE majors in east asian studies if they have good scores and EC's. sory but it won't help.</p>
<p>Hey there, I am actually decided (as I'll ever be) on majoring in international relations (although some schools don't offer it, so it would be an interdiscplinary deal weaving history/poli sci and economics) with a focus on Middle Eastern Studies, and I've already had two years of Arabic, which I would like to continue in college and do my junior year at the American University in Beirut. </p>
<p>Anyhow, I have done three interviews thus far, and explicitly explained my intent of pursuing IR and Arabic. Not only to have questions answers concerning the curriculum, but because I have already built a solid foundation through extra classes outside high school and Arabic. I know people switch around their majors, which is fine, but if you've already commenced studying seriously, than I definitely think you should mention it, especially if you have background. I know on the Common App there is a section which asks for your plausible major in study and the like, so there is a great place to do it. But if you are randomly kind of in the market for Middle East studies without much to back it up, than I might not. And you could focus your essay upon it too. I guess if you have devotion, passion for the subject and you can discuss it with ease (at least in my experience) this entire college process is so much easier than others who haven't the faintest idea what they want.</p>
<p>As a general aside, thoroughly review majors and course catalogues of the schools you are applying to, which I bet you've already done.</p>
<p>And sorry, forgot to reply to one another note...IR is definitely super common, but knowing you want Middle Eastern studies as a focus is less so. I really do think there is a space on the Common App for a focus area for some reason.</p>
<p>thanks deroutefille! hopefully u can respond to the message i sent u!</p>