<p>For example, my intended major is biology, and if I apply for schools whose biology majors are really popular, will they be more selective on me than if I choose a major that virtually no one want to study?</p>
<p>As FAA as I think, major selection does not matter at the admission stage. So e major specifically engg might require additional subject tests.</p>
<p>It is a good question, and it may depend on where you are applying. Brown University says they do not admit based on major, but they do have supplements for science and engineering majors. You may be interested in this response from Johns Hopkins
[Intended</a> Major in the Admissions process?](<a href=“http://www.hopkins-interactive.com/forums/ask-admissions/intended-major-in-the-admissions-process/15/?wap2]Intended”>http://www.hopkins-interactive.com/forums/ask-admissions/intended-major-in-the-admissions-process/15/?wap2)</p>
<p>Public universitys may do this more. They also may likely have impacted majors, but even there you are usually allowed to list an alternate major.</p>
<p>Thanks. The link explains this very well!</p>
<p>There can be sizable differences. Colleges that explicitly say they have no quotas/restrictions on majors (like MIT) will probably not give preference for the most part. However, very uncommon or unconventional majors don’t attract the level of competence/achievement that say, economics/engineering/biology/etc. whatnot (depending on the college) do, so some majors are probably more competitive than others.</p>
<p>Colleges that admit by school (such as CMU or Cornell), on the other hand, will evaluate by major, or at least general program.</p>
<p>Make sure to list a major that matches your results (a person who’s stopped at Algebra 2, where they got a B-, and wants to major in engineering, will be at a disadvantage. That same student, who also has a stellar list of art courses and EC’s, would be at an advantage over others if declaring an art major.)
Furthermore, choosing a slightly under-enrolled major (French rather than Spanish, Physics rather than Biology, etc) can give you a nudge, all other things being equal.
All in all, though, it really doesn’t matter very much at liberal arts colleges (you’re admitted to the college, which contains all majors) or schools where majors aren’t in different schools.
It’s often different for preprofessional majors with a specific track and no electives, such as nursing or engineering.</p>