<p>I listed on my application that my areas of interest are biology and bioengineering, but I don't have any extracurriculars that focus in that concentration (I find the fields interesting from classes I took). Would this reflect poorly on me and make me look like a less competitive applicant, seeing as many Stanford applicants that are looking to major in those fields have done extensive research in them? I took math and science AP classes and subject tests and did well on all the tests, if that has any leverage in this. </p>
<p>Also, my essays aren’t entirely geared toward science (though they have scientific influence) if that affects anything as well. </p>
<p>My adcom told me way back in May(-ish) that they don’t consider intended majors at all. I assume this is still true. They do this for a good reason – almost everybody will change majors.</p>
<p>You would be better off ensuring that your essays portray you as a passionate person. View your essays as one collective statement about you. They want to see somebody who has a genuine interest and will contribute to the campus community in a particular way. It doesn’t matter if this interest is connected to your intended major. </p>
<p>I’m not sure if I’d go so far as to say that Stanford favors applicants expressing an interest in the humanities and social sciences, but p. 19 of the faculty senate report below notes that the university has been working on increasing numbers in those areas and saw a substantial increase from the class of 2017 to the class of 2018. </p>
<p><a href=“https://stanford.app.box.com/s/y4abufqg66nte7uax6eq”>https://stanford.app.box.com/s/y4abufqg66nte7uax6eq</a></p>