<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>Well, it just occured to me that I might have ruined my chances at Harvard by rating my vocational and academic plans to both b 4s (subject to change). The reason I gave them both fours was that with national healthcare I don't know if medicine is still what I want to do. Additionally, I love bio and finance and I don't really know which of the two I want to pursue most doggedly. So, will harvard take those fours and think I have no passion?</p>
<p>THanks,
Robbie</p>
<p>Underappreciated fact: Harvard students change their majors… All the time. If you’re truly great at something, that’s lovely. But there would be no point in having Harvard if everybody going there knew exactly what they wanted to do.</p>
<p>Most students at Harvard and at other colleges change majors at least twice. That’s the beauty of going to college. It expands your view of yourself and the world and as a result your goals will change. Harvard knows this and won’t count it against you.</p>
<p>One can have passion for a subject now, and still be open to having passion for another subject later.</p>
<p>Just curious, why does Harvard ask this question? (Does anyone know?)</p>
<p>I don’t know why Harvard asks the question. I’m wondering if someone is doing research on whether the answer correlates to someone’s dissertation on whether students change their majors when they go to Harvard. Otherwise, I can’t think of any reason why Harvard would care.</p>
<p>^I suppose Harvard believes the degree of your focus may lead to your future accomplishement. Not saying that people who switch majors are not going to do well, but generally speaking, those who start early and follow through are most likely to succeed.
And the ability to succeed is a great factor in admissions for Harvard - not that I like the idea much.</p>
<p>There’s no right or wrong answer, and they aren’t going to hold anything against you. Just be honest and leave it at that.</p>
<p>Yea I can see them saying that someone who puts both 5s is too narrowminded and not open to try new things. I switched back and forth from 3s and 4s and I think I ultimately went with 3s</p>
<p>^ I think that in putting 1s or 5s for both you would have to justify this with the rest of the application by showing a clear and focused passion. Thus, the most important thing is probably that you go with the option that most closely reflects your application as a whole…</p>
<p>Agree with Sci-fry!! You probably should have choosen options that related to your app. It would just be odd with an app that focused on literature with no reference to anything else and then a 1 for sure math major</p>
<p>I don’t know why they put that question in. My older son, computer nerd since age 7, put in that he was highly unlikely to change either major or vocation. He got in, but I highly doubt that the question made any difference. It was obvious from the rest of his application that he had figured out his life’s passion.</p>
<p>My younger son (applying this year) had “undecided” as his vocation - what is he supposed to put? Presumably eventually he’ll figure out what he wants and won’t be undecided any more. Grrr. Dumb question.</p>
<p>I continue to believe that the question is there to help someone do dissertation research. I can’t think of any other reason why Harvard would care.</p>
<p>My advice is that the student should check whatever s/he feels is true, and then move on to the parts of the application like the essay that do matter for admission.</p>
<p>I highly doubt that the below is true. </p>
<p>"I suppose Harvard believes the degree of your focus may lead to your future accomplishement. Not saying that people who switch majors are not going to do well, but generally speaking, those who start early and follow through are most likely to succeed.
And the ability to succeed is a great factor in admissions for Harvard "</p>
<p>I think Harvard just wants a better picture of who you are.</p>
<p>I put “Undecided” on my application, talked in detail about not having any singular interest in one of my essays and my interview, and they didn’t seem to mind. The “driven to be a _____ since age 7” persona is just one mold that students can come in.</p>