<p>My son is applying to 2nd, 3rd, and 4th tier colleges and hopes to get a full or close to full ride scholarship. He has a liberal arts major and wants a second major, with a strong possibility of it being business. The particular major is not decided yet however. Should he go ahead and put business down as a second major? I am leaning towards advising him to do so because a lot of the better departmental scholarships are from the business schools, in general. If he doesn't get awarded the business scholarship as a freshman business major, he probably won't get one. On the other hand, I don't want him to have the potential business school scholarship replace a general academic scholarship. If he changes from business he'll lose the business school scholarship, but he would have kept the other one. I actually think the business major is a better fit for him and think he has an unrealistic view of what the other major will be like, so it's just as likely he'll change the liberal arts major.</p>
<p>Are you saying he already has a degree and is getting a second one? Or that he might want to double major?</p>
<p>He is applying to enter college as a freshman for 2011-2012. He is a senior in high school right now. He wants to double major.</p>
<p>I am not sure that he really matters what he puts down as his major in order to qualify for scholarships that are tied to specific schools. I understand that most of them are used for attracting high performing students to the school, not for specific majors. As I remember the scholarship searches I did for my son, the specific major scholarships for a specific school are nominated by the department among the students majoring - they don’t give them to freshman entering because students don’t usually declare a major until sophomore or junior year. </p>
<p>What it might matter for scholarships is those given by outside organizations, such as the accounting scholarship that my son didn’t apply for.</p>
<p>Also, “liberal arts” is not a major, it is sometimes a school within a school. </p>
<p>From my son’s experience, there were two colleges for whom it mattered what he put down as his major on the college application. He had applied as “undecided” - and that meant he didn’t get accepted into the business school at that college. One let him change his application and he was accepted into the business school (UMD) and the other didn’t (SUNY Binghamton). He would never have been able to get into the business school at SUNY-Bing! Neither one affected money, however.</p>
<p>A couple of thoughts:</p>
<p>A Double Major can sound (to a parent or a student) like a really hard working person. But to the rest of the world, it can sound like some one is indecisive or brow-beaten (as in “I want to major in Ceramics but my mom said I have to major in Business too”). </p>
<p>Sure, sometimes the two go together well – maybe the student will open a ceramics pottery and need both the ceramics and business background – but few, at 18, are that crystal clear about the future. </p>
<p>So, you can send a real mixed message with double majors. </p>
<p>The other thing about double majors is that they can suck all the joy out of life. For instance, a major in Botany may require Organic Chemistry or a semester in fungi. But the student who wants to be a ceramic potter using natural motifs might not need a whole Botany degree – just a course in grasses and trees might suffice and then there is no need to sweat through all the Botany minutiae. </p>
<p>I have seen double majors work so hard that they never had a minute of college fun. </p>
<p>Next, let’s wave goodbye to the notion that some “Full Ride Scholarship” is going to come thundering down the path. They are extremely rare (National Merit Scholar or Athletic top talent excepted). Most kids stitch together a patchwork of things – like a Happy College President’s citation that takes two grand off tuition, married to a PEll Grant, augmented by a Rotary Club bit. . . etc. </p>
<p>Take the notion that student will have to stitch things together is a healthy approach. If the Full Ride shows up, great. </p>
<p>Lastly, I think you underestimate the Dean’s of Business Schools. They have only a small pool of money to hand out (usually) and they are going to spread those dollars over the kids who are absolutely stellar ALREADY in the business path. So, the Happy College grant for incoming business majors is going to the kid who won her state DECA contest or the guy who has letters of recommendation that are glowing about his contribution to the local baking business. </p>
<p>You can verify all this by asking about last year’s winner. What was the kid’s name? A quick Google and you may have an eyeful of what the competition is like. </p>
<p>I don’t mean to be discouraging – just realistic. Let the student lead with HIS strengths.</p>
<p>I know this seems obvious…but, if he decides to put both majors down on whatever applications he fills out, make sure the school offers that major.</p>
<p>A lot of schools offering full rides, especially the ones that are not straight numbers driven, want to make sure the applicant is truly interested in their specific school. Many LAC’s do not offer business majors. So…if he’s applying to those kinds of schools, it could appear he isn’t really focusing on the specific school.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the tips about things to consider. It is actually his idea to double major. Neither of the majors are killer majors, but not easy either. He actually is guaranteed a substantial scholarship at one of the colleges if he majors in business (secondary to his test scores). My fear is that they will not give him one of the major scholarships for freshman because they see he has enough scholarships already, the business scholarship being one. However, he really is not a top candidate, just a good one. His scores are high for the colleges he is applying to but not super high. So I think it is better to go for the sure thing rather than hold out for the limited and not guaranteed top freshman scholarships, which are not that much more anyway.</p>
<p>He is only applying to state colleges, of which almost all have his majors. But I will be sure to double check. Thanks for the reminder.</p>
<p>@Lovestheheat,</p>
<p>It seems like you have already made your mind up for your son and want him to list a double major, even if CC people tell you it may not be in your best interest. Good luck to your son. Keep in mind… freshman year scholarships are not usually based on your intended major because the schools know students change their majors multiple times. The scholarships are based on merit, athletic ability, talent, ect… Let your son complete his applications and allow him to write what he wants. Also, Olymom has a great point that im sure the OP will just ignore because she is already set in what she wants her son to do. Good luck.</p>
<p>Some schools will not let an incoming freshmen name 2 majors. Student can name the second major once they arrive on campus.</p>
<p>This limitation may be for merit scholarships. If a student were to name 2 (or 3) majors as an incoming frosh, that those depts give merit scholarships, all the named depts don’t want to be awarding scholarships to one kid.</p>
<p>S1 went to a big state u. that specifically asked for first choice major and second choice major on the app… Students are either accepted or denied admission to the College of Engineering or Management or whatever their major choice is. At this school students are admitted directly to their major. Some majors are much harder to gain admittance to than others.
They still do all the gen. ed. stuff of course but don’t have to apply or gain admittance to their chosen major after soph. year. They are already in. </p>
<p>As a freshman S1 was awarded a general merit scholarship for incoming freshman and also a scholarship from the dept. of his major. Both were four year renewable. In addition he had a ROTC scholarship. None of the three precluded him from receiving the other two.</p>
<p>DD just got her degree and did have a double major BUT she applied as an undeclared arts and sciences student. She declared her first major as a sophomore and her second as a second term junior. The reality is that most students change their minds about degrees MULTIPLE times during college. </p>
<p>If your son really isn’t sure about doing a business major, my opinion is that he should not list it as a potential major. </p>
<p>Remember your son is the one going to college. HE should be completing the forms indicating how he wishes to apply. Remember too…if he receives a business scholarship this year and then drops that major, that scholarship will NOT be renewed.</p>
<p>I think he should fill out the question on the form according to his own interests, at the moment, with the knowledge that his interests may change. “Undecided” is fine for many, too. The answers to these questions are not binding in any way at many schools. As many here have said, most students do choose a major a year or two later, and many change a lot in the first few years.</p>
<p>It is not clear to me whether you are talking entirely about merit scholarships, or if there is need involved.</p>
<p>In any case, it seems as if a scholarship should not drive the choice of major. I can understand the desire for financial relief, of course, but it is so early in the game for him, and he sounds like a kid who wants to explore a little before committing. Maybe there are local scholarships he can apply for, and perhaps there will be internships and jobs during the college years.</p>
<p>I would never fill out a college application form for my son. It would be disrespectful towards him and he would not be happy about it. He has now decided on his own to double major, including a major in business. I appreciate everyone’s comments.</p>
<p>I don’t have the links saved on this computer, but there are two old-but-good threads specifically on the topic of full-ride scholarships. Search for “momfromtexas” as the person who started the thread, and you will find them. There also is a thread in the Financial Aid Forum named something like “Links to guaranteed merit scholarships”. You will find scads of useful information there as well.</p>
<p>If your child has the right profile, there is indeed serious merit money out there.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>