How does choosing a major, extracurricular activity involvement affect the admission?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
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<p>Xjayz:
When I was reading the thread “An Oh So Asian Thread” I saw you comment and want to clarify few things.
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=204289%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=204289&lt;/a>

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It only helps if you are actually DOING STUFF that's related to the major you put down.

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I hope it is true that college see that one does the stuff where they have passion.

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If you were pursuing Intel research and did better in your science classes in high school and your summer activities were geared toward research

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<p>I hope college do not based their decision on these facts alone and consider that student has participated in many activities despite hectic schedule and very challenging course load. The reason I ask this question.</p>

<p>My kid has done research and attended RSI. He has applied to Intel/Siemens competitions. He has taken courses beyond APs in math/science/humanities. He is very involved with school newspaper, Model UN, Debate and had done very well as he has won many leadership positions and awards in competitions. He is very well involved in politics as he is a president of the political club. He is taking International relation and economics class and applying as a major in politics and economics. I hope colleges do not over look his achievements and just focus on his math/science achievements. After all he has accomplished in varied fields as he is a multi dimensional kids who has achieved many awards in multiple domains. Math/science and research at RSI is not the only major part of his profile. He has more passions that include journalism, debate, politics, and community service where he has put more hours and has won many national level recognizitions. However, he is applying as an politics major as this is his true passions. But unlike some of his classmates, he has no summer internship with Wall Street? Will it make a difference? He is one of the top performers in economics academic class and that is all. But he loves economics beacuse it is so much related with math and history, his two best subjects.</p>

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<p>From what they "say," and from what I understand. NONE of those are suppose to affect their decision. It's for them to gage interests and just to see who is applying. And for majors, they usually change before sophomore year (apparently, but I don't know since I'm also applying this year). And activities: they just want to you to be balanced (or some what...not just study-a-holic.)</p>

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<p>hellousdad: You are taking my points out of context. I was saying that students who have clearly done better in one field - "lopsided" - are not going to get extra points from admissions because they have chosen something that is totally obscure and do not have any substantative evidence that that is what they want to pursue. </p>

<p>The admissions committee is not going to deny an applicant because he/she had the "wrong major" or the "wrong extracurricular activity." It just does not happen.</p>

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<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>I misunderstood.</p>

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<p>your p.k.'s dad?</p>