<p>I've heard that major doesn't play a role in admissions but if you're involved with some medical activities and have a B in Biology won't that affect your chances?</p>
<p>I want to follow a pre-med track in order to become a doctor, and want to major in biomedical engineering.</p>
<p>Also, don't some colleges ask about why you chose your major in their supplement?</p>
<p>I’ve wondered the same thing but I’m just going to make my intended majors consistent with my extracurricular activities, test scores, and grades. I’m still undecided I think but given that a lot of schools nowadays use holistic review when making admissions decisions, showing that you intend to study what you’re really good at will only help you. If it’s just one B I don’t think it’s that big of a deal especially if you do well in other advanced science/math classes and subject tests.</p>
<p>There are some colleges where your choice of major is important; that is, you’re admitted into a specific program or subschool rather than the college as a whole. There are some colleges where this is not the case, and your major choice just gives the school statistics.</p>
<p>In another tread you asked about Ivies and gpa. Understand that most of the solid contenders will have no Cs, maybe one B. The good news is, if your really knocked yourself out in hs, if, that bio teacher will write a stellar rec and explain the B…well then, the adcoms have context. Same goes for a great batch of ECs- not the usual hs stuff- activities with substance, responsibilities that adcoms like and impact. </p>
<p>They can use your major to frame your review. (The common app asks for two ideas.) Ie, what a STEM major should present in the CA (the whole pic) is different than what they look for in, eg, a history major. A STEM who is rounded with humanities strengths will be attractive, just as a history kid who excels in sciences and math will be.</p>
<p>Many kids can go undecided, but their overall pic is usually very solid.</p>
<p>We are Stanford students and can give you some empirical advice. Many studetns come in with majors that they change, at least here. It is not important here because there is such flexibility. But at other schools like Columbia where Engineering is separated, it makes a difference. Also when schools want to know your level of commitment and why you want to major in something, it is more important (Cornell + Harvard).</p>