<p>So I'm a bio major at the honors college at a community college. I'm a freshman as of this Fall, and I have approximately 3 to 4 electives to take in the next couple years. I talked to the honors college adviser and she told me that it would be a bad idea to take something different from what is typical of a bio major to take as an elective. The reason she said this was because I wanted to take a music theory course specializing in guitar theory, and she said it wouldn't look good on an application. I am very very determined to get into Cornell and equally competitive schools, so although I will follow her judgment, I wanted to know what some of you guys think. Is having something like music theory on a transcript good, or bad for a bio major? </p>
<p>My opinion is that it's good since it shows I am a "diverse" person and have interests outside of biology....</p>
<p>The problem here is that there’s no way for Cornell to know whether the Music Theory you took as a serious course or simply a “gut” elective.</p>
<p>I’m really not the most qualified person to respond, but I would say to take electives in areas that you’re passionate for. If you take a music theory class, try to show that you care about music through your ECs and by continuing to take music-related classes. That way you don’t look like you’re just taking easy classes to boost your GPA.</p>
<p>Well my plan is to join the college’s guitar ensemble, and have that as a strong ec. I’ve been practicing guitar on my own for about a year now, and I’m not particularly good, but I do have a huge passion for it, and music in general, so I’m hoping to show that on my application. Taking a music theory course would just strengthen that ec.</p>
<p>Schools like Cornell appreciate students with varied interests. They aren’t looking for cookie cutter applicants. Choose electives that you’re genuinely interested in.</p>
<p>I say that you should take what you want to take. No one is a narrow person with only one interest and I don’t know why your honors college adviser would want you to present yourself like that. If you want to take a music theory class, go ahead and take it. I highly doubt that a music theory class will keep you out of Cornell.</p>