Is it easier to get into a college with a smaller major? Or perhaps get into a top school that isn’t well known for that major? For example like going into an English major at ucsd or other more science based since they’re more competitive for science. Is that possible and will give me a higher chance to enter the school?
Some majors, some schools, some people, but (A) they’re not idiots; they know people may try this, (B) you’ll have to make a convincing case that you want that major–eg. pursuing activities and achievements related to that field, and © transferring to more in-demand majors may not be easy or even possible at some schools. It’s also exceedingly unlikely that English is an under-enrolled major at any well-known college, @“adeline.corra”
@adeline.corra got into Cal Poly as an English major. With a 3.5 / 3.68 W I was not a candidate for the top English schools in CA. My private High School was super competitive. So I think the answer is “yes”. That being said, I am sticking with this major as this is where the passion lies. If you plan on changing majors this may be a bad plan as majors are usually hard to change at the more competitive schools.
At UCSD specifically, the more competitive majors like CS are that way because they are filled to capacity. CS is so full that UCSD students trying to change into the CS major needed 3.9 or 4.0 college GPAs in recent quarters.
Unless you apply to a school that accepts by majors, admissions officers are well aware of the fact that you can apply for one major and change once you are at the college. I’ve heard college admission officers say that they don’t pay much attention to intended major in the admission process since about half of the applicants apply undecided and about 50% of those coming in with a designated major end up switching it while they are at college. There could be an exception if a student has a long standing and demonstrated history of interest/aptitude (perhaps through ECs, research, classes etc.) in some obscure major.
Keep in mind that any ploy you come up with to try to get an edge in admissions, college adcoms have seen thousands of times over. IMO your time would be better spent searching out a group of reach, match, and safety schools based on your academic stats that appear affordable and that you would be happy to attend.
@ucbalumnus lil bit misleading there. Applying as English at UCSD won’t make you more likely to be accepted than if you’re applying as a CS major, UCSD admits without considering that.
(Of course, if your personal statement reflects your passion for English, you’ll be in slightly better shape. However, then you’ll be admitted as an English major and will have to get the 4.0 in continuing courses to be admitted to CS.)
But in the overall admissions process, marking CS won’t hurt you, you’ll just be admitted as undeclared if there are stronger CS candidates.
Re: #5
However, marking something other than CS when your real desired major is CS means foregoing the chance of direct admission to the CS major at UCSD.
Just don not blame your low grades on your teachers, as you have done in another threads.