<p>I suppose it's a really small factor, but they can only accept so many engineering majors,film majors, etc. Like above stated, you can't have a class 90% full of one major</p>
<p>but what's the likelihood that 90% of applicants listed the same major? or that only the applicants who were admitted share the same interest in major? someone said that it helps seal a theme or something to an application. THAT i agree with and know first hand.</p>
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<p>i most definitely had a "theme" to my app..
is that better?</p>
<p>Although 80% of students do change their major, and usually more than once, most of those students probably didn't have passion for their major when they initially declared it. However, most students at top schools, such as our dear friend Columbia, are much more motivated and put thought into their app instead of just slapping down a major for a state school. Again, I don't have any stats for CU or other top schools, just as a nation, but this just seems probable to me.</p>
<p>I also hope that it affects the decision...Asian Studies, East Asian Languages, Political Science...</p>
<p>uhh... no, that's just wrong. motiavation has nothing to do with knowing what you will study during your four years.</p>
<p>and it won't really afefct the decision.</p>
<p>how would u know?</p>
<p>do any of us actually know anything for certain unless we've specifically asked an admission officer and got a correct answer?</p>
<p>godis i agree</p>
<p>Godis is right. Believe it or not, the course of your life will not be determined by what you want to do in high school. I know tons of people who just KNEW the field they were going into, and then had their outlook change radically because a class exposed them to something else.</p>
<p>A whole lot of undergrads major in either psychology or political science, because they don't know much better.</p>
<p>Just a thought for everyone to think about:</p>
<p>If you're applying to Columbia College, the Lib Arts/Sciences school, you'll have the same core curriculum as everyone else does anyway, at least for the first (year?). So prospective major won't really be a factor for placement, at least, although I don't know about admissions. But here's my thought: since a vast majority of students change majors at least once, often due to exposure to some area of study they hadn't considered before, and everyone takes the same core classes, I bet they don't consider it very much. If you don't know yet about the core classes, read about them! They're a very important part of the Columbia experience.</p>
<p>Of course, there are always quotas to be filled- but it's useless trying to guess what they are, because they're incredibly dynamic and shifting from year to year and week to week. So my thought is- just be yourself. Tell them what you're truly interested in. Because you won't be happy otherwise.</p>
<p>All of this only applies to Columbia College, because that's where I'm applying (no awful pun intended). Sorry, but I don't know too much about Fu School/ Barnard.</p>
<p>where's the not intended pun? I don't see anything even slightly pun-ish</p>
<p>applies/applying...you're probably lucky you didn't get it.</p>
<p>here's a way that the intended major could help you. columbia college is shifting its admissions process so that more kids into the hard sciences balance out the large number of econ/poly sci kids. i'm an example, as my entire application had a theme of neuroscience interest (research experience, independent study, intended major, books read, etc.) </p>
<p>i applied as a neuroscience and behavior major, and that's what i'll be startng next year. </p>
<p>this does not apply to SEAS because: </p>
<p>1) it's an engineering school, so science kids will already be there
2) it's an engineering school, so you'll only be able to take applied (and not hard) sciences.</p>