<p>Hello there
I was just reading in a post on another thread that one's major doesnt matter for admissions?
im guessing this is probably not true though im really not sure so correct me if im wrong</p>
<p>i will be applying as an engineering major (computer engineering specifically)
it seems hard to believe that it wouldnt affect how my application is looked at
thanks for any replies</p>
<p>Your major does not matter for admission purposes.</p>
<p>Students can change their major and school/college at UW at any time so it would not be fair to give an advantage to anyone who declared a specific major- people would choose the majors most likely to get them accepted and then switch to what they really want once they’re at UW. Most students are undecided or change their major after beginning college. You will need to meet requirements at UW be admitted to your major after you have begun your college career. How well you do at UW, not in HS, will determine if you are allowed to major in any field. Some are more difficult to get into than others. Often a B average in the major’s courses is needed for noncompetitive majors. This is a reasonable expectation. Some fields are very competitive as many more students than available facilities to offer the needed courses are interested in them and will have stricter requirements. Read the UW departmental information about your prospective major, and alternatives, to learn how easy it will be for you to pursue your current interest.</p>
<p>To pick a school, it is very important to do it based on the strength of the major for tha tparticular school. If you are interested in Computer engineering, I would pick UIUC, Caltech, CMU over Wisconsin. Since my son is interested in Business and biological sciences, UW Madison is a right choice for him.</p>
<p>A lot of majors require certain prerequisites before you can declare the major (and many require you to apply later on in your undergrad career) so most incoming freshmen cannot actually declare a major. So no.</p>
<p>Yes, then all you have to do is get into Cal Tech etc. For most that is not the realistic decision tree.</p>
<p>Regarding which schools to choose- consider the overall fit of the school and costs among the top schools in fields you are interested in. It won’t matter if you are at THE top one as an undergrad. If one school appeals to you more than another choose it even if its ranking in a particular major is slightly less. You will enjoy school more and may be more motivated to do well. You may end up changing your major. Look at departments and courses available in field related to your current proposed major. See how each school handles things. Don’t worry if you can’t stand the cornfields of central Illinois or the costs of a school. There is more than one good choice out there. Be sure you would like the overall experience if you were to change your major.</p>