I’ve heard a lot of arguments that choosing your major as undeclared on college applications helps you, but also that it hurts you. I’m thinking about college and the application process far in advance but I’m weary about writing undeclared because I do have an idea of what I want to study, it’s not like I’m completely clueless. Now I know that the major you do pick on your applications isn’t binding, and that you can always pick it once you’re accepted and everything. I have 3 majors I’m interested in. My plan was to actually have all 3 - either 2 majors and 1 minor, or 1 major and 2 minors. I’m just unsure of which combination. So with that, I don’t know if I should go undeclared on apps since I’m fairly certain of what I plan to study, but the problem is I don’t know which to major in and which to have as (a) minor(s). So 1) how can I choose which to put on my college apps, or should I go undeclared? and 2) Is there any spot on college applications for me to indicate my MULTIPLE major interests and my plan to double major with a minor or have one major with two minors? Thanks!
Major selection is a big factor at some schools and not at others. I haven’t seen an ap that asks for a second or 3rd major (most allow alternates but not second/third and minors on the ap). Changing/adding majors and minors is usually a pretty simple process at most campuses. Some competitive majors have pre-reqs and GPA thresholds you need to meet to declare. It isn’t like you can’t take classes outside your major once you declare. CP SLO is the only CA school I know of that requires a declared major from it’s freshman applicants.
The CSU and UC application’s applications allow for a 1st choice major and an alternate. Not all CSU’s or UC’s will consider your alternate major, so many times if you are not admitted into your 1st choice major, you are not admitted to that campus (SDSU is one example).
If You plan to apply to a competitive major such as Biology/Psychology/Engineering/CS, it is always best to select that specific major as your 1st choice and a non-competitive/non-impacted/non-capped major as an alternate. If you do not get into a competitive major as a direct admit, it is many times practically impossible to switch majors later.
(UCSD Undeclared to CS is an example).
You can check this link for which UC’s consider alternate majors:
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/freshman-admission-matrix.pdf
As stated above by @NCalRent, Cal Poly SLO is the only CSU/UC that will not allow a Freshman to select Undeclared as a major. Also at many of the impacted campuses, Undeclared is also impacted so it gives you no advantage to apply as Undeclared.
If you want to minor or double major, you need to declare these later after being admitted.
My advice is always go for the direct admit and select your top major.
The chart linked by Gumbymom shows that at most campuses, “undeclared” neither helps nor hurts. That is because most do overall acceptance rather than by major or school. (This differs nationally, and some universities accept people by schools.) In the column where it says that a UC campus may consider an alternative major, I am assuming that means people who made the cut for overall acceptance but did not get into a very exclusive major.
http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/static/admission/frosh-f2015impact.html
SJSU is unique in publishing last year’s admission threshold by major. Note that Undeclared has a higher threshold for Local and Non-Local applicants than Meteorology or Physics. Unlike Cal Poly Pomona, they won’t admit you into an ‘alternate’. The answer to your question really does vary by school so, do your research before you fill out your aps.
Starting with Fall 2017, SJSU will consider your alternate major. SLO also admitted some applicants into their alternate major this admission cycle. CPP has always considered an applicants alternate major if not impacted.
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You must enter an alternative major on your application to SJSU. Beginning with the Fall 2017 admission cycle, we will consider the alternate major for those applicants who did not meet the impaction threshold to their first choice major. We will only admit to alternate majors if there is additional capacity for new student enrollment in that major.
As of this morning, the SJSU website says:
“You must also enter an alternative major on your application to SJSU. We will use this information for advising purposes only, and will not consider your alternative major in the admission process”
http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/admission/rec-7327.11012.html
Found the above information on my post #6 on the bottom of this page: http://www.sjsu.edu/admissions/impaction/