<p>Given the reason for the question, however, you need to match up with a concentration where the faculty number is uncomfortably high relative to the number of concentrators. You want an area where the faculty are anxiously seeking recruits!</p>
<p>Classics - 20% of concentrators earn their degree Summa (3 of 15)</p>
<p>Astronomy and Astrophysics = 25% Summas ( 1 of 4)</p>
<p>Social Studies (wonderful interdisciplinary field) = 1% Summa (1 of 91)
History less than 1%</p>
<p>Byerly, I think you know what I'm getting at. Surely the departments at Harvard don't determine that somebody is interested in a particular major simply because he/she says so and has fulfilled the prereq's of that major. You must agree, it takes a little more than that. Otherwise, that would just encourage people to game the system by just saying that they want to study an obscure major just to get admitted, and then once they matriculate, immediately switch over to the major that they do want.</p>
<p>OK, I'm a girl applying for physics, and while I'm completely honest about it, my transcript kinda screams BIO because...well, that's what I wanted to do before I took physics :) But...like, I did summer research in bio (this was before I took physics), rec is from my chem/bio teacher (because she's known me for three years, taught me to love science, helped me find that summer research program), and I'm taking Bio HL (junior & senior year course) and Physics SL (just junior year) 'cause that's what my school OFFERS. Even my extended essay is neuro, just 'cause I don't know enough to write a really effective physics one...so...all I've really got to offer that's physics-related is an 800 on the SAT II...</p>
<p>...so anyway, I'm not expecting that my choice of major will help me, just 'cause I don't really have demonstrated interest in it, but...d'you guys think it'll send up red flags and hurt me? Or will it probably be OK?</p>