<p>I heard if you put undeclared as your major in the Stanford application, your chances of getting in reduces. I really don't want to pick a major and get stuck with it to improve my chances. However, I think Stanford allows you to change your major, right?
Based off this assumption, would it be "easier" to get into Stanford, choosing a major that less people aim for?</p>
<p>What you heard is wrong. No major will improve your chances. Stanford does not consider major for admission purposes. Thus, it doesn't really matter what you "declare" your major is, so it doesn't matter if you put an uncommon major on your application. You are not bound to the major, and upon getting to Stanford you can pursue any undergrad degree that you would like.</p>
<p>No it doesn't improve your chances whatsoever. Indeed if it was then there would be a lot less premeds in this school (not speaking ill about them half my friends are premed)</p>
<p>I would say the only reason a major would change admissions would be in relation to your strengths as a student. If you said you wanted to major in math but got a 440 on the SAT II for math and 800s on English and US History they might question whether you could succeed in college in that major. It could also be a strength if you have particularly high scores and achievements in a particular area (your intended major) but poorer scores in others. Either way, it doesn't make a big enough difference that if you are truly undecided you should lie. It's not that big a factor.</p>
<p>i'd say political science and biology and engineering and english and economics are the most competitive majors...</p>
<p>Stanford is different from schools like UPenn and Cornell where you have to apply directly to a school/department within the university. So while UPenn may have the college of arts and sciences, Wharton, the Nursing school, etc, Stanford is one big university-college meaning that you are free to explore whatever you want. Because of this, declaring your major when you apply really has no bearing on your application since you are not bound to your decision. Plus, Stanford knows that many kids are fickle and will wind up changing their minds at one point or another.</p>
1 Like
<p>Oh Stanford actually expects most of its students to change their mind at least one during college (definitely true for most of my friends)</p>
<p>ResurgamBell...please stop spreading such misleading facts. Your major does not matter. Hell, you don't even have to declare until the third quarter of your sophomore year.</p>
1 Like
<p>and most people don't even declare by then. </p>
<p>however, it can add to the "niche-ness" of your application if you really like latin and want to major in classics, vs. if you did well in latin but guess you'll end up in bio or econ and put one of those down. so if there's a chance you'll major in something less common, and you have a good background and convincing argument in your app that you really would be a great whatever, it could definitely help.</p>