<p>I'm applying to UVA as a high school senior and am confused of what to major in. I want to do business but I'm not sure if I should choose Econ or Commerce as my field of interest. If I choose Econ does that mean I can't apply to McIntire?</p>
<p>Students apply to McIntire during their 2nd year at UVa. You cannot enter McIntire School of Commerce directly from high school. Most McIntire students start as econ majors, and many students who are not admitted to McIntire graduate as econ majors. Whether you write econ or commerce on your application as a high school student, it will not affect your admissions chances to UVa, because you will be considered along with all other arts and sciences applicants in either case.</p>
<p>Econ majors can take several courses at McIntire.</p>
<p>thank you so much for clearing this up!</p>
<p>
To clarify, you actually aren’t accepted to a major in CLAS from high school, and most students don’t formally declare one until they are second year students. The ‘interest area’ you write on your application is just that, interest. It doesn’t place you in a major or pre-major. You often hear students in first or second year say they are ‘pre-comm’. This is a self-designation for someone who is taking the prerequisites to apply to McIntire/the commerce school, not a formal one. Many students who are not accepted to McIntire do choose Econ alternately.</p>
<p>In any case, you should try to plan to meet the initial requirements for one, two or three alternate majors starting sometime in your first year, even if you are not officially accepted as a major yet. </p>
<p>One of the defects in UVa’s College of A&S advising system is that they don’t assign you an advisor in your dept. until you are officially a major in that dept. In many cases, it is impossible to officially be accepted as a major until your 3rd or 4th semester, because you have to complete certain courses before you can declare that major. In the meantime, you may have an advisor who knows nothing about your interests, the requirements of your intended major, or the career opportunities in that field. </p>
<p>President Sullivan has proposed to place greater emphasis on improving the advising system.</p>