First, the difference is that OP mentioned HYPS, which I believe means Stanford. You don’t throw caution to the wind, assume any question about possible major is just cocktail chat, any old thing you think you might be interested in. They look for kids prepared to (yes) “hit the ground running” and “fit and thrive.” That doesn’t preclude finding new drives in college or deciding X major isn’t your cup of tea. But the app is a snapshot of your thinking when you submit. They ask serious questions and expect reasoned answers. Sure, you can always explore in college via electives.
There’s a big difference between no experience at all relevant to this academic area you claim to be driven to pursue (but haven’t) versus something relevant. (Just “claiming” isn’t an “it.” They expect the vision and energy to have tried.) Maybe a kid studied Latin in a summer program or online. Or maybe he’s taken other languages and has stong proven drives in history and/or lit and wants to try classics, add that field, that era. But how does a kid even name, in this example, Latin or classics, never having touched anything related? It won’t make sense.
This is a real issue with many wannabe engineering kids, no experience academically or in the sorts of ECs that test interest and skills. Then, if there’s a “Why?” question, they talk about how it sounds interesting or they want to help the world. Meanwhile, others got involved.
But back to OP. She does not need to mirror a stem wannabe. It may even be a mistake, if it means missing other rigorous courses or valid ECs related to her supposed interests. Remember, she has AB. And many of us recommend an AP science.
And the GC is a wild card in this one. We don’t know, even if OP’s D takes BC, if that qualifies for MD. There may be other kids in linear and DE physics or whatever.
So what this gal needs is the best case for the interests she does claim. That thinking. That clarity. And the relevant “show, not just tell.”
It’s not just getting Most Demanding. It all has to make sense. In some respects, it IS the choices she makes, not one check box. Adcoms will look at the whole.
Edits are for typos