problem: I got suckered in to putting my intended major on the PSAT

<p>"Psychology". But I really have no idea what I intend to major in. Will this affect my college admission chances, specifically to UCB, and should I put 'undecided' on my SAT and college application?</p>

<p>Also.. is it a good sign if a prospective college is sending you letters? I've probably gotten a hundred letters in the last month (mostly colleges I'm not interested in), but one the schools I'm interested in is USC and they sent me a letter saying they think I should consider USC with one of those check things that says "Yes, send me more information!"</p>

<p>Aw, don't worry. At the PSAT level, I'm sure they expect you to change majors as often as...boyfriends/girlfriends. It's a flavor-of-the-week thing.</p>

<p>Most college students don't know their major when they enter college; many will change several ideas before they have to declare, usually in sophomore year. Even in university systems that require you to state your preference upon admission (such as the UC's), there are processes for switching majors once you are there.</p>

<p>If you're getting lots of literature from strange colleges in states you've never heard of, perhaps you did well on your PSAT's. Marketing starts early.</p>

<p>I'm not sure why the SAT's ask you about majors, except perhaps that it flags colleges with strengths in those majors to send you MORE mail.</p>

<p>Once you decide exactly where you want to apply, then it's worth finding out some "wisdom" on CC as to whether you're more or less likely to be admitted with a certain major on your college app, or not.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, clear out a closet for all the mail you'll receive in the next two years.</p>

<p>oh yeah, I've been getting so much mail since I took the PLAN test in my sophomore year! I just got around to throwing most of it it away and it was probably about 400 letters. I thought I'd done really well on the PSAT, but I was disappointed when we got the results back in January... it was just an okay score, 187. I've narrowed my college choices down to Hawaii Pacific University, USC, UCLA, UCB, UCSD, and UCSB.</p>

<p>
[quote]
For applications to the College of Letters and Science, Natural Resources and Environmental Design, no consideration is given to the indicated major in the review process.

[/quote]

<a href="http://students.berkeley.edu/admissions/freshmen.asp?id=56&navid=N%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://students.berkeley.edu/admissions/freshmen.asp?id=56&navid=N&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I didn't think UCB would get what I put as my intended major on the PSAT...</p>

<p>I agree, the amount of mail from colleges is bordering on harassment lol especially WUStL. Tulane too. And Saint Mary's is really getting annoying...</p>

<p>It's not going to matter what you mark on your PSAT. That's what, 2 years before you actually apply? They do not expect you to know what you want.</p>

<p>Even when you apply to the school, they don't expect you to know what you want to study. If you apply to Berkeley's college of Letters & Science, they don't look at the major you marked. If you applied as an engineer or in another college, they will look at it, but that's besides the point. My point is: they know that as a high school sophomore you will (probably) change your mind many times before you finally walk out with a bachelor's degree. Don't worry.</p>

<p>Also, I wouldn't put too much stock into college letters. But it certainly isn't a bad thing.</p>

<p>Don't forget Drury and EMORY! They're the colleges I got the most mail from.</p>

<p>Thanks for the responses! I feel better.</p>

<p>The PSAT is a year before we apply. =p</p>