Question about applying ED and selection of major

Applying to College
1

I’m trying to understand a specific situation for applying Early Decision.

If a school asks you to list an alternate, or several alternate majors, and you are accepted into one of these majors (but not into your primary major), is the decision still binding? If this is the case, and you really would only do ED for the primary major, should you not put any alternate majors on the application?

I’m concerned that my child put down an alternate major (a possible minor) that is very different from the primary major, and not one that we are willing to be financially “bound to”. Is it too late to change it now? (has not been admitted yet)

I thought we asked all the right questions before we committed to ED, but it looks like I missed this possibility. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

2

Call the Admissions Office of the school. It’s a valid question and one that is certainly different for every campus.

3

At the school my daughter is applying to, if you don’t get admitted for your 1st Major, you are “offered” the opportunity to be admitted for your second choice. Some students take the 2nd choice, some refuse but it is not assumed by the school that you would be equally happy to take your second choice.

4

Thank you. I’m glad that it is at least not clearly universally known and I missed it. I will certainly call.

5

Better yet, have your child call admissions.

6

You may also want to look up the policy for changing major into the first choice major for students who enroll at the college in some other major.

7

It depends upon the school so if your student cannot find the information on the school website, s/he should call Admissions and ask. I’ve seen it treated in different ways.

8

Note that since you did not name the college or the majors, others here who may be familiar with the college cannot help you.

9

So we could not reach the AO by phone before end-of-day on Friday. I had my child send an e-mail explaining the situation. No response yet, but I’ll let you know what it is when we do receive it. I know I’m limiting any help by keeping things vague right now @ucbalumnus, but that is at my child’s request. I mean no offense.

10

Want will you do if your child decides to change majors halfway through freshman year to something you don’t feel is worth the cost?

11

At my daughter’s school they specifically are not bound by the ED contract if either offered an alternate choice during the ED round, or deferred to RD for first choice. However if offered an alternate in the ED round, they still have to accept or refuse the offer by the usual ED deposit deadline.

12

@Eeyore123 that is not our agreement. My child never intended for what was put down as the alternate to be a primary major, just a possible minor or double major. I expect there might be changes down the line, but that is not the issue right now.

13

Web search “[college name] change major [desired major]” to see how difficult it will be to get into his real desired major if enrolled in a different one.

14

Child got a reply from the university saying that they don’t really admit by major, so there is no problem removing or switching the alternate major, even in ED. Phew!
Thank you all for the suggestions and bearing with me during my little freak-out.