<p>Hiya, I’m applying to Barnard and had a quick question. I interviewed back in November and, at the time, I was really, really into languages and whatnot. So I told my interviewer that I’d like to go into Comparative Lit. Just recently, though, after giving majors a lot more thought, my interests have somewhat switched over to Psychology and Sociology. Since I do tend to be flip-floppy, though, I’ve decided that it would be best for me to go in Undeclared. But will this look strange to the adcoms, considering I blatantly stated during my interview that I loooove language and Comp Lit is for me? I’d still like to possibly minor in languages, but I’m just very unsure when it comes to selecting a major.</p>
<p>Anyway, will saying Comp Lit during my interview and then selecting Undecided on my actual application make the people reviewing it wonder about me?</p>
<p>I feel pretty sure that this will make no difference at all. Of course, I can't say for sure, but I imagine that Barnard is used to people changing their minds about their majors. My daughter went in thinking she wanted some combination of dance/literature and ended up a neuroscience major. That is what happens when you are at such a wonderful school which challenges you to think about and approach all sorts of new ideas. A great thing, IMO!</p>
<p>My D went in talking about Renaissance Studies and classics and Human Rights and pursued American Studies and Domestic Rights.</p>
<p>She found she wasn't as interested in International Human Rights as she was in Constitutional issues in the US.</p>
<p>As for what you told the interviewer, I very much doubt they even keep a record of what you said re your major. I think the interviewers just report general impressions. It's also a way of showing interest, which you have.</p>
<p>I wouldn't give this another moment's thought.</p>
<p>Churchmusicmom: I been thinking we should meet up at graduation time.</p>
<p>ya no don't even like think that will change a lot. seriously, i interviewed with the dean and she made a point of saying that like 70% of students switch majors and stuff.
at least now they know you're versatile!</p>
<p>churchmusicmom, could you maybe give me a short synopsis of neuroscience at barnard? does your daughter take more classes at barnard or columbia for her major?</p>
<p>I will give you my impressions and ask my daughter if she can do the same (once she wakes up!).</p>
<p>First, she does take most of her classes at Barnard. She has found the science courses to be more rigorous at Barnard and also the teaching much better than at Columbia, I believe. Barnard offers a Behavioral concentration or a Molecular/Cellular concentration in Neuroscience, and my d will have completed requirements for both. Just turns out she loves all the science involved, so she did that. </p>
<p>It's early in the process of applying to grad schools, but she has found that her Barnard education seems to be highly regarded by grad schools and she has made a good impression upon the head of a lab in which she is very interested in at her first choice for grad school. To the extent that this guy sought out her Barnard advisor at a recent national meeting to talk about her and how much he wants her in his program. The fact that Barnard is a L.A. college (and not a large university) means that work in labs there for undergraduates is REAL hands-on science, and not the "grunt-work" that undergrads might be typically doing in a large university setting. And yet, of course, the Columbia connection is there and Barnard students have the opportunity to work in those labs if they want to pursue that. </p>
<p>Opportunities to be involved in research at Baranrd are plentiful, and it's important to pursue those for grad school later on, if that is your intent. My daughter was an Amgen scholar the summer after her second year at Barnard and then this past year has been working with one of her professors to set up a new lab and begin conducting studies which include her own Senior Thesis. And the fact that they are required to do a senior thesis is another big plus...not many undergrads will have conducted original research and produced such a work. Another opportunity that has come her way which would not be available at a large university, I believe, is that she has been asked to be a TA for a Neuro Biology lab next semester. She will be paid and will have the chance to help teach and to use the lab skills she learned in the class herself when she took it (I think) last year.</p>
<p>I will be happy to try and answer any more specific questions and will, again, ask my daughter to respond with her impressions as well.</p>