<p>I've been admitted into a certain program at the University of Michigan for this fall and I want to change my major to undecided; can I change my major before school starts, sometime before orientation, or do I have to wait a bit once school starts and THEN change my major? I am not quite sure how the process works. Please help me out! Thanks</p>
<p>You were not admitted into a major. You were admitted into a college (CoE, LSA, Kines, Nursing, Music etc…). Within that college, you are considered “undeclared” for the first two years. You can officially only declare your major at the end of Sophomore year.</p>
<p>If you are asking about switching from one college to another (LSA to CoE, or Kines to LSA etc…), you will have to give us the specifics.</p>
<p>I’m sorry!!! Then is it even possible for me to switch from music to undecided? Since I don’t know what category I would be under (like LSA, CoE, etc.) Do I have to stay in the music program for 2 years before I can change anything? I’m really lost and I don’t know what to do… help!</p>
<p>You were admitted into the school of Music? If that is the case, you were also admitted into the College of LSA right?</p>
<p>Yes I was! 
Does this mean good news for me?</p>
<p>Yes, it is good news. Assuming you wish to major in a field offered at the College of LSA, you do not have to do anything official. You should communicate your intended change in plans to your advisor when you get to the University, but you do not have to go through any administrative steps to select another major within LSA.</p>
<p>Ahh! thank you so much for your help!!! Okay thanks for solving my problem :)</p>
<p>On a relatively unrelated note but just clearing up something Alexandre said: you can declare your major officially at any time during your first two years, not just after your sophomore year. That is only when you MUST declare.</p>
<p>Ohh i see!! Thank you for the information!</p>
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<p>Alexander, are you absolutely certain about that? I am not convinced that’s how it works at all because normally YOU HAVE TO APPLY TO BOTH SOM AND LSA to be admitted to both. The SOM conducts its own academic review.</p>
<p>I think the OP should call Dee Unlintz, the School of Music Registrar, and confirm what his next step should be. Alternately, he could attend the first year of SOM and transfer after that to LSA, especially if he just has cold feet.</p>
<p>Here’s why I believe this is the case – my son was admitted to the SOM by portfolio/interview only back in '09. HE HAD SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLIED TO LSA, because he was ADVISED to by the SOM if he wanted to pursue a dual degree. Pretty sure that’s still the case. So an admit to SOM is not to LSA any more than and admit to LSA is an admit to COE.</p>
<p>The second reason that dnwjd83 should get into communication with the SOM is that auditioned spots are few and far between. Some other talented person could be taking that space if he does not intend to matriculate to the school of music. In this case, he would need to transfer his application.</p>
<p>PS. Edut – Admits to the school of music are very degree specific. No such thing as a general admit and later declaration of major.</p>
<p>That is only true at LSA.</p>
<p>you may be right kmcmom. I assumed you could not be admitted into the SOM without first being admitted into LSA. The OP confirmed that he had been admitted into both. As such, the OP has a firm and unconditional acceptance from LSA that, I presume, stands until he says otherwise. I agree that he should contact the university to take the necessary steps once he has figures them out.</p>
<p>There’s three possibilities here.
- Applied to LSA with intent to take LSA music (not the conservatory, didn’t audition) in which case no biggie, doesn’t declare for two years anyway.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Applied to conservatory via audition (eg talent based admit with Umich academic clearance.) Many music students only apply to the school of music (and if not admitted attend a different school of music.) If admitted to SOM, all admit communication, materials, etc. come from School of Music. This is not an admit to LSA, although you take courses in LSA and you can take a minor in LSA or later apply to transfer to LSA.</p></li>
<li><p>Applied to SOM AND LSA…would have received admit info from BOTH schools. Being admitted to one does not affect admittance to the other. It’s possible to be admitted to one and NOT the other. This would have required TWO applications, and on admit, a note from the U asking whether applicant intended to attend BOTH programs as a dual degree, for which they get separate counseling.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>OP which of the three scenarios is your case? It makes a difference in terms of advice!</p>
<p>dnwjd, which of kmcmom’s three options do you fall under? I was under the assumption that you feel into category three.</p>
<p>Yes i fall under category number three!</p>
<p>So if i don’t want to pursue a double degree, can i just drop either the LSA or SOM? </p>
<p>Sent from my SGH-T999 using CC</p>
<p>kmcmom, if the OP decided against majoring in the SOM and wishes only to focus on LSA, do you recommend he contact the SOM now to inform them in order to make room for another applicant?</p>
<p>OOPS, Alexander, we cross posted. Yes, if he wishes to pursue LSA only, it would be good to let the SOM know now as on some instruments/programs there’s only a handful admitted. As I mentioned below in my post (written before your question), otherwise, if he’s not sure, he can wait and then reconfirm his decision when the University asks him, which would then accommodate someone on his instrument off the wait list.</p>
<p>(Previous post to OP:)</p>
<p>If you mean DUAL degree (as opposed to double major) the answer is yes. You can also simply accept your LSA acceptance, and not accept/rescind your School of Music acceptance.</p>
<p>If you’ve already accepted both, before your counseling session you will receive a notice from the University, asking if you still intend to matriculate in BOTH degrees next year. You can also simply reply to that one, stating your preference.</p>
<p>However, in so doing, you will be giving up your spot at the School of Music, but also freeing up space for someone on the wait list.</p>
<p>I too recently auditioned at UM. I applied to both SoM and LSA. If i only get accepted into SoM kmcmom13, you are saying I cannot switch into a major into LSA? I have to wait a year to apply and transfer into the LSA program?</p>
<p>Yes. If you are not accepted into LSA, then no, you cannot change your major from a SOM degree to an LSA degree before entering the program. An SOM admit is not a LSA admit and vice versa.
But I don’t know how soon you could, or whether you would, be accepted to transfer. It’s possible you could apply to transfer earlier, eg after first semester.</p>
<p>But why would you go to the trouble of auditions, etc., if you didn’t really want to pursue a performance degree? In most cases, it’s the SOM that’s tougher to get into than LSA…but now and then a high-talent but lower academic stat applicant will get accepted to one (SOM) and not the other.</p>
<p>By the way, perhaps a distinction should be made here, since the title of the thread is “switching a major” and this is way more than that.</p>
<p>Degrees at the School of Music, Theatre and Dance are considered “professional” degrees. Whether its a bm in performance, a bs in performing arts tech engineering, or a bfa in jazz, they’re all more highly sequenced than a general BA, and all have a performance/production/studio element of practical work just like a conservatory. </p>
<p>So getting into or out of one of those programs isn’t quite the same as just “electing” a different major! Getting in requires demonstrated competitive talent; switching out requires that you’re academically selected/approved to pursue a degree in LSA.</p>
<p>It’s similar to being accepted to LSA, but then wanting to switch to the college of engineering. The latter is another “professional” degree. So you are then applying to a different school within the university with different prereqs and distributions.</p>