<p>what are the pros and cons of applying undeclared? does it affect my chances?</p>
<p>I don't think it matters. Because if it did wouldn't more people apply to really obscure majors to improve their chances and then switch when they get there. I don't know the percentage- but a big number change what they want to major in once they get to college. So I doubt it has very little impact, unless its an area you show great premise in, or have a lot of EC's. Otherwise not.</p>
<p>I don't know what goes on inside admission committees, but I suspect that sometimes stating an intended major can hurt an applicant and sometimes help. Since it would be difficult to predict the effect it might have, it might be best to be honest about how much you have narrowed your options.</p>
<p>It's said that at some schools choosing an extremely popular major can hurt while taking something more out-of-the-way helps (for example, a humanities major at a technology school), but it may not help much if that declared major doesn't match your personality well. If someone declared a really obscure intended major, such as Quechua, it would look odd if that interest were not reflected elsewhere in the application.</p>