Do majors matter to AOs?

[Anonymous]

I’ve heard AOs say that majors don’t matter in admissions, but then also say they try to balance classes and majors. So which is it? If DC is interested in an unpopular major (classics), wouldn’t it make sense to declare that above undecided or a competitive major (biology) at a state flagship? How do AOs balance majors without adjusting admissions criteria accordingly? I’m not talking about LE programs like CS or engineering.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the school. UVA, no. VT, yes. Don’t try to game the system, you will lose.

[Anonymous]

In the specific situation you cited, for a school that does not bind you to a major, if you can make a very plausible case to be interested in classics, I would go with classics over biology. It might not help but it can't hurt to have a more obscure major that colleges have difficulty filling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the school. UVA, no. VT, yes. Don’t try to game the system, you will lose.

You at not gaming the system if you’re actually interested in the major. DH was accepted to a very selective SLAC as a physics major. He was one of four and would not have been accepted to other popular majors like economics or business.

[Anonymous]

AOs at the highly selective colleges can usually tell what an applicant is likely to major in from their course selection and ECs. Like if there's Calculus BC and Multivariable and Rocketry or Robotics or Drones clubs, they are likely to be engineering majors. If there's a heavier concentration on AP English and history classes and they're editor of the school paper, they are likely to be one of the liberal arts majors. If there's econ and math and they're president of DECA, they are likely to be economics majors or looking for the business school if one exists. Plus the essays usually display what the applicant is really interested in. A good application tells a story and AOs will figure out where the applicant belongs in the college.

[Anonymous]

A contrived example:
HS Student took 6 years of Latin, took lots of History classes, no Econ, but minimal science/math. Student has ECs in Latin Club and History Club. College admissions will figure out that student is not planning STEM major. Student claims Classics, which is credible given courses and ECs.

Different example:
HS Student took 4 years of Latin, standard set of History/Government, no Econ, lots of Math and lab Science classes. ECs are robotics team and math team. Admissions will figure out student plans STEM, even if they claim to intend Classics.

The intended business majors will usually pick HS Econ classes and a full but standard set of math classes.

If someone genuinely wants Classics, then fine to say so, but course choices and ECs should be consistent with the claimed intended major.

[Anonymous]

I know that Duke is looking for classics majors. But cannot always discern institutional priorities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the school. UVA, no. VT, yes. Don’t try to game the system, you will lose.

You at not gaming the system if you’re actually interested in the major. DH was accepted to a very selective SLAC as a physics major. He was one of four and would not have been accepted to other popular majors like economics or business.

Sure. The idea is don't apply to English at VT, get accepted, then ask for Engineering.

[Anonymous]

AOs balance talents, not majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AOs balance talents, not majors.

Not always. AO’s look for kids that meet institutional goals. That could mean filling seats for certain majors.

[Anonymous]

AOs are filling needs and there is only so much room in each bucket. Do they get it 100% right, no but they can tell by reading the application.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A contrived example:
HS Student took 6 years of Latin, took lots of History classes, no Econ, but minimal science/math. Student has ECs in Latin Club and History Club. College admissions will figure out that student is not planning STEM major. Student claims Classics, which is credible given courses and ECs.

Different example:
HS Student took 4 years of Latin, standard set of History/Government, no Econ, lots of Math and lab Science classes. ECs are robotics team and math team. Admissions will figure out student plans STEM, even if they claim to intend Classics.

The intended business majors will usually pick HS Econ classes and a full but standard set of math classes.

If someone genuinely wants Classics, then fine to say so, but course choices and ECs should be consistent with the claimed intended major.

Most of these kids are taking 4 years of math and science. Even classics majors hoping for top 20 schools are taking lots rigorous load all 4 years in all subjects. But yeah, I might leave robotics off activities list

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know that Duke is looking for classics majors. But cannot always discern institutional priorities.

Duke is not “looking for classics majors”. Duke does not put much if any emphasis on what students say they will major in because all majors are open to all students (within Trinity Arts&Sci). More than half of students change their major at Duke. They know this and do not care. They do look for a general variety in personalities, backgrounds, ECs and interests demonstrated over the course of high school, in other words a general variety of humanities versus premed versus students interested in econ/business, but they realize as well as anyone else that premeds and prelaw can be classiscs majors: the choice of classics per se matters not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A contrived example:
HS Student took 6 years of Latin, took lots of History classes, no Econ, but minimal science/math. Student has ECs in Latin Club and History Club. College admissions will figure out that student is not planning STEM major. Student claims Classics, which is credible given courses and ECs.

Different example:
HS Student took 4 years of Latin, standard set of History/Government, no Econ, lots of Math and lab Science classes. ECs are robotics team and math team. Admissions will figure out student plans STEM, even if they claim to intend Classics.

The intended business majors will usually pick HS Econ classes and a full but standard set of math classes.

If someone genuinely wants Classics, then fine to say so, but course choices and ECs should be consistent with the claimed intended major.

Most of these kids are taking 4 years of math and science. Even classics majors hoping for top 20 schools are taking lots rigorous load all 4 years in all subjects. But yeah, I might leave robotics off activities list

Absolutely. And have to have top grades, and stand out in LORs, etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AOs balance talents, not majors.

Not always. AO’s look for kids that meet institutional goals. That could mean filling seats for certain majors.

True, for schools that admit by major. For schools where one does not declare until the end of sophomore year and most of the students change their intention from the time they are admitted, seats are filled in less popular majors by distribution requirements. Curriculum planners carefully plan requirements to be sure all students take subjects in many different areas. My engineer at an ivy is taking a Roman history seminar in the fall. It is very popular among engineers and science majors because while it is a lot of reading and papers, the professor rates very highly for energized and interesting discussions . Sure some are majors in art history, but for others it is an elective that fills distributions.