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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]A kid who will potentially end up double-majoring in, per your example, biology and Asian studies is still taking up lots of resources in an oversubscribed major. The difference from someone who is a straight bio major is a couple more filled seats in an Asian history class. The situation for a computer science and humanities double major is even worse.

A cursory examination of most kids’ applications will make clear if this undersubscribed major kid (sincere interest or not) will easily switch to or double major in an oversubscribed field.

The issue then is — or should be — not so much showing a real interest in an unpopular major, but in likewise demonstrating a complete lack of interest in an oversubscribed major(s). College admissions can be a slow turning boat, but admissions officers will catch onto this nuance pretty soon, if they haven’t already.[/quote]

OP here:

All good food for thought. But I want to [b]challenge your assumption[/b].

If you just don’t list any of the other “oversubscribed” ECs/interests? I mean, that’s why it has to be authentic. You really have to have a demonstrated interest in the undersubscribed major evidenced by activities, LOR, essays.

My kid is a senior and got some advice from a kid a few years older from the same high school now at Stanford. She is a computer science major now, but got into Stanford with “history” listed as 1st choice major. She didn’t list one computer science EC on her activities list because she was so super involved and well rounded that she had plenty of humanities extracurricular and in-school leadership. But she knew getting into college as an Asian computer science girl at Stanford was impossible. Had national accolades in history as well.

That girl is now majoring in computer science and minoring in history. She might also be doing something with digital humanities I think.

Anyway, is that wrong? These schools are asking you to contort yourself and create a compelling “narrative” for them anyway. If all of this is true, you’re just hiding parts of yourself, how is this wrong?

Mind you my kid isn’t interested in any of these 3 majors that I originally mentioned. I’m using this as a hypothetical because I don’t want to out their true interest, but it is 100% not related to stem CS or engineering. All arts & sciences.
[/quote]
I read what you wrote because you said you wanted to challenge my assumptions. But I don’t see any assumptions that have been challenged, so maybe you should reread my post. I will say that I am sure a cursory examination of the now Stanford student’s transcript would probably have identified her as a possible or likely candidate for “switching".[/quote]

How? All qualified applicants, including humanities applicants, have max rigor in STEM.[/quote]
Already explained above. There is a “maximum rigor in STEM threshold,” and a “beyond that maximum rigor in STEM threshold” — and never the twain shall meet. Signing off now, because I feel like I am having a conversation with kids and/or naive STEM types. Lamenting the loss of “Old Stanford”…[/quote]

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