Our regular blog readers probably know by now that it’s important to tell colleges what you plan to major in should you be admitted. Many schools that use the common app have drop-down menus that allow you to select a program and those that don’t often ask via their supplements. We have written about this before, but here’s a refresher: it’s crucial that you tell X school what you plan to major in for a few reasons.
Colleges aim to balance out their incoming class of freshmen. We will never know what they’re looking for, but telling them what you plan to major in helps them put you in the right bucket. They don’t want everyone to major in Computer Science, and they’re looking for some diversity in terms of academic interests. So when you tell them that you’re undecided, they don’t know what to make of your application.
Colleges like to admit students with a plan. Telling them that you’re going to major in Mechanical Engineering, and then writing about which resources you’ll take advantage of, makes schools happy. This is because they know that you’re 1) familiar with the curriculum 2) are serious about attending the school and 3) are going to graduate in four years. Focused students who write about their academic plan drive up both the retention rate and the four-year graduation rate, two metrics that matter ~a lot~ to these institutions.
Before you freak out, note this: it is okay if you change your mind. No one is going to hold you to the major that you write about in your application. In fact, your academic advisor won’t even see your supplement. Choosing a major to write about for your supplements is a crucial step, but it’s 100% okay if you write about English and end up majoring in Math.
And while it’s fine to change course once you get in, you shouldn’t rush the process of figuring out which major you’re going to write about. This is because you don’t just say “I’m going to major in Literary Arts at Brown,” and then submit your essay. You need to back up your major with anecdotes and musings about what you’ve done so far within the field, so you can’t pick something just to be done with it. Keep reading for our tips:
Choose a major that aligns with the courses you’ve done well in so far throughout high school. When the admissions team looks at the list of courses that you took during high school, your choice of major needs to make sense. So, if you loved Biology, but failed the class, it’s not a logical next step for you in college. Ideally, you’ll have done well in the courses that align with the major that you choose. And while it’s true that certain majors aren’t usually taught in high school (for example, Philosophy,) you can demonstrate efficiency in a similar field. So, if you’ve done really well in English, it makes sense to transition to Journalism in college.
Streamline your research process by excluding majors you know aren’t of interest to you. Going through lists alphabetically is not the move here! Trust us. No matter what school you’re applying to, there are going to be majors that don’t excite you. If you have even an inkling of interest, definitely click through the link and read about the department. But you’ll save yourself a lot of time if you skip over the offerings that are clearly not for you.’
Read through the course catalogue. Yes, the whole thing. Is reading an entire catalogue ever going to be a barrel of laughs? Probably not. But if you’re bored to tears, you’re probably looking at the wrong program. Think: are these courses interesting to me now, and with continued progress, can I see myself signing up for these high-level courses in the future?
Really stuck? Make a long list of the classes that you don’t absolutely hate, the extracurricular activities that you love, the books you read for fun, the shows you watch, and anything you do during your free time. You might find that you love to read and gravitate towards books about history, or hated that you injured your knee during a soccer game but loved learning about the rehabilitation process. Look through the list of majors offered and click into anything that is even tangentially related to your list.
It’s important to keep in mind that once you choose a major, you’re going to have to write about why you want to study that field. When having these conversations with our TKG clients, it’s often overwhelming at first. No one is expecting you to be an expert, but you do need to flesh out the links between the major that you choose and what you’re reading, studying, and doing now. Hot tip: if you’re feeling rusty, sign up for an online course or read a few books while you work on your applications. Inspiration is everywhere!
We understand how overwhelming this process can be. Our advice is to have fun with the research process, familiarize yourself with as many majors as possible, and always remind yourself that diverting from the plan that you write about is absolutely acceptable.
If you could use a hand with the college process, contact us here.