please reply: Do college assess you in light of your declared major?

driver
Fri, 15 Oct 2004 09:25:00 +0000

I don’t know California schools at all. But some universities in the east–Penn and Cornell, for example–require you to apply specifically to one of their colleges. So, if you apply to the college of engineering, you are going to be evaluated on that basis. And that can work to your benefit or detriment, depending upon your personal skills and shortcomings.

However, if you’re not applying to a school that handles its admissions in that way, I don’t think it matters at all. I can’t recall the exact figure, but something like half (or more) of college students change their majors through the course of their undergraduate years, and I don’t think you’re required to declare a major until you have some college experience under your belt. My daughter is a sophomore, and I don’t think she has to declare a major until some time next year. Edit: Next calendar year, not academic year. She’ll declare her major after winter break, I think.