The most successful college applications tell believable stories.
Choosing a major is a strategy that should be cultivated over the first three years of high school. You might not know what you want to do, but you should know where your strengths lie.
Admissions officers are trying to figure out whether your academic record, extracurricular involvement, and intellectual curiosity support the major you’ve selected.
So your job as an applicant is to make sure that you tell a holistic, compelling story about your interests at this moment in your life. This doesn’t mean that you have to have your whole life planned out. No one expects you to definitively know where you want to be in five years.
Rather, you need to align your major with your application narrative.
Colleges curate their classes to build diverse, well-rounded student bodies. And admissions officers want to know that you explored potential interests and used these interests to become involved in your community throughout high school.
A student applying as a computer science major should take challenging math classes, pursue programming projects outside the classroom, and join clubs related to this interest. If you’re interested in majoring in English, you need a record of strong writing skills, a love of reading, and work on a literary magazine or school newspaper. And an aspiring mechanical engineer should demonstrate evidence of enjoying math, problem solving, and science.
This also doesn’t mean that everything you do must revolve around your intended major. Admissions officers want to see well-rounded applicants. But you need to tell your authentic story; you need to convince schools that you’re ready, willing, and capable of succeeding in the major or program to which you’re applying.
For years you believed that it is your destiny to become a mechanical engineer. But you struggled through pre-calc and science isn’t your best subject. You didn’t join the Robotics Club or take part in any pre-engineering clubs or classes in high school.
Now, you’re applying to colleges. And you still want to be a mechanical engineer. But it might not be in your best interest to apply to a mechanical engineering program. It might be more strategic to apply “undecided” or to apply to a school that gives you the opportunity to explore the topic before committing to the major.
You want you to go into finance. You barely achieved a B- final grade in calculus. And you received a C+ in your business management elective. On the other hand, you have a strong A average in history and an A- in psychology.
Applying into a finance program or as a business major would not be a strong application strategy. College admissions officers will not take you seriously, as you haven’t demonstrated a proclivity for the subject matter. If you apply as a history major, you can explore economics classes once you’re admitted and determine whether this path is appropriate for you.
Do not choose a major off-the-cuff, and it shouldn’t be a last-minute decision. In these cases, you’re better off applying as “undecided,” telling your story of exploration rather than picking a major that doesn’t represent your strengths and your story. The smartest application strategy isn’t choosing a major on a whim or locking yourself into a major that doesn’t reflect your strengths and interests. Choose the major that tells your story.
Ultimately, applying for a major that aligns with your demonstrated strengths opens doors. Admissions officers will see your passion and that will make you a more attractive candidate.
Remember, when you get into school, you’ll have time to explore, to change, and to challenge yourself to develop new interests. But when you’re applying to college, focus on who you are now, authentically and holistically.
If you need a strong strategy to ensure you’re choosing a major that reflects your authentic story, contact the team at GAMECHANGER Tutoring Connection.
