Can I Change My Major After Submitting Uc Application

feature_problemsolution

Did yous put the wrong major on your college applications? Maybe y'all changed your listen about your major after y'all submitted your applications, or maybe y'all just clicked the incorrect major and didn't realize information technology until information technology was too late. What now? Will it impact your awarding? Will you be able to change your major after? If y'all're thinking, "I put the wrong major on my college application," don't worry. This guide is here to solve your trouble.

I Put the Wrong Major on My College Awarding! Is That Important?

If you've put the wrong major on your college application, we have some good news: for the vast bulk of people, this isn't a large deal. Yous don't demand to contact the schools to make changes, and it's something you'll hands be able to change later on, after yous've decided which college to attend.

The truth is that colleges know that many undergrads will change their major at least once during college. In fact, data shows that well-nigh a 3rd of students volition change their major, and about 1 in 10 will change their major more than in one case. This means that, in most cases, colleges don't consider the major you put on your application to be bounden or even all that representative of what degree you volition end up graduating with. Many colleges don't even require students to officially declare a major until the end of their sophomore year and almost make information technology easy to change your college major.

Can Yous Change Your Major Later?

More than good news: it's usually a fairly painless process to change your higher major, especially early on in your college career. If you've changed what you lot want to major in betwixt the time you lot apply and the time you begin classes, you tin often change it at your freshman orientation when you run across with an advisor to create your commencement semester schedule. They'll oft change your major for you without you needing to practice any additional work.

If you decide to change after school begins, changing your major is often as easy as filling out a form. Ask your advisor or schoolhouse'due south counseling office for information on how to practise this. After you switch majors, you may go a new advisor, especially if your counselor focuses on specific academic or career areas.

If yous want to alter your major subsequently on in higher, yous may run into some issues with having to graduate later than expected due to new graduation requirements. Yet, the procedure of actually changing your major should still be straightforward.

When Is It Hard to Change Your Major?

In some cases, it takes more piece of work to change your major. This is oft the case for programs that have strict enrollment limits and/or are more competitive than other majors. The schoolhouse will state directly when this is the example, and you'll ofttimes be applying specifically to that program inside the school. Some majors this is common for are nursing, arts-related degrees (such as trip the light fantastic toe, theatre, etc.), and engineering science degrees, although information technology varies widely from school to school (and many colleges don't have any caps on degrees at all).

Information technology's generally easy to switch from a capped major to a non-capped major, but if yous want to change to a capped major, the process is more complicated, and there simply may non be whatsoever space for you, fifty-fifty if you lot meet all the requirements. If you want to change your major to one with boosted admissions requirements, so y'all'll want to contact the admissions squad at the school as early as possible. If you lot can switch before your application is reviewed, then you won't take to get through any additional changes. If you lot can't switch before then, you lot'll probable need to wait until the summer when the school has its terminal enrollment numbers for each major. Fifty-fifty if in that location are spots, you'll need approval from the head of the department to be able to switch, and they may review your application materials again to see if you lot qualify for the new major.

But recall, these circumstances make up a small minority of cases, and for most people, changing their major from what they put on their application requires picayune more than than filling out a grade.

body_change-4

How to Change Your Major on Your College Application

As we discussed above, if yous put down a certain intended major, submitted your applications, and then determine you want to change, yous don't need to practice anything in most cases. You'll likely exist able to change your major at freshman orientation when you plan out your freshman schedule with an advisor. Yet, if you decide you still need to change your major, perhaps because your freshman orientation is grouped by department and you're switching departments, or because yous're trying to get into/out of a capped major, at that place are some steps you can take.

Later on you submit most applications, such as the Common App, Coalition App, etc. you cannot make changes to information technology. On their website, the Common App compares clicking "submit" to dropping your application in the mail: once it's sent, in that location's no changing it. They do state that, "If you need to change data on a submitted application, you must contact the college's admissions office straight to ask how they would like you to proceed." This is true for about applications.

Notwithstanding, as nosotros mentioned before, nearly of the time colleges don't care if you've decided to change your major, and you don't need to contact them at all. Here'south an instance from American University stating that your intended major isn't office of the awarding review procedure, and it'due south fine (and requires no further action on your role) if y'all decide to alter it.

If you've applied to a schoolhouse/major that has capped enrollment, so nosotros recommend that you contact the school's access office for communication on what to do next. UC Berkeley, for example, allows you lot to make changes to your intended major until the end of January of the awarding cycle you're applying to. (So, if you utilize in Nov, you have the cease of January to change.) Afterwards that, you'll demand to speak with the advisors at the department you want to transfer into, and at that place might not be space for you to transfer.

To epitomize, if you determine you desire to major in something other than what you put on your application:

i. Larn if yous actually need to change your major. Most schools don't care if y'all decide y'all desire to alter your intended major and will have y'all wait until freshman orientation to do then.

2. If you desire to switch into a major with capped enrollment, contact the school's admission office. The sooner you do this, the meliorate, because you have more of a run a risk of getting your major switched earlier all the spots are taken.

3. If y'all don't update your major during the application process, wait until freshman orientation and discuss the change with whoever is helping yous fix your freshman schedule.

body-thumbs-up

Summary: I Put the Incorrect Major on My College Application

If you put the wrong major on your college application, in most cases you don't need to worry at all. Colleges look many students to change their major during college, so they don't hold you to the major you indicated while you were applying. In one case yous've decided which schoolhouse you want to nourish, you can contact their admissions office to change your major, or you tin can wait until freshman orientation and you're setting up your schedule to change. If you determine to change majors one time you've started classes, you often only need to fill out a form, and sometimes get permission from the department you're switching into. Because most freshmen take a lot of general instruction requirements, irresolute majors may non even put yous backside schedule in terms of completing your new major's graduation requirements.

At that place are a few cases where it'due south more challenging to change majors from the ane you lot put on your application. This happens with capped majors and/or ones with more competitive admission requirements. If you're applying to one of these majors, you lot'll likely read near it many times as you research the school and your prospective major, and it'll oft be explicitly stated on the application. Switching out of one of these majors into a not-capped major is unremarkably easy, only if you want to switch from a non-capped major to a capped major, that can be more hard. Nosotros recommend contacting the school as early as possible to meet if your major tin be inverse before your awarding is reviewed. If you can't exercise that, then you may have to wait until they have their last admissions numbers in the summer before yous tin can officially brainstorm the process to change.

Overall though, changing majors is a common and piece of cake process, and then don't stress if yous put the wrong major on your college apps.

What'south Side by side?

Wondering what to major in?Learn how to choose a major for your college applications by reading our guide on the subject.

What are the all-time higher majors? Nosotros've come up with a list of the very all-time majors by looking at their bacon potential and employment growth. See if your major made the cut!

Not sure of the Human activity/SAT score you should be aiming for? Meet how to set a target Sat score or Act score based on the schools you desire to go into.

Want to build the best possible college awarding?

Nosotros tin can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. Nosotros combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from land colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We desire to go y'all admitted to your dream schools.

Larn more nearly PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Get Into Your Top Choice School

Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article!

About the Author

Christine graduated from Michigan State Academy with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the Saturday and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.