How to Choose a College Major

College applicants usually start with the obvious stuff: Grades. Scores. Essays. But the first thing I ask is:

“You sure about that major?”

Half the time, students aren’t. They picked it because it “sounds successful.” Because someone told them it’s “safe.” And I get it. But that answer? It is the spine of your application strategy.

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The Major Is Part of the Strategy

Imagine college is an orchestra. Each major is a seat: violin, cello, flute, bassoon.

• Violin = the popular majors. Everyone plays violin. That’s CS, Bio, Business.
• Bassoon = the less common, high-leverage majors. Not many kids pick up these instruments, and schools need a few bassoon players.

If you can actually play the bassoon? You’re golden. You’re not competing against 10,000 other violinists for one chair.

But if you pick bassoon just to be different, and you've never touched one in your life, you're not going to the Philharmonic. This is the paradox of major selection: You want to be different, but you also need to be credible. The major needs to fit you.

More Popular Major = Harder to Get In

Everyone and their mother (she’s probably the one writing the app) is applying for CS, Engineering, Business, or Biology.

Want to apply as a CS major at UC Berkeley or Carnegie Mellon? You’re competing against literal prodigies. Business at Michigan Ross? Better show receipts, not just DECA and a few buzzwords. Pre-Med at Cornell? Biology is packed. And they’ll admit the kid who crushed AP Chem and started a health equity non-profit. Meanwhile, applying to Agricultural Sciences in their CALS school might double your chances.

It’s not that these majors are impossible. They’re just flooded. You’re trying to get a front-row seat at a concert where thousands of kids are screaming the same song. And you might be singing in the wrong key!

Requirements for Hot Majors

If you don’t have these, I recommend applying for something else.

🧠 STEM Majors (CS, Engineering, Math, Hard Science)

• Math is the ticket. AP Calc BC minimum. Linear Algebra = bonus points.
• Coding experience matters. You should’ve built something. Doesn’t have to be huge (a website, a data model, a game mod) just real.
• At the Ivy level (and most top 20s), it’s not enough to be “great at Science Olympiad.” They’re looking for published research and winning prizes with hundreds of competitors.
• Testing matters more. Your AP scores and SAT/ACT need to be strong, especially in math.

🧬 Pre-Med

• Med schools don’t care if you majored in Biology or History. They care if you’ve taken the pre-reqs (bio, chem, physics, etc.) However, if you are going for the typical biology major, all the STEM qualifications apply.
• Some of my favorite pre-med students major in: Sociology (great for doctors with research chops), Public Health (incredible lens for systems thinking), Developmental Psychology (especially for future pediatricians)
• Emotional intelligence matters. Too many people say they want to be doctors to “help people.” These essays are terrible and easy to reject.

💰 Business / Econ

• Econ = academic. Lots of math. Think AP Calc BC, stats, data modeling.
• Business = builder. You need to have done something. Created a product. Launched a brand. Scaled revenue. If you haven’t made money or made an impact, it’s gonna be rough.
• DECA, FUBA, AP Micro are fine. But those don’t make you stand out.
• If you’re not quite there? Apply to Organizational Studies, Strategic Communication, or Policy, then transfer into the business school later. (I help students do this every year.)

AI & the Coming Wave of Unemployment

I love a good coder. I love a good builder. But I’m also worried about CS majors. Sam Altman (you know, the guy who created ChatGPT) has publicly said that most entry-level tech jobs are going to get wiped out. Fast.

“Most of what people use computers for today is going to be done better by GPT-4 in the near future.” — Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI

Now, am I saying don’t do CS? No. But don’t blindly follow the herd into a field that’s shifting under your feet unless you’ve got the chops and the vision to stand out. Plus, it might be smarter to go into Biometry & Statistics than straight Data Science because you can get into a better school and have a specialty.

Major Dos & Don’ts

Don't pick a major because it “sounds safe.” Pick one that actually fits you.
Avoid overcrowded majors unless you’re highly competitive and deeply passionate.
Lean into your unique angle. Bassoon > Violin (if you can actually play it).
Back up your choice with classes, projects, experiences.
Some majors offer backdoor paths. You can always change after you get in. Most students do!

When I work with a student, I don’t just look at their GPA and ask where they want to apply. I figure out where they’ll stand out and how to reverse-engineer their application to make their story undeniable.

Then we get to work refining activities, building portfolios, editing essays, and picking the major that gets them in. Every student is different. That’s why the strategy is always personalized. Why shouldn’t your major be?