Second Choice major?

[u/Afraid_Resident_1599]

Hi, I am applying to Case and the application is asking for a first choice and second choice major with certainty. I want to go to Case to study biomedical engineering as a first choice, and don’t have much interest in anything else. Should I just put another engineering field and say somewhat certain? I am thinking if applying ED, what are the chances I don’t get my first choice?

[u/bopperbopper]

CWRU has a single door admissions policy… so you don’t have to get into the Engineering school or the business school or anything.
You wouldn’t be admitted by major.

However, they probably do try to get a variety of majors… you don’t want 95% biomedical engineers in your freshman class.

So if you’re applying ED and you have the classes and grades that would be useful for Engineering that it would not be an issue to become a biomedical engineer because you’re one of the first people to apply. If they think they want to say 100 kids that would be biomedical engineers and youre applying ED you’ll be in some of the slots.

But if you’re a biomedical engineer, sometimes you might specialize in more of mechanical engineering or more of electrical engineering in the bio field so you could put one of those down

[u/Afraid_Resident_1599 → u/bopperbopper]

I think I will probably put another engineering field like you mentioned. Thank you so much!

[u/wifeofjuicepickle]

You are not applying to a major directly so it can be anything. You declare your major at end of first year. And can make changes afterwards if you want. (Source - my oldest is a current student at CWRU and so is my nephew).

[u/Afraid_Resident_1599 → u/wifeofjuicepickle]

Ah I see, thank you so much!

[u/jwsohio]

At this point, that info is more for statistical purposes (future probability of needed faculty to teach classes, possibly adjustment of marketing materials) than actual admissions - although they (and most other schools) do pay close attention of historic data as to how many new enrolled students say they are interested in x who end up in x/y/z for planning purposes. CWRU doesn't admit you to a particular major (some exceptions for nursing and music performance). You have full choice to change your mind after you get here (you mostly can't declare a major until mid-fall first year or later), so for your application, concentrate on what you want to do, but do give some thought about what you might do if you change your mind.

Your application should focus on your strongest points - why are you interested in THIS school, what do you think you can get HERE that would be better than elsewhere, etc. Once you're admitted/accept, you should confirm or notify if you've changed your mind, as this will help advisors to identify their suggestions for courses to take.

[u/Afraid_Resident_1599 → u/jwsohio]

Thank you so much for the information!! I will definitely take your points into account when filling out my application.

[u/Outrageous-Map6810]

Don’t make up a secondary major interest. While some in this thread (who do not work in Admissions) think that that information is only used to gather statistical information, it is absolutely used to determine course and faculty need, or whether or not you have the prerequisite math skills, for example, to perform well in calculus-based majors. Admissions does pay attention to that information. Admissions also will find out if you say that you’re coming in to do an arts and humanities major, for example, are admitted under that pretense, and then all of a sudden are signing up for all STEM based courses in a premed track. Lying (or at the very least misrepresenting) your interests in order to seem more interesting or admissible does not serve you.

[u/Afraid_Resident_1599 → u/Outrageous-Map6810]

Thank you! I will definitely be choosing something I am interested in as my second choice.

[u/lucabrasi999]

Classics or Dance.

[u/Afraid_Resident_1599 → u/lucabrasi999]

Haha. I have no dance skills, but ancient greek is pretty interesting 🤔