During the past few weeks, many students have called our office to inquire about which major to select when completing the Supplemental Application. Some common questions have been: "Does choosing a specific major affect my chances of admission?"; "What if I am not certain of which major to choose?"; "What if I select a major, but change my mind later on?" These are all excellent questions that deserve further clarification.
Our only expectation at this point is that you select one of our four colleges to which you will make an application: The College of Arts & Sciences, The Carroll School of Management, The Lynch School of Education, or The Connell School of Nursing. If you have aspirations to work in business, be an educator, or a nurse, you should apply to the appropriate professional school. If you are interested in the sciences, the arts, the humanities, or if you are undecided, you should apply to the College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Arts & Sciences is the largest of our four colleges and has the most potential majors from which you can choose.
Aside from choosing the college, you need not make another decision if you are not ready. Some students have a strong interest in a particular major, but many are undecided. This is why the University exists. Boston College is a Liberal Arts university. The word "liberal" was derived from the word "free." College is about exploration, freedom of choice, and trying new things. You will have two full years before we expect you to have solidified your major choice. Furthermore, many of the students who come with a selected major will change their minds. Again, students have the option to change their major at any point during the first two years. Choosing a specific major at the application stage will not enhance or diminish your chances of admission.
Some students also want to know what happens if they are admitted to one college - Arts & Sciences, for example, but decide later that they want admission to the Carroll School. In this case, an internal transfer may be possible. We ask that all students remain in the college to which they were admitted for one full year. At that point, if they have maintained a 3.0 G.P.A., they may apply for an internal transfer to another college. The decision to grant a transfer will depend on space availability in the given college, but the university will do its best to accommodate the student's request.
Therefore, as an applicant, you should apply to the academic division from which you currently would like to earn your degree. If through your college course exploration you decide you would like to earn a degree from a different division, we will work with you then. In the meantime, keep an open mind, explore your many options, and if you have no idea what you'd like to major in . . . there's always "undecided."