Making a Major Decision: How to Choose a First and Second Choice Major on Your USC Application
One of my favorite things about USC is that there aren’t many things I have to tell students they cannot do. Although every once in a while, a student will say, “I’m planning on applying to USC as an Undecided major.” I then give them what will likely be unsettling news: You can’t apply to USC ‘Undecided.’ Even though you can put ‘Undecided’ as your second choice major, almost all USC applicants will be admitted to a specific major.
If you don’t know what majors you want to select as your first and second choice on the USC supplement, I suggest asking yourself these three questions:
What subject have I consistently succeeded in at high school?
What am I most passionate about and interested in?
What skills and knowledge might be necessary for the kind of career I hope to have?
You may know which majors you want to apply to at USC or you may not, but I always recommend doing some research about all the different majors we offer and the classes that make up each major. It may be in your best interest to pick the major or majors that are made up of classes you are most excited about taking at the time you fill out your application. To see these majors and classes check out the USC Course Catalogue. If there’s a major or department at USC you’re particularly interested in, check out our website to follow them on your favorite social media account or register for their virtual info session.
Deciding your major right now might feel overwhelming, but it might come as a surprise to learn that many students change their major or add an additional major or minor while at USC. A large part of the college experience is exploring new subjects and discovering new passions. Because USC is a school with so many different fields of study to choose from, academic exploration both inside and outside a major is common and even encouraged.
Everyone who wants to apply to USC will need to submit the Common Application, which includes USC specific questions. One of the first questions will ask you to select a first and second choice major. Students approach their major choices in several ways. Some students are only interested in one major, so they do not list a second choice. Some students have a first choice, but are still interested in attending USC even if it is within a different academic program and apply to a second choice. Some students want to double major or take on a minor, so they list both fields. Even though students will only be admitted to one major, you can add a second major or a minor after you start at USC.
It is also important to note our different application deadlines are dependent on your major selection. Not all majors are eligible for the Early Action (EA) admission plan. If you select EA, you won’t see any of the majors requiring a portfolio or audition in the list of available majors. Additionally, if you want to be considered for merit-based scholarships, the scholarship deadline will depend on the major you select. To learn more about our deadlines, visit our website.
It’s also important to note that Pre-Health or Pre-Law are not majors at USC but advisory tracks. If you are interested in pre-professional programs, you can indicate a pre-professional emphasis right below your first and second choice majors on the Common Application. Any student from any major can add a pre-professional emphasis, and you will have an adviser who will help you make sure you are taking the classes that will prepare you to apply to post-graduate programs.
The best place to discuss your first and second choice majors is when asked to discuss your academic interests. If there are academic interests you’d like to explore outside of these majors, you are still able to talk about them within one of our USC-specific prompts in the Common Application. Remember that interdisciplinary studies and taking classes outside your major and/or pursuing another major or minor is encouraged at USC.
As we review your Common Application and the majors you selected, we are looking to see if you would be a good fit for USC. As Admission Counselors, we understand previous exposure to your major might differ for all students. For example, most students who apply for engineering or business will not have had the opportunity in high school to take classes in these fields or even to be a part of a club that directly relates to either field. In those examples, we will look to see how you have performed in math and how you might have pursued these interests outside of the classroom in various ways, be it a job or in your free time. We admit students to majors so you can begin your freshman year taking classes in a field you’re passionate about. Even though you might change your major, we want you to be on track to graduate in four years with at least one major from the start of your time at USC.
When reviewing your application, we consider you primarily for your first-choice major, but if we are unable to offer you admission to that major, we will consider you for your second choice. If you select a talent-based major or majors that requires a SlideRoom portfolio and/or audition video, your application will also be reviewed by the faculty/admission team of that department. These members are experts in their corresponding fields of study. Even though I personally love movies and spend most of my time outside of work watching them, I know very little about what qualities to look for when selecting future filmmakers to attend the School of Cinematic Arts. These experts will let us know whether they think an applicant is a good match for their program. If you are not admitted to this portfolio-based major, we will consider you in the Office of Admission for your second-choice or for undecided admission. If you have academic interests outside of the portfolio-based major (or majors) you selected, I suggest discussing your multiple academic interests in your USC supplement to help us gain a sense of how you might pursue these interests on campus.
Our job in the USC Office of Admission is creating a class that includes students with different academic backgrounds and interests: USC wouldn’t be USC if we didn’t have a good mix of chemists, filmmakers, occupational therapists, and architects, so we must make sure that we balance our offers of admission to reflect our academic diversity. The majors you choose, your interests and passions, as well as who you are and where you come from will enrich the USC community and Trojan Family during your time at USC and beyond.
Written by: Brittany Baker-Brousseau, former Senior Assistant Director - USC Office of Admission
Co-Written and Edited by: Isaiah Sneed, Senior Assistant Director - USC Office of Admission