Apply for less competitive major to get in ???

[PHATTIE]

Hi everyone. I'm probably not the first one to ask this kind of question, but I could not really find any posts that closely talks about this.

So I am in my 2nd year Bio Major at a 4 yr University in CA. I want to transfer to a UC my junior year, preferably UCLA. All of us know that pre-med major, namely Bio, is a very competitive major at UCLA. So I talked to this guy who applied to a UC (UCI) as a non-competitive major, I think it was psychology. He claimed that he got admitted to transfer because it was not a competitive major and few people applies for it, because he had low grades at community college. He then switched to Bio major when he got in.

I just wonder if anybody has ever done something like that, or if that's a good idea even. And if you are from UCLA, how competitive is it, and what are some non-competitive majors?

Thank you...

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[Mobius1985]

Med schools don't care what your major is, as long as you have a high GPA.

At my undergrad school it was a common strategy to apply for acceptance to an easier college, then transfer to the college you really preferred (so long as you had the required GPA for the new department to accept you).

 

[KempDrumsalot]

Really depends on the college. I know the University of Illinois has made it more and more difficult each year to do such a thing, but UCLA may be completely different.

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

Sounds like the primary question is about the feasibility of switching schools?

I would doubt any of us could answer this question nearly as well as a person from the admissions/transfer office of the school you want to go to.

Suggestion - contact that school. Schedule an "informational interview" by requesting an in-person meeting with the admissions/transfer office representative. Advise them that you're considering a few different majors, and ask them their thoughts about your competitiveness to their school (stressing you REALLY) want to go there. Follow up with that person if you feel you've made a connection with them, often people want to help, especially if you can show you're very motivated to become a student there.

 

[Lukkie]

its more competitive than the olympics

go to psych or something else north campus if you don't want competition