So I made a mistake on my major on my application

[softmed]

I put the wrong major--actually worse, I put a major that doesn't even exist on my AMCAS application. I may have even put the same thing down on some of my secondaries. I would just call each school and make the correction but I'm afraid if they see the correction in the application it's going to make me look like an idiot who doesn't even know his own major.

So should I call each school individually and make the correction or wait for it to come up in an interview if they notice?

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[Disinence2]

What do you mean?

It seems unrealistic that anyone could innocently select, let alone type out, the incorrect degree that they have been working towards for 4 years.

Do you mean you put Molecular biology instead of Molecular and Cellular Biology?

How did you manage to compound this error in your secondary's?

 

[Myuu]

I put the wrong major--actually worse, I put a major that doesn't even exist on my AMCAS application. I may have even put the same thing down on some of my secondaries. I would just call each school and make the correction but I'm afraid if they see the correction in the application it's going to make me look like an idiot who doesn't even know his own major.

So should I call each school individually and make the correction or wait for it to come up in an interview if they notice?

I'd say fix it immediately, unless it's like the above poster suggested...

 

[softmed]

What do you mean?

It seems unrealistic that anyone could innocently select, let alone type out, the incorrect degree that they have been working towards for 4 years.

Do you mean you put Molecular biology instead of Molecular and Cellular Biology?

How did you manage to compound this error in your secondary's?

I'm a graduate student and I've only been working at it for about a year now. I've also never seen my major put on paper and the website with my grades has no major information. So lets say my major is "Biology" and I THOUGHT it was "Molecular Genetics- Biology" because I've been taking a lot of classes in Molecular Genetics. However, after putting that on all my applications, someone pointed out to me that the major was called "Biology" and there is no such thing as "Molecular Genetics- Biology".

I mean, I realize that I should have checked with my advisor, but I honestly thought my major was what I put down, and it's such a huge, long application I hardly thought twice about putting it down (if I had to second guess all the things I wasn't sure on I'd still be completing it!).

 

[Disinence2]

lets say that the situation you described is in fact your own.

I wouldn't worry about it. Its semantics, if it comes up during your interview just explain.

 

[fMRI]

I'm a graduate student and I've only been working at it for about a year now. I've also never seen my major put on paper and the website with my grades has no major information. So lets say my major is "Biology" and I THOUGHT it was "Molecular Genetics- Biology" because I've been taking a lot of classes in Molecular Genetics. However, after putting that on all my applications, someone pointed out to me that the major was called "Biology" and there is no such thing as "Molecular Genetics- Biology".

I mean, I realize that I should have checked with my advisor, but I honestly thought my major was what I put down, and it's such a huge, long application I hardly thought twice about putting it down (if I had to second guess all the things I wasn't sure on I'd still be completing it!).

Rule of Thumb:

Correct whatever mistake makes your application more special.

If you forget something that is irrelevant (e.g. you also volunteered as a...), that's no big deal.

But hey, if you are indicating a degree that DOESN'T EXIST, that requires correction. Imagine you'll be invited to an interview and somebody on the panel starts the discussion by asking you something neutral, friendly: "Oh, molecular genetics, when did XY University start offering this?" and you'll have to admit that it is just another biology degree. This WILL leave a lasting impression, but not a good one.

Straighten it out ASAP!

Good luck, and be more diligent if you want to be a doctor. Being careless looks bad.

 

[softmed]

But hey, if you are indicating a degree that DOESN'T EXIST, that requires correction. Imagine you'll be invited to an interview and somebody on the panel starts the discussion by asking you something neutral, friendly: "Oh, molecular genetics, when did XY University start offering this?" and you'll have to admit that it is just another biology degree. This WILL leave a lasting impression, but not a good one.

Straighten it out ASAP!

Good luck, and be more diligent if you want to be a doctor. Being careless looks bad.

Well, that's the thing, my degree IS unique and not "just another biology degree". The problem is, there's no name for it (it's even more generic than Biology, actually).

And these sorts of problems really annoy me. Isn't AMCAS supposed to confirm this stuff when they receive my transcripts? Actually, it's probably not their fault because my transcripts probably said "no degree information" or some variant. But at the very least it would be nice if they or I could change it. That would avoid a ton of trouble for both me and the schools I've applied to. But yeah, this isn't really the topic to complain about AMCAS.

 

[brooklynblunder]

so you are basically a masters student studying molecular bio?

 

[Compass]

Honestly, I don't see it as such a big deal. It's not like you accidentally put down Physics when you meant Biology. Send out a few apologetic emails stating that your major is actually considered "Biology," but your concentration is "molecular genetics." Then you'll get curious stares and questions about your major, and nail down the answer!

 

[softmed]

I'm actually emailing my advisor to see if I can say something similar to "Biology- Molecular Genetics" which would be much easier to explain.

 

[NotSur]

I'd just leave it as is. If you're asked, just say your major is biology and that you wanted to emphasize your focus on the AMCAS.

 

[diosa428]

Honestly, I'd leave it alone too. No one is going to notice or care. If you get accepted to a school, they're just going to want evidence that you completed a Master's, and I'm sure if your transcript officially says "Biology" that will be sufficient. You are not lying or grossly misrepresenting yourself.

If you do end up sending an email, send a short, simple email that says "I am writing to inform you that I incorrectly entered my major as Molecular Genetics-Biology, when in fact it is Biology". Now read that to yourself and think about how anal you sound and whether or not anyone is going to give a crap.

 

[Beta Cell]

Rule of Thumb:

Correct whatever mistake makes your application more special.

If you forget something that is irrelevant (e.g. you also volunteered as a...), that's no big deal.

But hey, if you are indicating a degree that DOESN'T EXIST, that requires correction. Imagine you'll be invited to an interview and somebody on the panel starts the discussion by asking you something neutral, friendly: "Oh, molecular genetics, when did XY University start offering this?" and you'll have to admit that it is just another biology degree. This WILL leave a lasting impression, but not a good one.

Straighten it out ASAP!

Good luck, and be more diligent if you want to be a doctor. Being careless looks bad.

Very well said.

 

[softmed]

I think I'm just going to leave it as is. I talked to my advisor and he said I could put "Biology- Molecular Genetics" as my major (even though technically I'll just be getting a degree in Biology) and if it comes up (which I think is unlikely) I'll just explain that Molecular Genetics is my concentration.