Quotes from Deans of Admission and Others
We devote considerable resources to identifying and recruiting
talented, driven individuals, and we welcome applicants in any field. In fact,
the breakdown of majors of students joining our firm this fall is as follows:
economics, public policy and international affairs, molecular biology,
electrical engineering, politics, computer science, environmental engineering,
and physics.
— From one of the best-known consulting firms
We have a huge variety of majors—electrical engineering, music,
physics, all across the board. In fact, we sometimes get tired of yet another
politics major. Students generally do better in majors they’re really
interested in; by all means study what you feel drawn to.
— From a dean of admissions at a leading law school
About a quarter of our matriculants are nonscience majors. We
look for a broad-based student body. The nontraditional student really enhances
the traditional student body.
— From a director of admissions at a leading
medical school
We are less interested in students’ academic backgrounds than in
their talents and passion.
— From a leading consumer products software company
There are at least 50 different majors represented in our
entering class. There is no preferred major. We are looking for a diverse and
rigorous course of study overall.
— From a dean of admissions at a leading law school
Every year our entering class of 170 has 40 to 50 members who
were not science majors (religion, economics, philosophy, English, music,
etc.).
— From a director of admissions at a leading medical school
By all means follow your passion! We enroll concentrators in a
wide range of fields: classics, Asian languages, theater arts, physics,
chemistry, engineering. No matter what the major, it’s also useful to take some
courses that show your analytic ability.
— From a dean of admissions at a
leading law school
We recruit students of all majors. What we care about is whether
students know about and have an interest in our business. Some electives in
economics or finance can be helpful, but we are definitely interested in
students from all fields. In fact, one of our best hires is a comparative
literature concentrator from Princeton.
— From a leading investment bank
More often than not we interview applicants who have chosen a
major other than economics. While having a background in finance or economics
certainly can only help a candidate, overall we are looking for those
candidates who possess the raw intellect and ability to learn the business.
Critical thinking is a key component of any major, and often the students who
receive offers are able to exemplify their quantitative and analytical skills
in the interview setting.
— From a major financial services firm
We do not favor any majors over any others; 45 percent of the
students in our entering class majored in subjects other than politics,
history, and economics. Concentrating in other fields can be a distinguishing
feature. In particular, rigorous training in the humanities will really help
students get the most out of the way we teach.
— From a dean of admissions at a
leading law school
We really do mean it when we say that we welcome all majors. A
major in the humanities or social sciences has several advantages:
• it often reflects a broader range of interests;
• it often reflects an awareness of the subjective aspects of
human experience; very important in medicine;
• it often helps to develop skills in discussion and
interpersonal relations; and
• it is particularly well suited to our curriculum, which is
problem-based and centers on small-group discussion and self-directed inquiry.
— From a dean of admissions at a leading medical school
About 40 percent of our matriculants major in a nonscience,
which should be evidence that we care more about the whole student than the
major, and will continue to do so.
— From a dean of admissions at a leading
medical school
We definitely like to see a wide range of majors in our class.
Concentrators in the humanities and the sciences stand out as applicants. We
encourage concentrations in any field!
— From a dean of admissions at a leading
law school