Best of 2023: College Admissions Demystified—The Role of Majors with Andy Borst

College and Career Clarity

In this episode, Lisa and Andy discuss:

• Why some universities require students to apply directly to a major and how that affects admission chances.
• How demand, faculty, and resources impact the number of students accepted into certain majors (like Computer Science).
• Understanding why some programs aren’t open for major changes later, making the first choice critical.
• When can your teen choose a second college major.
• What to ask during campus visits to understand how majors shape admissions and graduation timelines.

Key Takeaways:

• There is a school that is the right fit for every student, and it will take some research.
• Universities and colleges have institutional priorities, including where students are applying from and what major they are applying for.
• Trying to “game” admissions with a different major first often backfires.
• Colleges are looking for future, happy alumni who can get a degree in a program that they're interested in and move on to talk about great things that they did at the university.
• Highly competitive programs (often called restricted majors) are not available to transfer into after admissions.

"I don't like denying students; I want to find students who are most likely to do well on our campus and who are most likely to be impacted by admission to our institution." – Andy Borst

About Andy Borst:

Andy Borst is the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at the University of Georgia (UGA). Formerly, when he was on our podcast, he was the Director of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, responsible for recruiting, admitting, and enrolling new freshmen and transfer students. Before joining the University of Illinois, he served in the same position at Western Illinois University from 2011 to 2016. Andy has also served on the Admissions Practices committee for the Illinois Association of College Admissions Counseling, which reviews and enforces ethical standards for college admissions in the State of Illinois. He earned a B.S. from Buena Vista University, an M.B.A. from St. Ambrose University, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of Iowa.

Episode References:

• Launch College & Career Clarity Course
• UIUC Tool on Majors
• #041 Nursing Program Admissions with Jon Rice

Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret).

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