Cathy and Meredith revive a recurring “unpopular opinions” episode focused on college admissions. They argue families overemphasize two things: having a fixed intended major and building a “perfect” activities résumé. They note many students enter college undeclared and many change majors, and most colleges prefer broadly rigorous high school coursework; major choice mainly matters for impacted or highly competitive programs (e.g., UC engineering, business, nursing, arts/film), where switching later isn’t guaranteed. On extracurriculars, they criticize clickbait rankings and “looks impressive” pay-to-play internships or research, emphasizing that admission officers can see through inauthentic choices. Instead, they encourage authentic interests, normal teen activities, sustained commitment, and demonstrating character and community contribution.
00:00 Podcast Intro
00:50 Host Catch Up
02:00 Unpopular Opinions Return
03:03 Major Pressure Myth
08:49 When Major Choice Matters
14:25 Undecided Is Okay
16:27 Activities Hype Backlash
18:09 Why Rankings Mislead
20:56 Why Families Fixate
21:38 Angular Kid Myth
22:32 Internships Are Fluff
23:56 Real Effort Example
25:46 Normal Teen Wins
28:48 Character Over Resume
30:56 Admissions Eye Rolls
31:52 Clickbait Stress Spiral
33:57 Let Teens Be Teens
35:56 Wrap Up And Song
Link to: Freshman admission by discipline | University of California