In the tide of applications, business and STEM fields remain scorching hot—majors like Business Analytics, Finance, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science are perennially popular, offering higher scholarships and relatively easier employment overseas.
In comparison, applications in the humanities and social sciences seem less fiery. Unlike accounting, which is practical and boasts high employment rates, or computer science, which is urgently needed and in high demand in the U.S., or engineering, which can "save the world," the impression among many international students is that these fields are "unpopular and face bleak employment prospects."
But in fact, many top universities highly favor liberal arts students, and more and more top students are devoting themselves to liberal arts applications. Liberal arts is a field of dealing with people, where experience is key; as time and experience accumulate, so do the salaries.
Technology is constantly advancing, and the degree of artificial intelligence automation is increasing. In fields like computer science, the speed at which old jobs are eliminated is almost equal to the speed at which new ones are created, while jobs requiring humanities and social sciences are on the rise.
George Anders, author of You Can Do Anything: The Surprising Power of a "Useless" Liberal Arts Education, points out that for a long time, parents and students have believed that liberal arts graduates cannot find jobs, a notion that ignores a reality of the modern economy: the skills required by today's jobs cannot be easily covered by any single college major. In his book, Anders introduces the wide variety of jobs held by graduates of philosophy, sociology, linguistics, and other majors, including sales, finance, and market research.
The book also states that the latest survey data reveals a trend: in the U.S. job market, the advantage of liberal arts graduates in newly created positions is growing.
What You Need to Know About Liberal Arts Applications
Common Majors Available to Liberal Arts Students
Education, Linguistics, Law/Legal Studies, Communication/Media, Public Administration, Social Work, International Relations/Political Science, Library Science/Information Science, Psychology, Sociology/Anthropology, History, Philosophy, Theology.
Regarding transferring majors, it is generally not easy to switch from liberal arts to STEM fields. If you have thoughts of changing majors, you might consider switching to business, such as MBA or Accounting.
In Fact, Most Top American Universities Excel in Liberal Arts
Top American universities emphasize elite education. These institutions hope to cultivate students who become leaders of society, not merely technical experts. They would rather train politicians, social activists, lawyers, entrepreneurs, rather than just a coder known for technical prowess.
To become a leader of society requires a certain breadth of knowledge and vision. Majors in the humanities and social sciences often lay a solid foundation for this. In fact, studying a seemingly unemployable humanities or social science major at the undergraduate level does not hinder one from obtaining high-paying positions later on.
Three Key Points for Liberal Arts Applications
- Ideas reflected in the application essays
- Background (academic experience, professional alignment)
- Language proficiency
The key is that in the corresponding application materials, you must demonstrate the depth and breadth of your thinking. If you are merely someone with excellent computer programming skills who has won many awards, that is far from enough; what Ivy League schools want to see is a student who can use computer technology to solve the social challenges currently facing humanity—that is the ultimate goal.
What Can You Study in Liberal Arts?
Education Track
1. Education Research: Becoming a theoretical expert in education, researching education policy, comparative education between East and West, etc.
2. Education Administration: Aiming for administrative leadership roles such as principal, managing teachers and schools.
3. Teaching: Career-oriented towards becoming a teacher in various subjects, similar to domestic normal university programs.
4. Counseling/Psychology Track: Application of psychology in education, career path as a counselor, helping students with various issues or serving as a college admissions consultant.
5. Educational Technology: More suitable for STEM students as a double major, cultivating IT professionals with an understanding of education.
In applying for education programs, avoid blind application. Scholarships are not abundant in this field, and you need to put extra effort into your essays. Besides focusing on language test scores, having some work experience is a plus.
Law Track
Juris Doctor: A professional doctorate in law, three-year program, after which you can basically stay in the U.S.;
Master of Law: One-year master's program, economical and time-saving, suitable for returning to your home country just for a prestigious foreign degree.
Doctor of Juridical Science: Three-year research doctorate for those who wish to pursue further academic work and eventually teach law;
Master of Law: 1-2 year program, some schools allow transfer to JD after graduation. Requires a bachelor's degree in law, TOEFL above 100, and proof of ability to conduct legal research, including publications and academic works.
Communication Track
Communication Studies: Leans towards theory, a stepping stone to a Ph.D.
Communication Management: Highly applied discipline with a diverse curriculum, emphasizing comprehensive ability development.
Strategic Public Relations: Practice-oriented, emphasizes case studies, familiarizes students with corporate communication techniques, good at communication and coordination.
Journalism: Train to become a journalist.
Specialized Journalism: Train to become a professional journalist.
These programs typically require a TOEFL score of 100+, and are more suitable for students with undergraduate backgrounds in English or journalism. GRE Verbal score at least 150, Writing at least 3.5, with relevant internship work. Essays need careful revision and polishing.
Public Administration and Social Work Track
Public Administration is theoretically a must for government civil servants, and a tool for adding a prestigious university background.
Social Work ideally aims to find social justice for disadvantaged groups, and is also a pathway to prestigious schools.
Public Policy covers the study of international and domestic political, economic, and cultural issues. It focuses more on quantitative analytical skills, policy interpretation and analysis, etc. If the direction leans towards international political economy, one can definitely pursue a career in business in the future.
Questions About Applications
I've heard some liberal arts programs don't require GRE scores?
Generally, liberal arts students need to submit TOEFL and GRE scores. Of course, some programs at some schools may not require GRE scores. About 80% of social work programs do not require GRE; a TOEFL score alone is enough. Similarly, some programs, like certain education subfields, may not require GRE at some schools.
However, 80% of regular programs still require GRE scores, and specific requirements vary by program. But the score requirements for TOEFL and GRE are higher for liberal arts students than for STEM students. Typically, students admitted to top 30 universities need TOEFL 100 and GRE 320+ with 4.0 in Writing.
Can I apply for scholarships?
Although scholarships for liberal arts are fewer than for STEM, liberal arts also involve a lot of research work. Therefore, there is a certain amount of research funding, so the chance of getting a scholarship or even a full scholarship still exists.
However, the distribution of scholarships in liberal arts is far lower than in STEM. Overall, the percentage of liberal arts students who receive any scholarship may not exceed 10% of applicants, and those receiving full scholarships may be under 1%.
Is admission easier than for other majors?
Admission difficulty varies among different programs. For example, social work, public policy, and education are relatively easier, while psychology and journalism are very difficult. Overall, the difficulty of applying to liberal arts programs is higher than for STEM.
Are there far fewer schools to choose from compared to STEM?
One characteristic of liberal arts majors is that not all universities offer master's programs in related fields. For instance, among the top 30 universities in the U.S., only about 10 offer a master's in Economics.
This differs from engineering majors like Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, which are offered at almost every school. So during the school selection process, you will face some limitations.
How to enrich your application profile?
Compared to science and business students, liberal arts students rarely have competition or internship experiences. Most liberal arts programs are research-oriented, so schools want to see work like surveys, research, practical projects, and published papers.
What are the job prospects in the U.S. and back home?
Employment prospects for liberal arts majors in the U.S. are not particularly optimistic. However, if you return to your home country, it's a different story. You will have a different perspective and a different background, so your achievements will be different. When competing with domestic liberal arts students, under equal conditions, you will definitely have a huge advantage.
If I major in liberal arts, do I not need to study math?
If you are not good at math, studying any major in the U.S. will be very painful. In any major in the U.S., quantitative research methods are highly emphasized, involving extensive use of mathematical models. We can only say that studying liberal arts in the U.S. does have lower math requirements than STEM, but compared to studying liberal arts in China, the math content is much higher.
What to Pay Attention to When Choosing a Major and School?
First, you must understand yourself. What do you want to accomplish in your life? What makes you unique? Why are you a good fit for the school? And why should the school admit you? These are all questions that require serious thought.
Second, the school's enrollment size. This is simple: a larger enrollment size means a higher chance of admission, and a smaller size means a lower chance.
Third, geographical location. Different locations bring different added values, especially for liberal arts majors, which carry a stronger humanistic atmosphere.
